Phil’s History:

A ‘work in progress’ family history website starting from an Archer family of South Oxford, who were freemen, brewers, haulage contractors, and first ‘Archer & Co’ then ‘Archer Cowley & Co’ furniture removers in the 19th and 20th Centuries, inter alia, to whom are linked by marriage the Penfolds and Wells of Southwark and Surrey, the Reeds of Devon, the Gilders of Oxford and Hinckley, the Morgans of Petworth, Sussex, the Garners of Middleton, Lancs and many others. There are connections via Phil and the present generation (born 1930s/40s) with a patent law firm known as "UD&L" with motor-racing and Scottish antecedents.

Archer Cowley & Co history scrapbook and photo album:

2016-07-25 17.02.41

Page 1 of album - paper cutting on inside of album’s front cover:

The recovery of the AC&Co album in Broad Street on 23.6.2016

The recovery of the AC&Co album in Broad Street on 23.7.2016

The AC&Co scrapbook & photo album.

The AC&Co scrapbook & photo album.

AC&Co containers on railway wagons.

Archer & Co containers on railway wagons.

Another mounted print which came with the album.

Another mounted print which came with the album.

A final mounted print which came with the album.

A final mounted print which came with the album.

A closer view of one item from the inside cover.

A closer view of one item from the inside cover: dates of building of the Archer Cowley Park End street warehouse blocks, and who by:

Our one-and-only view of a horse-drawn furniture wagon 'in action'.

Our one-and-only view of a horse-drawn furniture wagon 'in action'.

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Local and country removals, about 1893:

Undated view of Oxford from roof of warehouse.

Undated view of Oxford from roof of warehouse.

A closer view of the warehouse-roof shot of Oxford.

A closer view of the warehouse-roof shot of Oxford.

James Archer himself.

James Archer himself.

Mr Cowley and Mr Rippington - the only photos known to exist.

Mr Cowley and Mr Rippington - the only photos known to exist.

Undated view of Pembroke Street with AC&Co van.

Undated view of Pembroke Street with AC&Co van.

WGRA and FGBA - classic views of two AC&Co latter-day directors.

W.G.R. Archer and F.G.B. Archer - classic views of two AC&Co latter-day directors.

Classic view of the Park End Street premises.

Classic view of the Park End Street premises, looking towards the station.

Classic view of the Park End Street premises, looking towards Carfax.

Classic view of the Park End Street premises, looking towards Carfax.

The warehouse's electric lift - and Harry Trafford.

The warehouse's electric lift - and Harry Trafford.

Letter from Harry Trafford's widow.

Letter from Harry Trafford's widow.

Inside the warehouse showing furniture stored.

Inside the warehouse showing furniture stored.

General view of the piano room at the warehouse.

General view of the piano room at the warehouse.

General views of the electric lift and of the warehouse store.

General views of the electric lift and of the warehouse store.

Another view of the interior of the warehouse.

Another view of the interior of the warehouse.

Fireproof doors and reinforced concrete warehouse construction.

Fireproof doors and reinforced concrete warehouse construction.

James Archer from the album

James Archer from the album

Local and country removals c.1893

Local and country removals c.1893

Mr Cowley.

Mr Cowley.

Mr Rippington.

Mr Rippington of Archer Cowley & Co, Oxford

View from roof of wareshouse.

View from roof of wareshouse.

James Archer’s Grandpont Meadows sale-particulars:

James Archer’s Grandpont Meadows Sale-particulars: (2)

Grandpont Meadows sale (3)

James Archer’s Grandpont Meadows sale-particulars: (3)

Grandpont Meadows sale (4)

James Archer’s Grandpont Meadows sale-particulars: (4)

Archer & Co horse-wagons.

Archer & Co horse-wagons and ‘Horse-pantechnicons’:

Archer & Co horse-wagon.

Archer & Co horse-wagon.

Archer & Co Horse-pantechnicon.

Archer & Co Horse-pantechnicon.

Archer Cowley & Co horse pantechnicon.

Archer Cowley notice of new address in 1947.

Archer Cowley notice of new address in 1947.

Archer Cowley, daily carriers to Radley College.

Archer Cowley, daily carriers to Radley College.

Wallis & Stevens 1901 steam locomotive.

Archer Cowley’s Wallis & Steevens 1901 steam locomotive:

Archer Cowley's 1922 4-ton A.E.C ex-army/WW1 - furniture van.

Archer Cowley's 1922 4-ton A.E.C ex-army/WW1 - furniture van.

Archer Cowley turn-of-the-century work page.

Archer Cowley early 20th-century work page.

Archer Cowley petrol vans 1925-1930

Archer Cowley petrol vans 1925-1930

Archer Cowley diesel-engined 7.5-ton furniture van in mid-1930s.

Archer Cowley diesel-engined 7.5-ton furniture van in mid-1930s.

1940 van fleet (1)

1940 van fleet (1)

1940 van fleet (2)

1940 van fleet (2)

1947 New ERF van

1947 New ERF van

The Bodleian Library job etc.

The Bodleian Science Library removal to Parks Road by Archer Cowley in 1934:

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Archer Cowley’s gravity-assisted book-transfer system for delivering books from van through basement window to the Bodleian’s book stacks:

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Radcliffe Square Oxford, 1934:

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Screen Shot 2017-02-17 at 20.56.55

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Commendation from Bodley’s Librarian to Archer Cowley & Co in 1934:

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Archer Cowley’s 1934 removal of the Bodleian Science Library from Broad Street to South Parks Road: line-drawing of the main building at the corner of Broad Street and Parks Road:

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Banquet of the FWRA, 19th and 20th May 1949, at Park Lane Hotel, London

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Archer Cowley’s 4 ton Dennis furniture van on solid tyres. New August 25th 1921:

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The Archer family gathered at the Dorchester Hotel (now the Feathers), Woodstock at 7pm on 19th April 1958:

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Arthur William Archer’s grandchildren:

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Archer Cowley’s work at AERE’s new library at Harwell in 1960:

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Archer Cowley’s second Bodleian Library removal task in 1946 is 7.5 times larger than the 1934 removal and rewarded by attendance at the opening by King George VI:

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Customer loyalty from 1919 to 1962: 43 years of service (to Professor Whitnall and/or his family):

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Archer Cowley’s 1950 Dennis 1100 cu ft Duramin furniture van:

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Archer Cowley’s use of lift vans illustrated from 1919 to 1953:

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Two Archer Cowley media items from mid-20th century: “Archers, Oxford, are 100 years old in 1957”

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Archer Cowley centenary-shot of staff and van-fleet on March 16th 1957:

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THE KEY TO JAMES ARCHER’S SUCCESS IN THE FIRST CENTURY OF THE FIRM:

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James Archer’s household removals system-principles:

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Oxford Times Friday 22nd March 1957: Archer Cowley’s centenary story:

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Oxford Mail 18th March 1957 - reporting the Archer Cowley & Co’s centenary celebrations

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Packing and Shipping Department of Archer Cowley & Co in 1959:

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The Foden “IV” diesel-engined furniture van - the end of the era of rail-involvement:

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Rear-end view of “Foden IV” in October 1960:

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Archer Cowley’s 1870 advertisement: “By Road - By Rail - By Sea"

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Archer & Co’s 1871 advertisement in Shrimpton’s Popular Oxford Guide:

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Extracts from Archer Cowley old day book 1879/1880 showing rates of charges:

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Page from Wages Book for March 17th 1894:

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“The railways caused hopeless delays even in the good old days”:

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Archer & Co’s “Received in good order and condition” confirmation form:

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Archer Cowley customer feedback dated June 3rd 1892:

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Terms and Conditions for customers’ use of James Archer & Co’s depository at Pembroke Street, Oxford:

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Archer Cowley printed letterhead with graphics of the 1901 warehouse and frontage in Park End Street Oxford:

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Archer & Co’s pro-forma agreement document for furniture warehousing (pre-Mr Cowley, pre-Pembroke Street, pre-Park End Street):

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Archer & Co’s pro-forma agreement document for furniture warehousing (pre-Mr Cowley, pre-Pembroke Street, pre-Park End Street): (page 2)

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Archer & Co’s pro-forma agreement document for furniture warehousing (pre-Mr Cowley, pre-Pembroke Street, pre-Park End Street): (page 3)

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August 1914: the start of The Great War 1914 - 1918: recquisitioning of horses and vehicles from Archer Cowley & Co:

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Cost of Haymaking at Grandpont Farm, Oxford in July 1898:

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Archer Cowley's Farm Sale on 1st October 1925 (when they gave up ‘farming’ - in the sense of using horses for transport purposes, with all the associated ‘farming’ work needed to maintain them):

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Conditions of sale for the auction sale of the Archer Cowley farm equipment:

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Screen Shot 2017-02-17 at 21.08.35

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Sale of Archer Cowley’s Live and Dead Stock at Grandpont Meadows, Oxford:

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Itemised sale particulars with realised prices entered for Archer Cowley’s farm sale 1st October 1925:

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More particulars of the sale in 1925:

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Final particulars of the sale in 1925:

Bowler, Captain, Drummer, Jolly, Pilot and other horses owned by AC & Co and sold on 6th June 1912:

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1898 invoice from Messrs Ashwood & Co, Coal Merchants to Archer & Co for services relating to haymaking at James Archer’s farm at Grandpont for the horses etc that provided the motive power of his removal business:

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Punch Summer Number: May 14th 1945:

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Oxford Times: December 30th 1955 - WGRA features in ‘With Camera and Pen'

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“Sixteen Archers have been freemen of the city” (‘Oxford Families’ by SPB Mais in The Oxford Times of January 11th 1960:

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Letterheads dating from 1900 and later:

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Photograph at Messrs Barnby Bendall & Co:

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Archer Cowley's new ERF van in 1965:

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A Cantay van: the firm who took over the Archer Cowley business in 1969: with their name dominant and the AC&Co name on the cab door and at the rear of the body of the van.

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Archer Cowley's Dennis 'Stork' 800 cubic feet capacity van with Perkins 4 cylinder diesel engine in March 1955:

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The Menu of the 1957 Centenary Dinner for Archer Cowley & Co Ltd's employees, at The Cadena Cafe Regency Rooms, Cornmarket Street, Saturday March 16th 1957:

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'Soup-Sole-Duck-Peach Melba-Cheese & Biscuits-Coffee' - the dinner menu:

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Followed by the speeches and entertainment:

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Interview with WGRA in the trade journal:

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Centenary Dinner Table-Plan and Invitation Card:

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Trade Journal Article on Archer Cowley & Co:

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Trade Journal Article (continued):

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And more of the same:

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A cartoon about removals:

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Notes on premises related to Archer Cowley & Co:

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The Oxford Times on 22nd March 1957 - Archer Cowley’s Centenary Advertisement.

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Archer Cowley's most famous removal: the Bodleian to its new premises:

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Railway ‘Mail-coach’ concept - the precursor of James Archer’s “By Rail” system:

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Parks Road, Oxford area: showing geopraphy of the 1934 Bodleian library removal:

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James Archer’s lineside GWR advertisement in South West Oxford: (map showing location)

qaa© Philip B Archer 2014