JOINING THE DOTS BETWEEN USA AND UK BY LINKING THE SKILLS AND PROFESSION OF COACH-CART AND BODYBUILDING BETWEEN CHICAGO AND KNEBWORTH

JOINING THE DOTS BETWEEN USA AND UK BY LINKING THE SKILLS AND PROFESSION OF COACH-CART AND BODYBUILDING BETWEEN CHICAGO AND KNEBWORTH

MEMORY LANE - 1908 -USA- UK

MEMORY LANE - 1908 -USA- UK

IN 1908 MY GRANDFATHER ESTABLISHED HIS COACH AND BODYBUILDING BUSINESS IN THE VILLAGE OF KNEBWOTH IN NORTH  HERTFORDSHIRE ABOUT 30 MILES NORTH OF PICADDILLY CIRCUS IN CENTRAL LONDON.

KNEBWORTH AT THE TIME WAS FAMOUS FOR KNEBWORTH HOUSE AND THE BULWER- LYTTON FAMILY /LORD COBBOLD

Since then, it has been the scene of outdoor pop concert extravaganzas featuring Pink Floyd (1975 & 1990), The Rolling Stones & Lynyrd Skynyrd (1976), Genesis (1978, 1990 & 1992), Frank Zappa (1978), Led Zeppelin (1979), Mike Oldfield & The Beach Boys (1980), Cliff Richard (1983 & 1990), Deep Purple (1985), Queen (1986), Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Elton John & Dire Straits (1990), Oasis (1996), Robbie Williams (2003) Sonisphere Festival (2009/2010/2011), Red Hot Chili Peppers (2012).

I ATTENDED THE 1975 ROLLING STONES CONCERT THAT TO ME WAS 'AN EYE OPENER' IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS!

AT THE TIME I OWNED  A VERY HIGH END AND LUXURY GLASS SHOP WITH AN ENGRAVING & ENAMELLING ATELIER WHERE WE WERE KNOWN FOR VERY SPECIAL  ANNIVERSARY AND CEREMONIAL PIECES  MY  SELLING THE VERY BEST GLASS FROM THE LIKES OF ORREFORS, LALIQUE, DAUM, ST LOUIS AND BACARRAT.

A CERTAIN MS BANNISTER WHO WITH HER HUSBAND WAS MANAGING THE STONES AT THE TIME SELECTED SOME SPECTACULAR 'PATE DE VERRE' PIECES BY DAUM AS GIFTS.

THIS TYPE OF SHOP IN THE SLEEPY, OTHER THAN THE POP FESTIVAL WEEK, VILLAGE OF KNEBWORTH WAS A BRAVE AND ULTIMATELY PROFITABLE MOVE FOR ME.

THE THREE PAGES DEPICTED BELOW ARE TAKEN FROM THE 1908 SEARS CATALOGUE AS THEY ARE IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS THE TRUCKS AND CARTS THAT MY GRANDFATHER WAS MAKING HAVING TRAINED WITH A COMPANY CALLED LACRE(FROM LONG ACRE WHICH IS A FAMOUS STREET IN COVENT GARDEN, LONDON)

MY GRANDFATHER AND THEN FATHER MADE TRUCKS, TIPPERS, HORSE BOXES, CATTLE FLOATS, CHARABANCS, AND GENERAL DELIVERY VEHICLES FOR ALL THE LOCAL FARMERS, MANUFACTURERS AND SHOP KEEPERS.

I BELIEVE THIS IS A 'BLACK MARIA' - POLICE VAN FOR TRANSPORTING CRIMINALS!

BUS/CHARABANCS

MY GRANDFATHER BUILT THE BODY ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE / CHASSIS OF THIS NARROW GAUGE DIESEL RAIL CAR THAT WAS EXPORTED TO SOUTH AMERICA AND USED IN THE MINES UP AND DOWN THE ANDES. OF INTEREST THE ROLLING STOCK WAS BUILT BY D.WICHAM & CO LTD. IN WARE - HERTFORDSHIRE AND I DID MY MECHANICAL ENGINEERING INDENTURES/APPRENTICESHIP IN THEIR FACTORY IN STEVENAGE ALSO IN HERTFORDSHIRE.

All images used on the Leslie Creasey Blog are from my hand clipped archive documenting 35 years of Style and Design media.  For all enquiries please contact leslie@charismatic-brands.com.