Mainly Rank Hovis & Spillers Milling

1159jrh:

gingerfold:
As well as milling and selling flour Hovis also had 30 or so motor trade dealerships, selling cars and commercials, and also a large commercial vehicle body building division. The latter survived into RHM days and was known as Locomotors. It built bodies for the flour vehicles and bread van bodies for the massive fleet of Mothers Pride, Red Seal, and several other bread brands of the last century that were baked by RHM’s bakery division.

0

Another Fantastic Period Photo i never realised that Locomotors was once owned by Ranks. If you ever find yourself on Trafford Park and you have your camera with you take a look at the Electric motor in the glass case on the front of the mill just up from the fuel pump,It was the motor that used to run Hull mills. When the mill closed it was cosmetically re-conditioned and brought over to Manchester and put on display . If you think you may have a problem taking photo’s let me know as i could meet you when i get back from my days work and make things ok . You never know you might want to get some shots of the exsisting fleet of mis-matched trucks and trailers

During the 1920s, the milling capacity in Great Britain exceeded the demand for flour. Nevertheless, Joseph Rank was able to expand into Scotland and consolidate and expand his operations in Ireland. He perceived the potential of new methods of transportation and communication very early, forming the British Isles Transport Company Limited to provide for the distribution needs of his company in 1920. Mills that were acquired were reorganised and equipped with the latest machinery to improve efficiency. These included;

1920 John Herdman and Sons Ltd (Edinburgh)
1920 Kirby’s (Selby) Ltd
1923 Wm Sutcliffe and Son Ltd (Manchester)
1923 Thomas Hanley and Sons Ltd (Doncaster)
1923 Cleveland Flour Mills Ltd (York)
1931 Stanbury and Son Ltd (Barnstaple)
1932 Josh Appleby and Sons Ltd (Bootle and Blackburn)
1933 Simmons and Gifford (Winchester)
1933 Associated London Flour Millers Ltd which comprised 7 separate firms.

Thomas Bell founded a wholesale grocery firm near the Tyne quays and railway station in Newcastle in the 1880s. Among his top-selling brands were ‘Bells Royal’ baking powder and a self raising flour.

Following the death of Edward VII, it became illegal to use the Royal name. As a result, Bell decided to take the first couple of letters from the each of the two words of the brand name and turn them into the more catchy sounding ‘Be-Ro’.