History
Cockerham Garage was established in 1926 by T. E. Cookson. History shows that the business quickly became well established and this busy little garage carried out repairs to bicycles, motor cycles, agricultural equipment including tractors, cars, and repairs to anything else that came through the door; as is typical of most garages of the time. Supplementing the repair business was the trade in the odd motor vehicle. Cockerham Garage also became a petrol station, selling ROP (Russian Oil Products) fuel. Petrol filling stations were a rare sight in Britain back then. Fuel could be purchased from other places, but was sold in 2 gallon cans! In 1935 the business was purchased by J. B. Slinger. Mr. Slinger continued in much the same way offering similar services. With road fuel sales on the increase as the nation fell in love with the motor car the garage had a change of fuel supplier to 'National Benzole Mixture'. Ironic that as the nation mobilized on mass with four wheels that in the 1950’s Mr. Slinger became a Raliegh cycles main agent. Bicycle trade must have been good though, because in the early 1960’s Slinger purchased a brand new Ford Anglia, registration no. 7990TD. And yes that's right this Ford Anglia later found fame as the flying car in the Harry Potter films! Moving forward 20 years to the 1980s Mr. Slinger, now in his late 80’s, was still enthusiastically manning the petrol pumps! The workshop however was rented to Mr J. Cross and successfully continued repairing cars, and anything that came through the door. A familiar theme in this quaint rural garage although Bicycle sales had been dropped. Mr. Slinger passed away in 1986. The business was purchased outright by Mr. J. Cross (or Jim as he is locally known); and after 60+ years with a successful formula carried on offering the same sort of services! By now the traditional wooden building was somewhat passed its best and demolition and a complete rebuild would be required. This took place in 1993 and a purpose built modern workshop was constructed to see the business into the future. In 1998 Jim was joined in the business by his son Darren Cross (aged 27 at the time). Darren had earlier embarked on an apprenticeship at Pye Motors, the Ford dealership in Lancaster and stayed with them for some 5 years before moving over to work on at RM Fisher Vauxhall dealership in Galgate. With Jim and Darren working together Cockerham Garage stuck to the plan and carried on repairing anything that came through the door, an specialising in bespoke engineering. Darren indulged his passion in Rallying preparing and building a variety of cars from Mini's, Talbot Sunbeam's and of course everyone's favourite the Ford Escort Mark II. In the evening Jim could be found tinkering making all manor of parts (for all manor of things) beautifully engineered with precision, expertise and care, and indulging his passion in restoring old motor cycles. Darren and Jim are currently going head to head personally restoring two vintage tractors. Jim is lovingly restoring the small British John Deere. Darren had to go one bigger and imported a 1953 Oliver prairie tractor. It is huge and won't currently fit in the workshop!! |
More Local History
Cockerham is a small village within the City of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. It is 6 miles south of Lancaster and 15 miles north-northwest of Preston. Located on the River Cocker, at the estuary of the River Lune, it has a an approximate population of around 700 residents. The local church is St. Michael's. The original parish church was in the middle of the village but was re located to higher ground due to frequent flooding.
Close by are the remains of Cockersands Abbey (pictured), site of a former Abbey dating back to before 1184. Most of the site is now a ruin but the chapter house remains intact and enjoys a splendid location on the edge of the picturesque Lune Estuary and Morecambe Bay. The village has a thriving school, and a pub - The Manor Inn, (on main street pictured) (though there have been at least two pubs here in the past.) Vintage Motor Panels and Cockerham Garage is located just South of the village.
Cockerham is a small village within the City of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. It is 6 miles south of Lancaster and 15 miles north-northwest of Preston. Located on the River Cocker, at the estuary of the River Lune, it has a an approximate population of around 700 residents. The local church is St. Michael's. The original parish church was in the middle of the village but was re located to higher ground due to frequent flooding.
Close by are the remains of Cockersands Abbey (pictured), site of a former Abbey dating back to before 1184. Most of the site is now a ruin but the chapter house remains intact and enjoys a splendid location on the edge of the picturesque Lune Estuary and Morecambe Bay. The village has a thriving school, and a pub - The Manor Inn, (on main street pictured) (though there have been at least two pubs here in the past.) Vintage Motor Panels and Cockerham Garage is located just South of the village.
Cockerham Garage - USA
Whilst searching for information we came across another business sharing our name and some very interesting images from our namesake a "Cockerham Garage" in Florida, USA. Little is know of the images but they look to date from around the 1950s. The damage appears to relate to 'Hurricane Donna' damage to Cockerham Garage - Upper Matecumbe Key, Florida. Luckily we don't have hurricanes here in Cockerham, Lancashire, United Kingdom!!
Whilst searching for information we came across another business sharing our name and some very interesting images from our namesake a "Cockerham Garage" in Florida, USA. Little is know of the images but they look to date from around the 1950s. The damage appears to relate to 'Hurricane Donna' damage to Cockerham Garage - Upper Matecumbe Key, Florida. Luckily we don't have hurricanes here in Cockerham, Lancashire, United Kingdom!!
All photography & web design by Art-Image (www.artimage.co.uk) copyright © 2015