I. W. Holdsworth
I. W. Holdsworth Ltd of Halifax
1870 Mr. I. W. Holdsworth founded the business; he was a grocer and corn merchant, but in his travels around to collect goods he frequently received requests to bring back loads for other people.
He later purchased a greengrocery business in Halifax but his transport work increased to such an extent that he soon focussed on this.
1905 The founder died; his son Oliver and Charles Holdsworth continued the business along with their brother-in-law, Mr. W. Dean. They were one of the first concerns in Halifax to make use of mechanical transport, both steam and petrol.
WWI the mechanical transport side of the business grew; the company developed a passenger-carrying business with private hire trips on both petrol and steam vehicles with detachable bodies.
c.1918 a new company, 0. and C. Holdsworth, Ltd., was formed. It used horses for a large amount of private work. Later they were replaced by a fleet of Rolls-Royce cars.
1922 a passenger-carrying business was commenced at Harrogate and named the Baton Motor Co. This was sold to the West Yorkshire Road Car Co.
Then came the Hebble Motor Co., the first service being between Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, etc. Vehicles were run to out-of-the-way villages amongst the hills of Halifax. By 1928 it was necessary to employ 86 buses.
The haulage side also increased; purchased the business of J. W. North, of Bradford, the first in a series of similar transactions, with the result that the present company, with its many associates, operates throughout the country.
WWII Their vehicles have run millions of miles and carried many vital loads of foodstuffs, ammunition and war materials. The nightly trunk services ran continuously throughout the war period.
See Also
Sources of Information
- Commercial Motor 30 November 1945