Family run garage

Mr Carpenter founded Carpenters Removals in Longley Road in 1880. In 1901, 69 Bickersteth Road was purchased and the name has been associated with this site ever since. There is also another entrance on Brightwell Crescent and this was bought in 1907. My Grandmother actually grew up two doors away from the Brightwell Crescent yard and remembers the horse drawn wagons trundling up the road in the early mornings and the horse occasionally excaping from the stable and ending up in the neighbours gardens.

In 1965 my Grandfather with his two sons, Derek and later Peter, started renting the rear yard from Mr Carpenter and ran a haulage and repair business. In the 70s, the then owner Jack Carpenter decided to retire and so my father, Derek, took over the removals. My Grandfather passed away in 1974 and some years later, Peter moved the haulage business that he had taken over to larger premises. In 1979, there was (yet another) slump in the housing market which obviously meant a severe drop in the amount of removals.

Derek decided to sell the business and set up as a garage. This was a very simple decision to make as he already had plenty of tools and equipment from servicing the removal lorries. We also had a handful of customers that had seen us working on them and had enquired if we could repair/service their vehicles.

When the Garage was founded, Derek and Daphne (Mum) were joined by my brother Stephen. I started straight after leaving school in 1981. Both of us attended Carshalton College completing a City and Guilds course. Also in this year we became authorised to carry out Class 4 MOT tests. In 1986, a formal business partnership was made consisting of Derek, Daphne, Steve and Tony.  Mum and Dad retired from the business in 2000 although at first they stiil came down on a Saturday. Even when Mum finally caled it a day, Dad would sill get a taxi in and one of us would take him home at the end of the day.