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Image: Debbie Wicks Australia, an
descendant of Jo Pope.
Dustcarts such as this would wander Sutton's
streets collecting ash etc from fires. Although we still call them dustcarts
today
the origins lie here. Food was not often collected as it went to compost or fed
the chickens. David Wilcox recalls that
newspapers were used to light fires, food wrappings went on the fires. Cheese,
butter or lard came in greaseproof wrappers,
sugar came in blue bags, as did tea etc. He also tells me that fish, wet or
fried, would come wrapped in newspaper as did much else.
Davenports Coal Merchants & Haulage Contractors
Davenports operated from the Midland Coal Wharf, now the Post Office Sorting
Office, and ran a coal merchant & haulage business. On the back of the right
hand vehicle looks like a advertising board but it is in fact behind the vehicle
and directs people to the Royal Hotel. The vehicles are registered, from left to
right,
AW3735, AW5034, AW5060 (or 5066), AW4976. They were steam powered. A child sits
in the cab of AW4976 and possibly 5034. Image: David
Wilcox
 
The A38 & The Diamond 'T'
The A38 ran from Birmingham through Sutton
Coldfield and on to Lichfield and Burton on Trent and onwards North.
(Remember, in those days, no motorways or bypasses). Some research shows that
a DIAMOND T used for hauling tanks in WW2 could be bought for about £350 and
were purchased by heavy haulage contractors. IO remember seeing heavy loads
such as the one in the picture travelling up Mill Street and hearing the
engine revving in low gear. These loads would have been leaving Birmingham
heading for the north. David Wilcox.
The A38 southwards runs on to Cornwall, and
passes my sisters house just before it hits St Ives. As for the picture above, I
used to see many of these, in the 60s, in and around Birkenhead, entering
and leaving the docklands with large freight.
 
Two more examples of the diamond T and its uses
RAF Low loader (think this carried barrage
balloons)
Item and image: David Wilcox
School Farm
Church Farm
The next generation(s) of the dustcart
The Tram would stop at the Sutton Coldfield
boundary and go no further.
Passengers had to alight and board a Midland Red bus for the remainder of the
journey
Davenports operated from the Midland Coal Wharf, now the Post Office Sorting
Office, and ran a coal merchant & haulage business. On the back of the right
hand vehicle looks like a advertising board but it is in fact behind the vehicle
and directs people to the Royal Hotel. The vehicles are registered, from left to
right,
AW3735, AW5034, AW5060 (or 5066), AW4976. They were steam powered. A child sits
in the cab of AW4976 and possibly 5034. Image: David
Wilcox
1920 Bus in Four Oaks
Esso Garage in Jockey Road
Hastilow's Garage Park Road, Sutton Coldfield. This picture dates
from 1921. From the look of it Hastilow's did everything, Charabanc Tours, Removals and
Motor Repairs.
Strange that the goods on the lorry were kept dry but the passengers on the
Charabanc got wet. On the right: Sentinel Steam Lorry
(image and info: David Wilcox)
A fire engine, such as this, was Sutton Coldfields
Fire Service in the 40s and 50s.
A vehicle such as this was used to change the light bulbs in the street lamps.
Image: David Wilcox
MEB Van. The MEB was located next to Speight
Photography
Bike, car, bus and horse drawn cart on The Parade
Delivering The Ale
Most, if not all, of Sutton Coldfield's ale
houses were run by either Ansells or Mitchell & Butler
 
 
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