This is an Archer Cowley & Co publicity postcard showing a photograph taken in the main ‘garage space’ and packing warehouse, at the end of what was (in my young days) Archer Cowley’s yard off Park End Street, and is now (if it was not then) Park End Place. The wooden containers were apparently
Here are three men I recognize from my ‘Oxford’ days, not to mention occasional summer-holiday jobs ‘on the vans’ and (once) dealing with the men’s pay during the summer holiday of Ray Cox who usually attended to this. So, as far as I remember the three men shown are (L to R): William Gurden, Joe Riches and Alec Cudd. William Gurden was, I believe, an old retainer who had worked for the firm many years. Joe Riches’ main job was as a carpenter/joiner doing wood-working tasks that arose in a business handling large volumes of furniture and carrying out export-packing for overseas shipping of furniture. And Alec Cudd was, I believe, in charge of the export-packing of furniture having years of experience in that area.