RIP Percy Unsworth.
May have mentioned this somewhere on here before. Was with a group in ‘The Gilp’. Gilpin Bridge cafe, near where the A590 meets the A6, in about 1970. This was the time that Robsons were changing from 150 Gardners to 180s. Percy had bought one of the outgoing 150s. Someone asked him ‘How do you keep up with the other Robsons lads?’
‘Ah well,’ he said, ‘they keep stopping for their breaks - I just carry on!’
John
John West:
RIP Percy Unsworth.May have mentioned this somewhere on here before. Was with a group in ‘The Gilp’. Gilpin Bridge cafe, near where the A590 meets the A6, in about 1970. This was the time that Robsons were changing from 150 Gardners to 180s. Percy had bought one of the outgoing 150s. Someone asked him ‘How do you keep up with the other Robsons lads?’
‘Ah well,’ he said, ‘they keep stopping for their breaks - I just carry on!’
John
Hiya John, Well at least there is someone else who remembers Percy RIP ! But looking back all those years there was another Haulier from Flookburgh that was a permanent subby to Robsons , Wearing Bros. ( must have been summat 'int watter). Wearing Bros i.e. Nelson & Cyril, also ran some tippers out of New Northern ( now Tarmac for many years) at Sandside as well as the two or three flats but in 1963 after that bad winter they sold their “A” Licenced motors to Davy & co ( Grange ) Ltd a.k.a. K. Fell & Co. Bit of useless info. Cheers Dennis.
Hello Dennis,
I don’t remember Wearing Bros at all. As I subside into old age, I find that some memories are instantly clear - like Percy Unsworth’s way of arriving at the delivery point at the same time as others with more powerful motors. Other things are less clear.
I took no photos, or very few. I would love some of our timber days in the Scottish Borders and North Wales 1969/1970.
Luckily later, brother Andy did record some visits to the Middle East and our yard in Dammam.
John.
John West:
Hello Dennis,I don’t remember Wearing Bros at all. As I subside into old age, I find that some memories are instantly clear - like Percy Unsworth’s way of arriving at the delivery point at the same time as others with more powerful motors. Other things are less clear.
I took no photos, or very few. I would love some of our timber days in the Scottish Borders and North Wales 1969/1970.
Luckily later, brother Andy did record some visits to the Middle East and our yard in Dammam.
John.
Dennis…Who was that firm round your way that used to run green 4 wheelers (could have been BMCs and Guys) with the word ‘‘SUPPLY’’ on the headboard, (it was some kind of own account outfit rather than a haulage firm)
I used to go in there regular with my Dad in the 60s, possiblly with animal feed.
Could have been Ulverston or Kendal area.
Any idea?
robroy:
Dennis…Who was that firm round your way that used to run green 4 wheelers (could have been BMCs and Guys) with the word ‘‘SUPPLY’’ on the headboard, (it was some kind of own account outfit rather than a haulage firm)
I used to go in there regular with my Dad in the 60s, possiblly with animal feed.
Could have been Ulverston or Kendal area.
Any idea?
I think their title was “The Furness Supply Co” and they were from Ulverston I believe. I don’t much more but they were a Farmers Supply co. as you say feeding stuff etc.
Cheers Dennis.
Bewick:
robroy:
Dennis…Who was that firm round your way that used to run green 4 wheelers (could have been BMCs and Guys) with the word ‘‘SUPPLY’’ on the headboard, (it was some kind of own account outfit rather than a haulage firm)
I used to go in there regular with my Dad in the 60s, possiblly with animal feed.
Could have been Ulverston or Kendal area.
Any idea?I think their title was “The Furness Supply Co” and they were from Ulverston I believe. I don’t much more but they were a Farmers Supply co. as you say feeding stuff etc.
Cheers Dennis.
Cheers mate…I thought you would know.
I remember running around there as a kid, and the blokes in there giving me chocolate and sweets, they sure as hell wouldn’t allow it nowadays. 
robroy:
Bewick:
robroy:
Dennis…Who was that firm round your way that used to run green 4 wheelers (could have been BMCs and Guys) with the word ‘‘SUPPLY’’ on the headboard, (it was some kind of own account outfit rather than a haulage firm)
I used to go in there regular with my Dad in the 60s, possiblly with animal feed.
Could have been Ulverston or Kendal area.
Any idea?I think their title was “The Furness Supply Co” and they were from Ulverston I believe. I don’t much more but they were a Farmers Supply co. as you say feeding stuff etc.
Cheers Dennis.Cheers mate…I thought you would know.
I remember running around there as a kid, and the blokes in there giving me chocolate and sweets, they sure as hell wouldn’t allow it nowadays.
I think it would be Furness and South ■■■■■■■■■■ Supply Association. They did have a fairly big depot at Lindal (between Ulverston and Barrow) although that is now closed. They are still going.
John.
John West:
robroy:
Bewick:
robroy:
Dennis…Who was that firm round your way that used to run green 4 wheelers (could have been BMCs and Guys) with the word ‘‘SUPPLY’’ on the headboard, (it was some kind of own account outfit rather than a haulage firm)
I used to go in there regular with my Dad in the 60s, possiblly with animal feed.
Could have been Ulverston or Kendal area.
Any idea?I think their title was “The Furness Supply Co” and they were from Ulverston I believe. I don’t much more but they were a Farmers Supply co. as you say feeding stuff etc.
Cheers Dennis.Cheers mate…I thought you would know.
I remember running around there as a kid, and the blokes in there giving me chocolate and sweets, they sure as hell wouldn’t allow it nowadays.I think it would be Furness and South ■■■■■■■■■■ Supply Association. They did have a fairly big depot at Lindal (between Ulverston and Barrow) although that is now closed. They are still going.
John.
Well now then JW as I’m not a native of the Peninsula a.k.a. “The longest cul-de-sac in the UK” I was only able to relate the minimal info I could recall ! The closest I ever came to one of their motors was a KM Bedford John McGuffie bought from them and he ran out of derv in the MOT test centre gates at Milnthorpe. My Manager gave him 5 gal of derv which he promised faithfully he would return to us ! 
He never did there by making an enemy for life of our Manager ! I wasn’t about that day otherwise I would have said £5 cash or call Hudson Engineers out John ! I could tell you about another “stroke” Mr. McGoo pulled with a tipper trailer he sold me but you shouldn’t speak i’ll of the dead ! Cheers Dennis.
Bewick:
John West:
I think it would be Furness and South ■■■■■■■■■■ Supply Association. They did have a fairly big depot at Lindal (between Ulverston and Barrow) although that is now closed. They are still going.John.
Well now then JW as I’m not a native of the Peninsula a.k.a. “The longest cul-de-sac in the UK” I was only able to relate the minimal info I could recall ! The closest I ever came to one of their motors was a KM Bedford John McGuffie bought from them and he ran out of derv in the MOT test centre gates at Milnthorpe. My Manager gave him 5 gal of derv which he promised faithfully he would return to us !
You were close Dennis…
Mr McGuffie. Since he’s departed anything you say can’t hurt him!
We’ve mentioned before about you meeting him at Malcolm Woodhouse’s just after he returned from Turkey having dumped his motor, casually ruining a chum of mine who had guaranteed his motor and the load (who also incidentally wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I’ve always dealt with people as I find them, not what others say about them - Bill Keith being another example). I could never abide motor dumpers. If you did it once you would do it again. We had a few in Saudi who came out, found it hard going and flew home. After a few months they’d be on the phone begging for the job back. Sorry, one chance. I always said when anyone was ranting about the place ‘you have bad days at home.’
So, I’d be interested to hear about that tipper trailer…
John.
John West:
Bewick:
John West:
I think it would be Furness and South ■■■■■■■■■■ Supply Association. They did have a fairly big depot at Lindal (between Ulverston and Barrow) although that is now closed. They are still going.John.
Well now then JW as I’m not a native of the Peninsula a.k.a. “The longest cul-de-sac in the UK” I was only able to relate the minimal info I could recall ! The closest I ever came to one of their motors was a KM Bedford John McGuffie bought from them and he ran out of derv in the MOT test centre gates at Milnthorpe. My Manager gave him 5 gal of derv which he promised faithfully he would return to us !
You were close Dennis…
Mr McGuffie. Since he’s departed anything you say can’t hurt him!
We’ve mentioned before about you meeting him at Malcolm Woodhouse’s just after he returned from Turkey having dumped his motor, casually ruining a chum of mine who had guaranteed his motor and the load (who also incidentally wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I’ve always dealt with people as I find them, not what others say about them - Bill Keith being another example). I could never abide motor dumpers. If you did it once you would do it again. We had a few in Saudi who came out, found it hard going and flew home. After a few months they’d be on the phone begging for the job back. Sorry, one chance. I always said when anyone was ranting about the place ‘you have bad days at home.’
So, I’d be interested to hear about that tipper trailer…
John.
Ah! the tipping trailer incident ! Well after I bought his flat operation ( The two youngest trailers were 18 months old and hadn’t been tested!)
anyway later on I bought one of his two tipper trailers from him and he went to great lengths( crossed his heart etc.) to tell me he was keeping the one with the “dodgy” tipping engine ! But what he failed to tell me was that he had also swapped the Plates so I got the one with the supposed ten ton axles/8 inch brakes when it was, in fact, the one with the lighter 9 ton axles and 7 inch brakes. I sold it on at a later date to Malc Woodhouse ( Who had sold the trailer to J Mc new) You should have heard the uproar from MW, not blaming me of course as the innocent party but he would have strangled Mr Mc Goo if he could have got his hands on him as he knew exactly what he had done ! ! Long time ago but the honest truth ! Cheers Dennis.
Colin Ellis posted these on FB under the heading ‘What a good send off for Percy Unsworth at Cartmel.’ He has given permission for them to be reposted here.
John.
John West:
Colin Ellis posted these on FB under the heading ‘What a good send off for Percy Unsworth at Cartmel.’ He has given permission for them to be reposted here.John.
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Looks like Percy had a real send off with having that Robson ERF in attendance ! RIP Percy, Cheers Dennis.
Apparently a chap called Clive Leighton from Longtown owns the ERF and anwered an appeal on Facebook for anyone with a Robsons motor to try and attend Percy’s funeral for which the family are eternally gratefull. A fitting tribute I would say although I did not know him I often saw his wagons which always looked distinctive within the Robson fold.
Cheers, Leyland 600
Hi Roy I am fairly sure the company was called the Furness and South ■■■■■■■■■■ Supply Company, they had a depot alongside the river in Egremont and bought a lot of stuff off Carr’s at Silloth, I remember delivering there several times back in the late 1960s.
Cheers, Leyland 600.
Leyland600:
Hi Roy I am fairly sure the company was called the Furness and South ■■■■■■■■■■ Supply Company, they had a depot alongside the river in Egremont and bought a lot of stuff off Carr’s at Silloth, I remember delivering there several times back in the late 1960s.
Cheers, Leyland 600.
Thanks for that Gerald.
Nice to see the Greggains/Solway Garage memorabilia Paul, my grandfather John Scott had his own waggon working I think mainly for Greggains and uncle Brian and Mike both worked there for Frank Greggains before going on their own. I remember going to the Aykshire sand quarry, now called Overby when I was young, if it was first thing we would pick up an old timer called Joe Jeff who lived at Salta who worked at the quarry, he would put his bike in the back of the waggon for home time. I can remember old draglines sitting parked up on the quarry top. I can remember one of Greggains’s draglines being brought onto the dock at Maryport to dredge some mud from behind the dock gates, I would guess that to be around the late 70’s.
I have got photographs of most of the Scotts waggons apart from the early ones, ergo Super Comet and Albion Reiver although I havent got later lorries ERF S623 TDB or ex David Reid Merc 4 wheeler in Tilcon Colours. I have only got one not very good picture of a John Scott Commer.
I was sorry to hear about Maurice Wilsons death, Maurice was a good friend of the Scott family for many years, his first waggon was Leyland Reiver KRM 102P which he bought off Scotts.
If you have any of the old photo’s that I am missing in your collection a copy would be much appreciated.
Regards
Glen
ERF1:
Nice to see the Greggains/Solway Garage memorabilia Paul, my grandfather John Scott had his own waggon working I think mainly for Greggains and uncle Brian and Mike both worked there for Frank Greggains before going on their own. I remember going to the Aykshire sand quarry, now called Overby when I was young, if it was first thing we would pick up an old timer called Joe Jeff who lived at Salta who worked at the quarry, he would put his bike in the back of the waggon for home time. I can remember old draglines sitting parked up on the quarry top. I can remember one of Greggains’s draglines being brought onto the dock at Maryport to dredge some mud from behind the dock gates, I would guess that to be around the late 70’s.
I have got photographs of most of the Scotts waggons apart from the early ones, ergo Super Comet and Albion Reiver although I havent got later lorries ERF S623 TDB or ex David Reid Merc 4 wheeler in Tilcon Colours. I have only got one not very good picture of a John Scott Commer.
I was sorry to hear about Maurice Wilsons death, Maurice was a good friend of the Scott family for many years, his first waggon was Leyland Reiver KRM 102P which he bought off Scotts.
If you have any of the old photo’s that I am missing in your collection a copy would be much appreciated.Regards
Glen
