Bow Bells was owned by Frankie Davis one of the brothers this was after the company E. Goldsmid was closed. I worked for DAVIS"S for many years as did my family before me, I had my first night out at Harwich at the age of four while waiting for a load of fresh fish no fridges in those days. And i am still in touch with the sons of the brothers. Great memories and while everyone ask did we have depot here or there we had depots everywhere they were the second biggest private haulir the world in their day.
Lawrence Dunbar:
Well what happened to them is ? but they were very naughty as I rememeber in those days, they were rule benders, like most hauliers in those days, but they got caught, & payed the price.I think the traffic comisioners had it in for them,but they did a good service to everyone, & as far as I know they paid good money, a couple of my old pals worked for them in the 60s, on the roaming trunk they did from Gateshead, Warrington London, They did a lot out of Thames Board Mills in those days, lots of work going, I remember loading bricks from Stewartyby in the earley 60s It may have been off Bow Bells Transport, was that part of the D/B, group ? Regards Larry
Heyland Haulage was the last of the Davis"s companies.Thanks for the picture of 48 ALY this if i remember right this was driven by Billy Hogger,any other pictures would be appreciated.
When were you with Davis Bros,and what Depot did you run out of, I might know you or your Father depending on what age you are what is is your own name.
littlelegs:
ben did you know eddie morgan & johnny seaman
Hi Littlelegs
Dont recognize the Names, there was that many Drivers going about and as i am getting on a bit it is hard to remember a lot of them,maybe knew them but but just cant mind the Names. Cheers Ben.
Hi Ben I worked out of royal mint street and wapping, but as you may know we drove under many different liveries depnding if you wanted a trailer now and your trailer was loaded,or we used each others motors i.e. poulters,larrow,goldsmids.my name is Len Berry my family which worked for Davis:s was Arundell better known as rundell,Freddie Baker, Charlie Johnson,Billy Hogger.I am still in touch with Frankies son Simon, Frankie had a couple of nicknames [Chunkie, Littlelegs]
ben walker:
Hi Icb
When were you with Davis Bros,and what Depot did you run out of, I might know you or your Father depending on what age you are what is is your own name.
hi lcb simon ran heyland didnt he i heard he sold .there was a lot of them hogger boys.are they still about. moggie morgan named me littlelegs.now i know where he go it.
lcb:
Hi Ben I worked out of royal mint street and wapping, but as you may know we drove under many different liveries depnding if you wanted a trailer now and your trailer was loaded,or we used each others motors i.e. poulters,larrow,goldsmids.my name is Len Berry my family which worked for Davis:s was Arundell better known as rundell,Freddie Baker, Charlie Johnson,Billy Hogger.I am still in touch with Frankies son Simon, Frankie had a couple of nicknames [Chunkie, Littlelegs]
ben walker:
Hi Icb
When were you with Davis Bros,and what Depot did you run out of, I might know you or your Father depending on what age you are what is is your own name.
Cheers Ben.
Hi Len,
I sent you a private Message did you get it .
Hi, the demise of Davis bros was because they had a large loan from the bank of Israel and contrary to the banks wishes at the time they bought a fleet of Mercs. The bank then foreclosed on the loan and the yard at warley(Brentwood) was sold to Union Cartage Ltd, Also the brothers had got into a spot of bother when they tried to fix a dog race with a ringer named Red Wind. Bill, S.
william sparrow:
Hi, the demise of Davis bros was because they had a large loan from the bank of Israel and contrary to the banks wishes at the time they bought a fleet of Mercs. The bank then foreclosed on the loan and the yard at warley(Brentwood) was sold to Union Cartage Ltd, Also the brothers had got into a spot of bother when they tried to fix a dog race with a ringer named Red Wind. Bill, S.
HI William,
Don,t know much about the Israel Bank Incident but the Dog thing was way back long before they finished up and had nothing to do with the end.Did you work for Davis.
Cheers Ben.
Hi Ben, No I didnt work for them but knew some of the drivers. I worked for the BRS when the firm that I originally was at got taken over by BRS. The firm where I started as a 16 year old trailer mate was Mack hauliers of Bradfield road Silvertown. When Brs shut that depot in 54 I was then moved to Southwark and then Tufnell park. I left that in 1957 and worked for UCC at bow common Lane. We then took the brs yard at Yabsley street and then the ponderosa at Warley. I beleive that a trailer mate who started driving the same day as myself was named Davey and at the end of bradfiel;d Rd Started with Davis. Regards Bill S.
william sparrow:
Hi Ben, No I didnt work for them but knew some of the drivers. I worked for the BRS when the firm that I originally was at got taken over by BRS. The firm where I started as a 16 year old trailer mate was Mack hauliers of Bradfield road Silvertown. When Brs shut that depot in 54 I was then moved to Southwark and then Tufnell park. I left that in 1957 and worked for UCC at bow common Lane. We then took the brs yard at Yabsley street and then the ponderosa at Warley. I beleive that a trailer mate who started driving the same day as myself was named Davey and at the end of bradfiel;d Rd Started with Davis. Regards Bill S.
Hi Bill.
Thanks for the info,can only remember one Lad called Davie who was working out of Wapping when I was there he was a Scots Lad called Davie Seaton.
Hello to all old hands that remember the Davis bros.
I’ve only just read the forum, and I thought I would add a couple of comments!
I drove for davis bros back in 1966,I was based in south devon, I believe there were five of us at the time and there was a driver in charge ( i’me afraid I can’t remember his name, good guy though), he lived at tedstone cottage at Lympstone near Exmouth , and had a bulk fuel tank in his yard, which we filled up from, which was no joke as it was a hand operated pump, which took forever to fill the tank of the Leyland octopus artic I was driving at the time,so I would make sure that I filled up at the depots when I could! the only depots I can recall were Cardiff Warrington and of course Wapping I would mainly load out of Teign valley concrete, or Ambrosia at Lifton . I Would be away nearly all week. everything that was said about the turks in in other posts is quite right as mechanics…Hmm enough said there. My days with davis’s came to an end when police stopped me at Stone in Stafford and were threatening to put the truck of the road (gv9 as I recall?) but I was allowed to carry on down to wapping on the promise of not taking the truck out on the road until the defects were put right (imagine that happening nowdays? I think not) anyway Solly davis wanted me to pick up a load of paper from millwall with the Leyland, but I refused and was given my cards so ended my ‘career’ ha ha, with the Davis bros. as I remember most of the fleet were Blue with some red. another point Iseem to remember was that 27 drivers were done for falsifying log sheets not long after I finished with Davis’s you had to do it you wanted a decent wage, it was a set of log sheets for the ministry, and a set for your pay! Regards to all Jim
Does anybody know about the long nose scamell that went over the shap in the sixties,the drivers name was w…n if he is still around let’s hear his version I know the truth
ben walker:
Hi Hutpik.
Dont think Tower Hill was ever part of Davis Bros not that I knew of, sorry dont have any Charles Poulter except the Merc at the Top of this Page I think there is an odd one about in these Forums if you have time to search i am afraid in those Days there was not a lot of Photos taken, to much trouble and expence. 73 Years
Cheers Ben.
Tower Hill Transport Ltd was from Boston Lincs and their official title was Boston Stevedores Ltd. They were nowt to do with the Davis Group as Ben says. There was a Bow Bells Transport though I think,maybe that was part of Davis empire.
