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Welcome to the Pritchard's Garages story.
In the Early Years...
In the Early Years...
At first, before the time of motor cars, and petrol stations, there was an Inn, and a row of three cottages, here on this piece of land. The use of the land, and name of the street had changed to a road, when we acquired the garage business, and builders yard, back in 1959.
Esso Fuel Brand...
Esso Fuel Brand...
Retailing ESSO motor fuel and lubricants, and repairing motor vehicles, we set to work growing the business. In 1962 we incorporated the business to become Pritchard's Garages (Wordsley) Limited, Company Registration No: 00739131.
An expansion drive in the nineteen-sixties, saw the addition of two more petrol stations in Amblecote, and Kingswinford, selling Esso Regular, Mixture, Plus, and Extra petrol, We ran the usual promotions - world cup coins, and tiger tails, to name two.
But then we sold our two sites at Moss Grove, and The Fish to ESSO, so we could concentrate our focus on development of our Wordsley site. A car showroom was built, and we became DAF agents, selling new and used cars, and a travel agency was opened, the shop was called Taurus Travel.
The Jet Fuel Brand...
The Jet Fuel Brand...
In 1976 we switched fuel suppliers from Esso fuels, to Conaco's own Jet brand of fuels, and motor oils. Erecting a Condor canopy over the four Avery-Hardoll single hose petrol pumps we had, and installing a diesel pump in the process.
When we ordered our fuel, it was delivered by road tanker from the Conaco oil terminal in Stourport.
Elf Oil Fuel Brand ...
Elf Oil Fuel Brand ...
1981 we changed fuel suppliers again, to Elf Oil (GB) Ltd, selling Elf motor fuel. We also installed a new additional underground fuel storage tank.
The car showroom, and used car display places, were leased out to a car sales company, and they retailed new Skoda cars and used vehicles.
Offices, and an export business on the ground floor were removed to make room for a larger retail shop, and the 1st floor offices were let to a data processing company, a car radio sales & repair business, and a mobile car repair company.
Introduction of Self-Service...
Introduction of Self-Service...
The beginning of 1993 saw a major refit of the petrol forecourt and shop, when we changed from attended to self-service.
We replaced our five ageing Avery-Hardoll single nozzel, mechanical pumps, with three of the latest Tokheim 363/c, 6 hose, liquid crystal, back-lit digital display, fuel dispensers, and a self-service pump controller & till.
Pritchards Garages Ltd
The Last Twenty Years...
The Last Twenty Years...
For the last twenty years, we have not been tied to any fuel brand, and have been selling brand free Petrol & Diesel, when Elf Oil (GB) Ltd were taken over by the Total brand, in the year 2000. Total UK has now withdrawn from the UK petrol retail market.
In 2018 we were the only petrol station & motorists accessory shop left trading in Wordsley, when Bells Lane Service Station shutdown, to be turned into a housing plot. It was the last of three other petrol stations, and a motor parts shop in the village close down.
That is the story so far...
That is the story so far...
So now, we are the only show left in town, with over sixty years on the clock, and still going strong in petrol retailing. We have come a long way, and still got fuel in our tanks, and a little way yet to go.
Directors of the Company
Directors of the Company
Gerada Pritchard & Simon Pritchard
Sandstone - Triassic Period
Still earlier in the past…
Still earlier in the past…
In the late 1800's in Mill Street to the west of us; were Ivy Mill, and Fox Farm. Later Webbs Seeds & Nursery were our neighbours. I can still remember the farm land and derelict greenhouses, until Kitson Steels replaced them with a car park and offices.
To the south is the Stourbridge Canal’s flight of 16 locks, and Dadford Wharf. And to the east of us, lived the Stanley’s they ran a butcher’s shop in Kingswinford.
To the north our neighbours were Swiss Farm, now Swiss Drive, and Swiss House Care Home.
Also across the road from us, is a cutting through the rock, which was made to connect the road from Wordsley to Brockmoor. It is a geological feature of red sandstone, and pebble bed layers from the Triassic period. It is a SSSI, and is clearly visible to see from our forecourt.
The Boat Fold Inn at Wordsley...
The Boat Fold Inn at Wordsley...
The Boat Fold Inn, is listed in the street census of 1871, with an address then of Buckpool Road, and was still in business in 20th century; also known as “The Boat”. It was owned, and then sold by the brewery in 1951.
The Boatfold Filling Station with it's three, "clock dial face" fuel dispensing pumps, starts trading soon afterwards.
The three haunted Boat Fold terraced cottages, were demolished ten years later, to make way for a larger forecourt, and shop.
To be continued at a future date…
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