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

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.

Caption: “4 ton Dennis furniture van on solid tyres. New August 25th 1921. Sold June 4th 1934 £40. ULW (unladen weight): 3-17-0 (3 tons, 17 hundredweight 0 pounds = 3.85 tons)”.

According to an online historical inflation calculator, £40 in 1934 is equivalent to £2628 in 2017. So, not such a bad price for a 13-year-old (no doubt) well-used piece of transport machinery. And 1934 was the year of the Bodleian Library move, so perhaps that fillip to the business led to the updating purchase of a more modern furniture van or two.

Phil’s History:

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