Phil’s History:

Archer Cowley & Co History - ‘The Official History’ - because it is THE ONLY history of AC & Co that WGRA ever troubled himself to record (as far as I can tell), and it is written on the back of an envelope by William George Reed Archer; 

There is much more to add to this account, by way of photographs and text, not least of the 1957 centenary celebrations, which will be done ‘in due course’, as I keep saying.

(Added 16.8.15): There is also the History of Archer Cowley & Co produced by The Oxford Times for their “Down Memory Lane” piece on 26.9.2005 for the centenary of the birth of Frederick George Blake Archer (on 11.9.2005) in which they record my tribute to my father in terms of: “This stalwart of a large and business-connected  Oxford family is still remembered with much affection and warmth by his family and friends. His quiet and cheerful integrity and charm spoke for itself”. Please click here to go to the relevant page for the history of AC & Co.

Transcribed 14.9.2005 by PBA from the back of the envelope seen below:

1. James Archer: born 1836, founded James Archer & Co 1857, retired 1919, and put in William G.R. Archer in his place. Died 1922 aged 86 (was 62 years in the Business);
2. William G.R. Archer:
   a) was Office Boy at 5 shillings per week (PBA: the note doesn’t say, but my clear recollection [from Grandpa’s tale, told with great pathos, of asking Mr Blake for a rise from 5 shillings] is that this job was with Mr Blake in his Oxford furniture shop) from June 1893 – 1894, left and went to Holland for holiday and remained there for 6 years as Clerk at Papier Fabriek on Keizersveer, Raamsdonk, owned by Albert E. Reed;
   b) became Partner with M.J. Cowley & R. Rippington on July 1^st 1919 when J. Archer retired as Landlord (and  partner);
   c) became Sole Owner of premises 1933, and in 1944 made (it a) Private Company (PBA: meaning a limited company, perhaps?), and self (the) “Gov.” (PBA: meaning “managing”?) Director;
   d) became House Furnisher with George Blake & Co. 1900 to July 1919;
3. R. Rippington died December 1933. Was Partner since 1890 with M.J. Cowley & James Archer;
4. M.J. Cowley:
   a) joined J. Archer 1876, retired December 1933 after death of R. Rippington;
   b) died February 1944 (57 years service);
5. The firm:
   a) ran “Daily Carrier” to Radley & Abingdon” from 1886 for many years with a 2-wheel Horse Van – (photo in scrap book [**]); 
    b) Horse Pantechnicon Vans 1870 for many years until 1925 were put on rail for long distance removals; c) Lift Vans were used for Rail – many years; d) Oxford’s first Concrete Warehouse added at  Park End Street when I (WGRA) joined the Firm in 1919 – completed in 1920; e) 1^st Foden Steam Wagon: Oct 18^th 1913; f) Fowler steam tractor June 1907, sold 1923; g) Wallis Stevens tractor Nov 15^th 1901 replaced with Fowler; h) Our first Dennis petrol 4 ton van bought Aug 25^th 1921, cost £1184, sold June 4^th 1934 (for) £40.

Ends.

[**] The ‘scrap book’ would be so wonderful to have access-to, but no-one apparently thought of copying even the front cover of it for the family or posterity or whatever, so it was passed to Cantays when the business was sold in about 1969, and Cantays told me they lost it in an office-move. No doubt it may be fair to say that no one in the 1960s was aware that I or anyone else in my generation of the family had any interest whatever in Archer Cowley & Co - certainly not enough to be willing to join my dad in the firm so that it would not be sold. So you have only yourself to blame Phil!

Added Tuesday 22.9.2015 at 14.08 hrs: WONDERFUL NEWS! Had a phone call from Neil at The Oxford Mail (01865 4255 15) this morning at about 12 noon, responding to my email enquiry of some weeks ago asking whether they could give me access to their archive records including the photograph accompanying the Cantay article and showing a page from Archer Cowley & Co’s scrapbook, which might show more clearly some of those historical events one can dimly make out from the copied newspaper page (the Cantay article) that I already have. Neil said he had made the photos available online at the Oxford Mail’s website’s home page (click on galleries/pictures/sales), and I can just purchase the graphics in that way. So far have bought the one showing an AC&Co steam traction engine and hauled trailer going below Tom Tower, Christ Church.

14/09/2005 14:34:06

Here is a scanned copy of William George Reed Archer’s hand-written history of the firm - I will substitute a photograph (which may be clearer) of it in due course (pba.7.1.15): 

That date, 1st July 1919, when (see above): “William G.R.Archer became partner with M.J.Cowley & R.Rippington when J.A. retired as Landlord” is illuminated by the letter that WGRA wrote to JA that week, which is in WGRA’s photo album on this website. Please click here to go to that letter.

For a photo album continuing this history of Archer Cowley & Co, please click here

(Added 28.9.16): A further account of the AC&Co history based on the above:

History of Archer Cowley & Co;
Transcribed from WGRA’s handwritten notes:

1. James Archer born 1836, founded James Archer & Co, 1857; retired 1919, and put in William GR Archer in his place; died 1922, aged 86, was 62 years in the business;
2. William GR Archer was office boy at 5 shillings per week from June 1893 – 1894; left and went to Holland for a holiday and remained there for 6 years; (added in an ‘arrowed insert’): Clerk at Papierfabriek at Kaizersveer, Raamsdonk, owned by Albert E. Reed;
3. William GR Archer became partner with MJ Cowley and R. Rippington on 1^st July 1919, when James Archer retired as landlord;
4. William GR Archer became sole owner of the premises in 1933 and in 1944 made a Private Company and self (as) Governing Director;
5. (this item indeed follows the above items 2 to 4): William GR Archer became House Furnisher with George Blake & Co from 1900 to July 1919;
6. R. Rippington died December 1933; was partner since 1890 with MJ Cowley and James Archer;
7. MJ Cowley joined James Archer 1876; retired December 1933 after death of R. Rippington; died February 1944 (57 years service);
8. The firm ran “Daily Carrier” to Radley and Abingdon from 1886 for many years with a 2-wheel horse van (photo in scrap book);
9. Horse pantechnicon vans from 1890 for many years until 1925 were put on rail for long-distance removals; 
10. Lift vans also used for rail (removals) – many years;
11. Oxford’s first Concrete Warehouse added at Park End Street when I, WGRA, joined the firm in 1919 – completed in 1920;
12. First Foden steam wagon: October 18^th (16^th?) 1913;
13. Wallis Stevens steam tractor, Nov 15, 1901, replaced by: 
14. Fowler steam tractor June 1907, sold 1923;
15. Our first Dennis petrol 4 ton van bought August 25^th 1921, cost £1184; sold June 4^th  1934: £40;

Above transcribed 24.9.2008/pba/at Kenmore.

Added Friday 14.02.2014 at 33 Main Street:
(Deduced from above facts):

Timeline for WGRA:

1. Born 1878 (from memory);
2. So WGRA born when James Archer’s company was 21 years old;
3. June 1893 – 1894: WGRA is “office boy at 5 shillings a week” at James Archer & Co (if that was the name), beginning at age 14 years 9 months (which was  presumably approximately when he left school), for about a year; and then
4. WGRA “left and went to Holland for a holiday and remained there for 6 years” in  (presumably) 1894 at age 15 years (if it was before 7.10.1894) to 16 years; and
5. In Holland he was: “Clerk at Papierfabriek at Kaizersveer, Raamsdonk, owned by Albert E. Reed”; and so
6. If he stayed for the full 6 years stated, he was there from 1894 to 1900; and then:
7. “William GR Archer became House Furnisher with George Blake & Co from 1900 to July 1919”; and then
8. “William GR Archer became partner with MJ Cowley and R. Rippington on 1^st July 1919, when James Archer retired as landlord”; and then
9. “William GR Archer became sole owner of the premises in 1933 and in 1944 made a Private Company and self (as) Governing Director”;

So (timeline):

1878 born

1893 -1894 office boy at J.Archer & Co at 5 shillings per week

1894 – 1900 clerk at Papierfabriek at Kaisersveer, Raamsdonk;

1900 – 1919 house furnisher at George Blake & Co;
(but by the way, the census for 1901 shows that he or his parents put him down in that year as a “teacher”, so perhaps his start at George Blake & Co was not quite so definite in that first year or two)

1919 – 1933 partner with Cowley & Rippington in AC & Co;
(NB: perhaps WGRA’s second son, FGBA joined him at AC & Co at that early   stage);

1933 Sole owner of premises of AC & Co (age: 55);

1944 AC & Co becomes a private company (age 66);

So: WGRA really was 6 years in Holland. No wonder he spoke Dutch fluently. And he met and married an Oxford girl within 2 years of arriving back in Oxford at age 22. She was the adopted daughter of his boss for the next 20 years: George Blake, house furnisher. Her family had moved to Hinckley in 1884, leaving her to live with her aunt (Sarah, I recollect), Mrs George Blake, who had no children, but (I also recollect that Gilly Fisher told me), provided ‘home’ to two other family members (on what one would call today) a ‘kinship’ basis – whom I must look up;

(ends.pba.14.2.14.at.22.13.hrs). 

Text from the Oxford Mail:

LIKE many businesses, Archer Cowley, the Oxford removals firm, had a humble start to life.

James Archer ran a daily carrier’s service between Oxford, Abingdon and Radley in a two-wheeled horse-drawn cart, collecting and delivering parcels.

That was in 1857 and over the next 100 years, it developed into one of the biggest firms of its type in the South of England.

We were reminded of Archer Cowley’s prominent role in the city’s business community when Philip Archer, a descendant of the founder, wrote to Memory Lane.

An album tracing the history of the family firm had been lost and the only page known to exist was one reproduced in the Oxford Mail in 1976.

Mr Archer wrote: “The single page represents the only remnant of a wonderful graphic record of an Oxford firm that traded for 112 years from 1857 to 1969.”

Using modern technology, the Mail’s production assistant, Neil Braggins, was able to supply Mr Archer with copies of the historic photographs that appeared on the page. Some of them are reproduced here.

The firm began in Pembroke Street, off St Aldate’s, where it had offices and extensive depositories for storing furniture and other goods.

To the original horse and cart, James Archer added more, developing an extensive haulage business. Work included carting away rubble from the old Town Hall and delivering building materials for the new one in the 1890s.

Eventually, he had 26 horses and a 180-acre farm at Grandpont, which produced the hay they ate and where they grazed and rested over the weekend.

When James retired in 1919, his nephew, William Archer, took over.

The other partners at that time were Mr MJ Cowley and Mr R Rippington.

The firm moved to Park End Street in 1920 and behind the modest facade, it built extensive warehouses with thousands of square feet for storing furniture and other effects.

In the late 19th century, long-distance removals were carried out by rail, with horses providing the transport to Oxford station and to the customer from the destination station. In 1901, the firm took delivery of a 15-ton traction engine, which hauled three large vans and a water cart. It had a maximum permitted speed of seven miles per hour, and had to stop to replenish its water tank every 15 miles.

A Foden steam wagon arrived in 1913 and the firm was one of the first Oxford businesses to run a four-ton petrol-driven van from 1921.

One of its biggest jobs was the removal of books from the Bodleian to the new Science Library in 1934 – 137 vanloads were moved in three weeks, an average of 11,765 books a day.

When the firm celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1957, goods were being packed and shipped to all parts of the world.

A reporter who visited the firm’s warehouses three years later, remarked how spick and span they were, and how neatly the furniture had been stacked. William Archer replied: “I’ve got a bee in my bonnet about tidiness and cleanliness.”

The first record of an Archer in Oxford is in 1518 when John Archer leased five acres near the North Gate at eight shillings a year.

The second is in 1637 when Elias Archer rented half of 46 Broad Street for £1 a year and two capons.

At least 16 members of the large Archer family have been Freemen of Oxford.

The firm was sold to the Cantay group in 1961, but continued to trade under its original name until 1969.

(pasted 21.4.17 from emailed Oxford Mail link and graphics).

(added 15.11.17): click here to go to one of the graphics that accompany the above text from the Oxford Mail; and click here to go to the other such graphic;

Macintosh HD:Users:philipbrucearcher:Documents:Phil's Documents folder:Family History:Families:Archer Family:ArcherCowley&Co:WGRA.History of Archer Cowley.docx