P J Evans of Birmingham - Triumph car dealers 23

This is the 23rd article in my series about Triumph car dealers and features Birmingham dealer P J Evans Ltd.

The early years of P J Evans

1913 advert

An advert from a November 1913 copy of "The Light Car and Cyclecar" shows P J Evans branding themselves as "the Birmingham house for small car". This is the earliest mention of them selling Standard cars that I have found.  P J Evans held the Standard franchise from 1912. Like many other car dealers P J Evans started out selling and servicing motorcycles as well as cars.

P J Evans - John Bright Street Birmingham in 1913

Advert for P J Evans - 1916

In 1927 when Bill Lyons, founder of Swallow Sidecar was looking for a Birmingham based dealer to sell his version of the Austin Seven. P J Evans was already an established and prospering dealership in the Midlands and was the perfect partner for Lyons. Together with Lyons’ prestige cars and Evans’ expertise they we able to offer a personalised and tailored service to their customers.

Mr Evans was died in a airplane crash not long into that partnership was set up. He had been flying back from the French Touring Car Grand Prix and as his children were too young to take over the business, P J Evans was sold to rivals Steeley and Rodway.

Throughout the 1930s, the business continued to flourish and grew to be one of the largest dealers in the Midlands. Selling the leading brands of the day including Austin, Bean, Daimler, Fiat, Morris, Rover Standard and Sunbeam.

The firm survived the second world war by concentrating on serving and selling used cars.

1954 advert for Swallow Doretti

P J Evans Ltd advert from Autocar 18 Oct 1957

Death of Mr Stanley Rodway

The death of Mr Stanley Rodway, Managing Director, was reported in the Standard Triumph Review February 1959. The report noted that Mr Norman Steeley had died some 18 months earlier. Standard Triumph were represented by Michael Whitfield, General Sales Director; Mr F E Higham, Home Sales Director and Mr J B L Savery. Mr SK Ridley and Mr J B Parker were appointed Joint Managing Directors of P J Evans Ltd.

P J Evans grows to be Evans Halshaw

 

Archers Specialist Cars advert March 1980

As the business grew it acquired Rolls Royce and Bentley dealerships. This allowed the company to list its shares on the Birmingham Stock Exchange. P J Evans expanded rapidly with a number of smaller acquisitions. During this growth, would-be-buyers took an interest and eventually LCP: a small West Midlands Conglomerate whose main business was coal distribution, property and car seat manufacturing backed the prospering dealership.

P J Evans Birmingham 1984 advert

With this financial backing PJ Evans were able to acquire its first Ford Dealership in 1977, with four more joining the group over the following two years.

1978 saw P J Evans make it’s most lucrative purchase of the Halshaw Group: a private company that owned the Halifax Motor Company and Bradshaws Motor House. This promoted the change in name to Evans Halshaw, and the beginning of their rapid growth.

1990s – Largest Automotive Retailer in the UK

Evans Halshaw continued to add to their portfolio of businesses throughout the 1990's. In 1999, Pendragon PLC acquired the Evans Halshaw group for £83.7 million, creating the largest automotive retailer in the UK. Evans Halshaw continued to grow, benefiting from Pendragon's long term relationships with its manufactures.

Today 2016, Evans Halshaw is said to be the largest volume selling car retailer in the UK with over 120 dealerships nationwide.

Sill plates and glove box plate

P J Evans glove box plate

1960 Sill plate

The glove box plate appears to be the same as the sill plate.

Rear window sticker

This reproduction rear window sticker is currently available from the I Say Ding Dong website.

1959 P J Evans Sales Invoice

Here is a copy of a sales invoice dated 7 September for the Triumph Herald saloon currently owned by Rich Philpot. £720.00 for the car including tax and delivery, the sort of money you can spend on a big service on a modern car.

In the Bull Ring Birmingham

P J Evans sale exhibit in the Bull Ring Birmingham 1966

P J Evans had a display in the Centre Court of the Bull Ring shopping centre in Birmingham. It ran for 10 days from 9th May 1966. According to the sales manager Charles Watson several cars were sold.    

P J Evans sale exhibit in the Bull Ring Birmingham 1966 image 2

P J Evans sale exhibit in the Bull Ring Birmingham 1964

Sales Service Week

Between 10th and 14th March 1969 the Granville Street branch of P J Evans staged a Sales and Service Week promotion assisted by staff from Standard Triumph HQ.

P J Evans branches

The firm had garages in many West Midlands towns including Halesowen, Redditch, Sutton Coldfield, West Bromwich and Dudley.

P J Evans West Bromwich advert May 1977

P J Evans Dudley advert 1982

P J Evans in Sutton Coldfield

P J Evans (Sutton Coldfield) Ltd in 1967

P J Evans of Sutton Coldfield on Birmingham Road c1965

On the right is the showroom of P.J.Evans (Triumph dealer) hence Triumphs everywhere. The building had been a wedding dress shop called Red Rose, a Blockbuster video shop and most recently a Morrison's Express but is currently vacant.

Site of the P J Evans Sutton Coldfield showroom

Site of the P J Evans Sutton Coldfield showroom standing empty in 2018 with the Triumph Vitesse belonging to Ray Prichard in the foreground.

P J Evans (Sutton Coldfield) Ltd Advert

P J Evans Ltd advert from the Birmingham Daily Post 28_October_1965_page22

 Triumph dealers in Birmingham

Birmingham being a large city has had many Standard Triumph dealers for example in 1955:
P J Evans Ltd, 81-91 John Bright Street, B1.
Service Depot: Granville Street, 15.
Archers (Shirley) Ltd., Stratford Road, Shirley, 28.
Arnold Genders & Co. Ltd., 38 Alcester Road South King's Heath, 14.
Cranmore Bros Ltd, 4 Anderson Road, Edgbaston. 17.
Service Department: Cranmore Bros. Ltd., 467 Hagley Road.
Crowder & Brown Ltd, South Road Garage. Handsworth. 19.
Frank Grounds Ltd, 186 Lichfield Road, Aston, 6.
Geo Taylor, Small Heath Garage, 442/444 Coventry Road, Small Heath, 10.
Harold Goodwin (1944) Ltd., Wolverhampton Road, Quinton, 32.
Greyhound Service (Kings Heath) Ltd, 283 Alcester Road South, 14.
Hamstead Garage, Old Walsall Road, Hamstead, 22.
Hunts (Birmingham) Ltd, Sales: 49 Broad Street. - Service: 199 Hagley Road, Edgbaston, 16.
Hydes (B'ham.) Ltd, Bath Row.
Leslie Matthews Ltd., 91/97 Bristol Street, 5.
Patrick Motors Ltd, 479 Bristol Road, Bournebrook, 29.
Robin Hood Garage (B'ham.) Ltd, Stratford Road, Hall Green, 28.
Salford Bridge Garage Ltd, Tyburn Road, Erdington, 24.
Swan Motors, Coventry Road, Yardley, 26.
Winchurch Bros. Ltd, Edgbaston Garage, Sandon Road, 17.

Plea for more information

If you have any more information or recollections about P J Evans, 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 a post about All Electric Garage .

Link to post about Cramore Bros Ltd

Link to the other articles in this series.

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr group .

You can download a copy of the Triumph Sales and Service Directory 1968-69 which started me off on the search for info about Triumph car dealers.

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

Picture credits: Early adverts from Graces Guide; P J Evans glove box plate John Kelly; 1960Sill Plate Bof Herald; P J Evans of Sutton Coldfield on Birmingham Road c1965, P J Evans Birmingham 1984 advert posted to flickr by Miles McClagan; P J Evans sale exhibit in the Bull Ring Birmingham 1964 + Site of the P J Evans Sutton Coldfield showroom  images from Ray Prichard; P J Evans (Sutton Coldfield) Ltd Advert from Jonathan Barton on facebook.

Colliers of Birmingham - Triumph car dealers 23E

This article in my series about Triumph car dealers and features Birmingham dealer Colliers.

Colliers Advert from 1979

R H Collier & Co Ltd

R H Collier & Co Ltd of Coventry Road, South Yardley, Birmingham were often referred to as  Colliers.  In 1929 they bought the assets of the Clyno Engineering Co from Alfred Hubert.

R H Collier & Co Ltd 1934 advert

 During the 1930's the firm sold many makes of cars including AJS, Morris, Swift and Willys Knight.

R H Colliers advert from Motor 22 December 1943

The firm sold Fiat and Rover spares by post from their South Yardley premises.

R H Collier & Co Ltd, Rover spares advert 1954

 Triumph distributor

1974 saw Colliers appointed as a Triumph distributor.

Football Sponsorship

Like many car dealers Colliers used Football sponsorship to publicize their business.  Buy British Leyland in Brum from Colliers.  Kenny Burns transferred from Birmingham City to Notttingham Forest in July 1977 so this TR7 photo must from before that.

 Later on Colliers provided cars to Aston Villa as can be seen in this 1982 advert.

Colliers 1982 advert

Colliers Sticker

Supplied by Colliers rear window sticker from 1975.

Collier branches

The business had premises at various places in the West Midlands.

Colliers, Abbey Garage, Sutton Road, Erdington dealer address sticker

Colliers, Abbey Garage, 1-37 Sutton Road, Erdington, Birmingham B23 6QH
Colliers Corner, South Yardley, Birmingham
Colliers, 1 Stockfield Road and 38 Stockfield Road, Acocks Green
Colliers, 884 Warwick Road, Tyseley
Colliers Station Garage, Grange Road, Dorriidge

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about Colliers, 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 post about P J Evans

Link to a post about All Electric Garage .

Link to post about Cramore Bros Ltd

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: R H Collier & Co Ltd 1934 advert from the gracesguide website; Colliers Advert from 1979 + Colliers 1982 advert posted to flickr by Miles McClagan; R H Collier & Co Ltd, Rover spares advert 1954 and Colliers rear window sticker from 1975 posted to flickr by John; Colliers, Abbey Garage, Sutton Road, Erdington dealer address sticker on Sprint brochure from www.MyTriumph.de

All Electric Garages of Harborne, Birmingham - Triumph Car Dealers 9

This is the ninth in an occasional series about Triumph car dealers in the UK.

All Electric Garages rear screen sticker

All Electric Garages round sticker

All Electric Garages are still trading and on their website this is what they say about themselves:

The All Electric Garage was the first garage in England to be equipped with electric petrol pumps in 1915 - hence the name!
Amazingly enough All Electric opened in 1968 at a site opposite in High Street Harborne, the country’s first self- service petrol station.  This became All Electrics second site.
The original garage was based in Greenfield Road Harborne and it was this garage site that John Leek purchased in 1967.  It was then an MG and Triumph dealership.  John’s background was a trainee mechanic with Evans and Kitchen in Birmingham, gaining engineering qualifications and hands on selling experience in establishing the following franchises with his first employer -  NSU, Skoda, BMW, Volga, Saab, all of these prior to 1967!  This gave John the appetite for multi franchising and All Electric in the 70’s and 80’s became the first business to operate multi-franchise sites in the Midlands.
All Electric grew organically through the 70’s 80’s and 90’s into a 14 garage operation selling Volvo’s, Mazda, Hyundai, Austin Rover, Morris, Skoda, Citroen, Peugeot, Suzuki, Chrysler Jeep, TVR and many others
Due to management shrewd property decisions the group has weathered many of the downturn fluctuations that have hit the economic structure of the country and particularly the motor trade.  At its peak All Electric employed nearly 300 people and the company has been steered to stable waters and still employs over 100 colleagues. Over the last couple of years we have moved away from the large show rooms and steered in the direction of the internet where we have found prices are most competitive.  In fact 75% of All Electrics used cars are sold over the internet, followed by a showroom visit.
The group sells and services thousands of new and used vehicles annually and in these turbulent times is proud to offer an oasis of stability for employees, management and customers.  Our customers like the fact that faces stay the same and year after year they can deal with people they know and trust.

The round sticker is on sale new but unfortunately I lost details of who from.

The All Electric Garage are listed in 1968/69 directory as a dealer in 270 High Street, Harborne, Birmingham, In 1974 listed as at ALL ELECTRIC GARAGE LTD.,
Greenfield Road. Harborne, Birmingham B17 OEB.
The business in Harborne was previously listed in 1965 as Harborne Motor Co., 270 High Street, Harborne.

All Electric Garages PLC rear screen sticker

All Electric Garages PLC are still selling cars.  My Friend Ray has this on his 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser.

All Electric Garage used car advert 1992

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about All Electric Garage or any other Birmingham area 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 other posts about Birmingham area dealers 

 Link to my post about P J Evans Ltd

Link to post about Cranmore Bros Ltd 

Link to Spot Garage (Northfield) Limited

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: Round sticker John on Flickr; All Electric Garages PLC rear screen sticker Ray;  All Electric Garage used car advert 1992 posted to facebook by Jonathan Catlow.

Spot Garage (Northfield) Limited - Triumph Car Dealers 23C

Spot Garage, 1163 Bristol Road South, Birmingham 1964

This article in my series about Triumph car dealers features Birmingham dealer Spot Garage. The company Spot Garage (Northfield) Limited (company number 537012) started 17 August 1954, the photo above is dated 11 September 1964 and the company is no more having been dissolved.

For many years after the Spot Garage business stopped the site continued to be used for the sale of used cars. A hand car wash business started on the site opposite Hawkesley Mill Lane in April 2009.

The forecourt of the site was used for a time by JMA Auto's to sell used cars.  Another business called Northfield Garage, an independent Jaguar specialist, has been using workshop space on the site from at least 2009.

Site Now photo by Ray Prichard

As it looks today 18th May 2017 - with several car repairers and parts dealers all around the back in countless old workshops

As of May 1975 Spot Garage (Northfield) Limited were listed Rover and Triumph car dealers.

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about this garage, 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 a post about All Electric Garage .

Link to my post about P J Evans Ltd

Link to post about Cranmore Bros Ltd

Link to the other articles in this series.

Link to face book page: Triumph Car Dealers.

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr gallery of images I have found on Flickr.

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

Picture credits:Both photos are from photobydjnorton.com and great source of photos of Birmingham; site Now photo by Ray Prichard .

Swan Motors of Yardley, Birmingham - Triumph Car Dealers 23D

This very short article in my series about Triumph car dealers features Birmingham dealer Swan Motors of Yardley.

Swan Motors invoice 14 March 1961

Swan Motors, 1628 Coventry Road, Yardley, Birmingham 26 were Austin, Standard and Triumph car dealers at the time of this invoice in 1961.  Thanks to http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/bedford-dormobile.htm the source of the image of the invoice shown above.

I have records from my collection of dealer directories that Swan Motors held the Standard Triumph franchise in October 1955, 1959,  August 1961 when they were said to be open 7 days a week, February 1965, September 1968, March 1970 until March 1972.

Swan Motors ran from the site for many years.  At one point it ran a hire shop and I can remember hiring an engine crane from them back in the 1990's.  For along time they offered MOT's.

A successor business called SAS Autos still has a connection with the old Leyland era in that it was a MG Rover dealer and is a XPart AutoService centre.  

Swan Motors of Yardley tax disc holder

I found this image of a Swan Motors branded tax disc holder on facebook.

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about this garage, 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

Other Triumph car dealers in the Birmingham area

Link to a post about All Electric Garage .

Link to my post about P J Evans Ltd

Link to post about Cranmore Bros Ltd 

Link to Spot Garage (Northfield) Limited

Further information and sources

Link to the other articles in this series.

Link to face book page: Triumph Car Dealers.

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr gallery of images I have found on Flickr.

Link to face book page: Triumph Car Dealers.

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr group .

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

Picture credits: Swan Motors invoice 14 March 1961 from the oldclassiccar website: http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/bedford-dormobile.htm

F Guyver & Sons Ltd of Stratford on Avon - Triumph Car Dealers 92

F Guyver & Sons Ltd is the feature business of this article number 92 in my series about Triumph car dealers.

F Guyver & Sons Ltd + White Swan Hotel 1968

In 1968 F Guyver & Sons Ltd were based on Rother Street next to the White Swan Hotel.

F Guyver & Sons Ltd traded in Stratford for many years. These two adverts from RAC guides are from 1912 and 1914.

Image 1912 RAC

Image 1914 RAC

In 1912 F Guyver's Garage were opposite the American Fountain.

Some Adverts

F Guyver & Sons Ltd Herald advert

Frank Henry Guyver

Gracesguide website has digitised copy of  1934 edition of Who's Who in the Motor Trade.  Here is a quote.

Man. Dir. F. Guyver & Sons, Ltd., Stratford-on-Avon. B. 20 December 1888, Stratford-upon-Avon. Ed.: Commercial School, Stratford-upon-Avon; Coventry Technical Engineering School 1906/8; pupil at Singer's 1905; at Humber's 1906/8; at Triumph's 1909/ io. Car.: with present business, started as a cycle business by his father 5o years ago and was formed into company in 1928; took charge of the motor side of the business in 191o. Md.: 2 daughters, 1 son. Int.: bowls, golf. Pr. A.: 43 Guild Street, Stratford-upon-Avon. Tel.: 86 Stratford-upon-Avon.

River Pageant

F Guyver & Sons Ltd, River Pageant at Stratford on Avon

It was reported in the Standard Triumph Review September 1960.  F Guyver & Sons Ltd, Standard-Triumph Distributors of Stratford-on-Avon, mounted a Herald Saloon on two pontoon barges suitably decorated for their part in a river procession in aid of S.S.A.F.A.  The barges were propelled by two outboard motors.

Old invoice

I found this F Guyver & Sons Ltd invoice is from the 1950's on the archive.coffinworks.org website.

From the air

F Guyver from the air in 1937. This is a screenshot from Britain from Above.  This looks to be the building later used as the Stratford Picturehouse.

Triumph car dealer address in Stratford on Avon

Bolland Garage Automobile Engineers Stratford on Avon

April 1938:
Triumph dealer
A Bolland & Co, Guild Street

October 1955, August 1961, March 1970, March 1974:
F Guyver & Sons Ltd, Rother Street.

May 1975:
Distributor
F Guyver & Sons Ltd, Rother Street, CV32 6NJ phone 0789 66254-7
dealer
Saville Motors Ltd, Birmingham Road, CV37 0BG Phone 0789 68121/66631

Feb 1976:
I have seen reference to  F Guyver & Sons Ltd as having premises on Windsor Street.

June 1984:
Heron, Birmingham Road

Heron repro rear window sticker by isaydingdong.co.uk

March 1988, May 1991:
Edwards of Stratford, Avenue Farm, Birmingham Road, CV37 0HR

Show and Service Week promotion

Staff from Standard Triumph HQ visited the business and assisted the firm with week long Show and Service promotions. These were held by the firm at their Rother Street 10 to 14 January 1966 and 24 to 28 March 1968.

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about F Guyver & Sons Ltd 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 face book 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: Image 1912 RAC + Image 1914 RAC gracesguide website; F Guyver & Sons Ltd + White Swan Hotel 1968 photo posted to flickr by Glen Fairweather; F Guyver & Sons Ltd Herald advert posted to facebook by Rob Milligan; Heron repro rear window sticker image from isaydingdong.co.uk;