S Hicks & Son Ltd of Truro - Triumph car dealer 98

S Hicks & Son Ltd were a Standard Triumph distributor based in Truro Cornwall UK.

S Hicks & Son Ltd, Truro invoice 5 September 1970

S Hicks & Son Ltd, Truro Motor 8January1964

Award Winner designs Truro Showrooms

It was reported in the Standard Triumph Review December 1965 that:

S Hicks & Son Ltd, Truro STR-12-1965 image01

One of the oldest holders of the Standard franchise, S Hicks and Son Ltd, of Truro, Cornwall County distributors for Standard-Triumph, hope to be occupying striking new premises on City Road, Truro, in about twelve months time.

S Hicks have been Standard distributors since 1922, but were closely associated with the Standard Motor Company for several years before the 1914-1918 War.

Their new premises, illustrated by the architect's drawings (bird's eye view), have been designed by Mr Giles Blomfield, senior associate architect with John Crowther and Associates, of Truro.

Mr Blomfield, who, incidentally, is a Triumph Herald Convertible owner, designed his own home (also illustrated) and was awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects' bronze medal in October - the highest award to be gained for a building, and only the second time the distinction has gone to Cornwall.

S Hicks & Son Ltd, Truro STR-12-1965 image02

HICKS of TRURO Family concern for 91 years

It was reported in the Standard Triumph Review April 1967 that:

When the first car was 'imported into Cornwall 67 years ago by S Hicks and Son Ltd, of Truro, it marked a new era but not the beginning for Hicks had already been a business for the previous 24 years.

Beginning in 1876 as a blacksmith, Samuel Hicks founded a business which has remained a family concern ever since and which marked yet another milestone in January by the opening of £100,000 plus premises - the first phase of planned expansion.

From the original blacksmith's, the firm extended when Mr. W. E. Hicks, son of the founder, joined and added cycle dealership and gunsmiths to the business. The sale of the first car to a local dentist in 1900 established the  motor trade in Cornwall, and led to the acquiring of several car manufacturers' agencies.

In 1921 they obtained the Distributorship for Standard cars in the county, and after that time relinquished, gradually, all other agencies.

Mr Michael Perry, the Mayoress and Mayor, Truro, Mrs Perry, Mr Perry, Sir Donald Stokes, Mr A C L Mills (Home Sales Manager) and Mr J Crowther (architect ).

The new premises were opened by Sir Donald Stokes, Chairman of Standard-Triumph International, who congratulated the distributors for 'backing their vision with hard cash'.

He also added congratulations to Mr W C Perry, Managing Director, and Mrs Perry, and their son, Mr Michael Perry, great-grandson of the founder, who was made a director shortly before the opening and continues the family line.

Main showroom interior

Fronting City Road, Truro, the new showrooms for twelve cars also have as focal point a circular showroom incorporating a turntable and a director's suite above. A lead foil covering the walls and ceiling is designed to reflect light to its best advantage for display purposes.

S Hicks workshop with Castrol Car Care Unit

The workshop, with roof accommodation for 40 vehicles, fronts Calenick Street, and until phase two of the expansion is completed, is sub-divided to cater for the stores department.

Construction is such that development can take place upwards, by two storeys if necessary, and it is planned that phase two will incorporate a new stores and extension of the workshops and roof car park to take 100 cars.

Triumph car dealers in Truro

April 1951 Triumph:
H T P Motors Ltd, Princes Garage 

1955, August 1961:
Distributor open 7 days a week 24 hour service
S Hicks and Son Ltd, 10 River Street, and 72 Lemon Street phone 2606

Feb 1965:
Distributor
S Hicks and Son Ltd, 10 River Street, and 72 Lemon Street, phone 2606
Dealer
Chiverton Cross Garage, Blackwater, phone Threewaters 321

September 1968, August 1970:
Distributor
S Hicks and Son Ltd, City Road, and 72 Lemon Street, phone 4321/2/3

March 1972, March 1974, May 1975:
Distributor
S Hicks and Son Ltd, 10 City Road, phone 4321/2/3

April 1979:
Distributor
Mumfords of Truro,Newquay Road, TR1 1RL. phone 0872 2581

March 1988:
Austin Rover
Hicks Motor Group, Lemon Quay, TR1 2JG, phone 0872 74321

May 1991:
Rover Group
Hicks Motor Group, Lemon Quay, TR1 2JG

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about S Hicks & Son Ltd of Truro Standard Triumph dealer such as photos of window stickers, dealer badges or sill plates etc please let me know. I can be contacted via the comments to this post or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin

Further information and sources

Link to the other articles in this series.

Link to facebook page: Triumph Car Dealers.

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr group which includes many photos of Standard Triumph garages etc from my collection and many other contributors .

I have a collection of Standard Triumph car dealer directories: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/triumph-car-dealer-directories.html

Picture credits: