Fraser Eagle

Atarah · 18-02-2009, 03:27

Hi, am putting this under "History" cos this is best place. Poor Fraser Eagle! Laid off most of their staff on Monday 16th Feb 2009 (me included!).
They of course started life in a small garage at Tanpits, Church, then grew and grew into holidays and also rail replacement.
Sad times!

Atarah

Bob Dobson · 18-02-2009, 08:26

A check with my 1951 Barretts directory confirms what I thought - Atarah is mistaken, or perhaps she hasn't gone back far enough. I remember Fraser's being in Water St ( bottom end , No 17.They teamed up with the firm at Antley whose name escapes me.( Eagle maybe) In 1951 there was also Ribblesdale Coachways 64 Abbey st( a shop), Benson Motors , Barnes St & Taylor Bros, Queen's rd/Robert st.

Atarah has started a good thread here. Charas will be fondly remembered. The Eagle has set off.

MargaretR · 18-02-2009, 09:32

I know some Fraser Eagle employees, past and present.
The expansion of the business went too fast and too many chiefs got themselves flash motors at the firms expense.
The extravagance of the office interior of the place at Padiham also amazed me.
Marble and palm trees just isn't the norm for a company that size.
I got £20 High St voucher, a free buffet and chauffeur transport there and back, just for expressing an opinion on their brochure - prolifigate waste

jaysay · 18-02-2009, 11:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atarah

Hi, am putting this under "History" cos this is best place. Poor Fraser Eagle! Laid off most of their staff on Monday 16th Feb 2009 (me included!).
They of course started life in a small garage at Tanpits, Church, then grew and grew into holidays and also rail replacement.
Sad times!

Atarah

The Eagle part of the firm was started by a chap called Albert Benson, who started up just after the war, his first garage was at the end of Eagle St. (thus the name Eagle)which is off New Lane Ossy, I live on Eagle St in the 60s and actually helped pull the old garage down when it got very dangerous. Albert moved his business to a Garage in Dale Street Ossy in the 50s (which is near the civic theatre) he sold out to Frasers when he retired, His Wife Betty also had an Hairdressers at the corner of Dale Street

rishton · 18-02-2009, 16:24

I work for another coach company and a couple of people who I work with have said that the Furnishing and contracts side of the business have been liquidated and they have also heard I lot of the company cars have been reposed by the finance company.

cashman · 18-02-2009, 17:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by rishton

I work for another coach company and a couple of people who I work with have said that the Furnishing and contracts side of the business have been liquidated and they have also heard I lot of the company cars have been reposed by the finance company.

does that mean the cars are dead?

cmonstanley · 18-02-2009, 17:47

another company who lived for the sharholderand got above themselves going to the wall..just pure greed.lets hope they paid all their dues to stanley..

cashman · 18-02-2009, 18:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmonstanley

another company who lived for the sharholderand got above themselves going to the wall..just pure greed.lets hope they paid all their dues to stanley..

thats a secondary issue, the poor sods that are laid off come first.

jedimaster · 19-02-2009, 00:43

that would explain why they got no driver vacancies then

steeljack · 19-02-2009, 00:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Dobson

A check with my 1951 Barretts directory confirms what I thought - Atarah is mistaken, or perhaps she hasn't gone back far enough. I remember Fraser's being in Water St ( bottom end , No 17.They teamed up with the firm at Antley whose name escapes me.( Eagle maybe) In 1951 there was also Ribblesdale Coachways 64 Abbey st( a shop), Benson Motors , Barnes St & Taylor Bros, Queen's rd/Robert st.

Atarah has started a good thread here. Charas will be fondly remembered. The Eagle has set off.

Is this the same Ribblesdale that became Ribblesdale/Baty Holt ( blue/grey coachwork) from George st.west in Blackburn ? my Dad used to be the team coach driver for Blackburn Rovers on away games

Bob Dobson · 19-02-2009, 08:38

I think it is, as I recall that Ribblesdale didn't have a garage in Abbey St - just a booking office. Somewhere between Oak & Warner Sts I think.

Over at Church, there was a chara firm called Kirkham's.Other firms around in the 50s were Standerwick of Preston, who amalgamated with Ribble. Robinson' of Gt Harwood, and yelloway (Rochdale).

cashman · 19-02-2009, 10:56

the ribblesdale booking office = bob is spot on, it was just up from Babyland which was at corner of warner/abbey st, think there was them then a barbers,then the ribblesdale office, went to many n away match from yon.

jaysay · 19-02-2009, 11:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Dobson

I think it is, as I recall that Ribblesdale didn't have a garage in Abbey St - just a booking office. Somewhere between Oak & Warner Sts I think.

Over at Church, there was a chara firm called Kirkham's.Other firms around in the 50s were Standerwick of Preston, who amalgamated with Ribble. Robinson' of Gt Harwood, and yelloway (Rochdale).

Think Robinsons are still going Bob, Green and Black livery, they do mostly tour holidays now, along with the likes of Wallace Arnold, or Wigan Airways as they were know, although I think they may have merged with another company know but not sure

MargaretR · 19-02-2009, 12:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

Think Robinsons are still going Bob, Green and Black livery, they do mostly tour holidays now, along with the likes of Wallace Arnold, or Wigan Airways as they were know, although I think they may have merged with another company know but not sure

I've been on a couple of Robinsons Holidays
(remember my thread about Penhallow Newquay hotel fire)
They mailed me a special offer holiday only last week
They are not 'merged'

Royboy39 · 19-02-2009, 12:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by steeljack

Is this the same Ribblesdale that became Ribblesdale/Baty Holt ( blue/grey coachwork) from George st.west in Blackburn ? my Dad used to be the team coach driver for Blackburn Rovers on away games

Was your dad Bernard Keogh?

Yes it is the same....The firm was taken over by Robinsons.
Arthur and Cecil Bolton were the owners of Ribblesdale.

Fred Kirkham had Kirkhams Coaches at the bottom of West End.
I think they still operate but now in Haslingden by Fred's son Geoff.
Fred was killed in a traffic accident on his way back from the Motor Show.

Albert Benson had Eagle Coaches in Ossy and sold out to Frasers who were then at Antley.