This post is about Eastern Automobile Ltd who had garages in several towns including Chelmsford, Colchester, Bishop Stortford and Southend.
A history
Eastern Automobile Ltd, of Chelmsford started selling Standard cars in 1914. After 45 years trading the company held a celebration dinner and invited over 200 employees, wives and friends.
Mr C J Flower started the business with 6 employees in 1913. As of 1959
the firm employed 122 and had 5 depots in Chelmsford, Bishops' Stortford,
Colchester and Southend.
Luxury Motor Caravan
A two-berth conversion of the Leyland 20 cwt to a Caravan was on shown during summer 1967 at the Essex Agricultural Show where it attracted a great deal of interest. Displayed by Eastern Automobiles of Chelmsford, Triumph Distributors, the Caravan was the result of cooperation and consultation between Mr J D Copsey, of Eastern Automobiles, and Martin Walter who produce the conversion. Mr. Copsey's vehicle pictured was finished in lime green and embodied a degree of luxury unsurpassed and including a refrigerator, cooker and separate toilet facilities. When the conversion was in production later 1967, both two and four berth models were available. Mr Copsey took his Caravan on a 3,000 mile trip through the Continent.
London Road Eastern Automobile Ltd development
It was reported in the Standard Triumph Review February 1967:
Towards the end of last year, Sir Donald Stokes, Chairman of Standard Triumph International Ltd., and Deputy Chairman of the Leyland Group, officially opened the new Triumph Showroom of Eastern Automobiles Ltd., at Chelmsford.
The new showroom is part of an extensive development of the London Road premises as a whole; a scheme which has already seen the completion of a modern Service Department with equipment to ensure the latest and fastest service and provision for the best possible staff working conditions. Future forecourt development will include blender pumps, the first installation of this type in Essex.
In speeches at a luncheon following the opening, both Sir Donald and Mr J D Copsey, Managing Director of Eastern Automobiles Ltd, refused to be pessimistic about the future of the Motor
Industry.
'The motor industry in this country is alright. Don't let us get despondent,' said Sir Donald, and Mr. Copsey remarked that at a time when the Motor Trade was faced with many problems, 'we accept
the exciting challenge that there is for efficient business today. It is a time of self-appraisal- a time not for despair, but an opportunity for an efficient business to lead'.
Eastern Automobile Ltd in Bishops Stortford
The garage premises were at 123 South Street, Bishop Stortford. Here are a pair of photographs showing the site before and after.
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| Eastern Automobiles Ltd, 123 South Street, Bishop Stortford |
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| Site of Eastern Automobiles Ltd, Bishop Stortford |
Triumph car dealers in Colchester
Eastern Automobiles Ltd, St John's Avenue
April 1951 Triumph:
P G Page, 38 Crouch Street
1955, 1959, August 1961:
Distributor
Eastern Automobiles (Colchester) Ltd, St John's Avenue + Elmstead Road
Dealer
Seaborn Bros, Mile End,
Feb 1965:
Distributor
Eastern Automobiles (Colchester) Ltd, St John's Avenue + Elmstead Road
Dealer
Seaborn Bros, Mile End,
Roy H G Tolley, Colne Garage, Butt Road
September 1968, March 1970:
Distributor
Eastern Automobiles (Colchester) Ltd, Elmstead Road
Dealer
Roy H G Tolley, Colne Garage, Butt Road
March 1972:
Distributor
Mann Egerton & Co Ltd, T/A Eastern Automobiles (Colchester) Ltd, Elmstead Road
Dealer
Roy H G Tolley, Colne Garage, Butt Road
March 1974:
Distributor
Mann Egerton & Co Ltd, Elmstead Road, CO4 3AE
Dealer
Roy H G Tolley, Colne Garage, Butt Road
Mann Egerton & Co Ltd, Elmstead Road, CO4 3AE
Dealer
Cowies, Elmstead Road, CO4 3AE + 13 Moorside, East Gate CO1 2TY
Lancastetr Rover, Wyncolls Road, CO4 4HT
Triumph car dealers in Chelmsford
October 1955:Distributor
Eastern Automobiles Ltd, London Road
Dealer
W A Waskett & Son, Galleywood Garage, near Chelmford
1959:
Distributor
Eastern Automobiles Ltd, London Road
Dealer
J Day (Chelmsford) Ltd, Broomfield - Standard only
August 1961:
Distributor
Eastern Automobiles Ltd, London Road + Widford Industrial Estate
February 1965:
Distributor
Eastern Automobiles (Distributors) Ltd, Widford Industrial Estate, Robjohns Road
Dealer
Eastern Autos Ltd 103 London Road
September 1968:
Distributor
Eastern Automobiles (Distributors) Ltd, New London Road
Dealer
Eastern Autos Ltd 103 London Road
March 1970:
Distributor
Eastern Automobiles (Distributors) Ltd, New London Road
March 1972, March 1972:
Distributor
Mann Egerton & Co Ltd, T/A Eastern Automobiles Ltd, New London Road
March 1974:
Distributor
Triumph car dealers in Bishops Stortford
October 1955:Distributor
H R Moore Ltd, Standard House, Northgate End phone 1140
1959, August 1961:
Area Dealer
Eastern Automobiles Ltd, 123 South Street phone 2266/7
February 1965:
Dealer
Eastern Automobiles Ltd, 123 South Street phone 2266/7
September 1968, March 1970:
Distributor
Eastern Automobiles Ltd, 123 South Street phone 2266/7
March 1972:
Distributor
Mann Egerton & Co Ltd T/A
Eastern Automobiles Ltd, 123 South Street, CM23 3AS phone 2266
March 1974, May 1975, April 1979, March 1988, May 1991:
Distributor
Plea for information
If you have any more information or recollections about Eastern Automobile Ltd 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.weblinFurther information and sources
Link to a post about Roy H G Tolley of Colne Garage, Butt Road Colchester.Link to a post about Cyril J Deal Ltd of Kelvedon near Colchester.
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:
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