Hi all,
I’m looking into my family tree and I’d really like to learn some more about my great-grandfather, Harold Wood.
Do any of you have any photographs of him, stories to tell, or know anything about his life in and outside of work? I’ve seen all of the other posts on here regarding him, but if anybody has any more information or knows somebody who does, I would love to receive it.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Best wishes,
Hayley
Hi Hayley First of all welcome to the Trucknet forum.Have you looked on the Tanker thread there should be plenty of stories on there but here are 1 or 2 photos for you,these are already on this site but it wont hurt to put them on again.Also type the name Harold Wood into the search and it will bring everything up reguarding your G/Grandfather.
540-TANKER TAKEOVER BY STATE COMPANY
THE largest road tanker fleet in the country—Harold Wood and Sons Ltd., of
Heckmondwike, Yorks Google Harold Wood Tankers and you will find this storey in an old Commercial motor magazine.
Some info for you here.
The Harold Wood concern was sold to NOICIOS Ltd… the industrial investment company, in 1960 for some £820,000 in cash and shares, at which time about 300 tankers were operated_ The Heckmondwike-based company was formed in 1920. operating first in general haulage and then specializing in road tank work—in which Mr. Harold Wood himself was a pioneer. After the Norcros takeover he remained as chairman and managing director but early this year he resigned from the company; the reason for his sudden departure has never been officially stated. but Mr. Wood was quoted at the time as saying that there had been a disagreement over the results of the company’s operations.
Read more at commercial-motor.archive.netcopy … MvpfEYQ.99
Hi Hayley, As John said, Welcome to the thread, Harold Woods Tankers from Heckmondwyke were seen all over in their heydays I used to pass their depot when traveling to Manchester in the 50/60s Era on the old A 62 long before the M 62 was opened, I hope you enjoy any future photos & comments, Regards Larry.
Hello Hayley and good luck with your research. Harold Wood was a major user of AEC lorries for most of its existence and he also had an AEC dealership. His business is extensively covered in many issues of the AEC Gazette over several years. This magazine was the in-house publication of AEC and copies should be available to access in the British Commercial Vehicle Museum Archives at Leyland. A former AEC and Leyland Service Engineer and Depot Manager, Harry Pick, knew Harold Wood very well. Harry is in his 90s now but if you want to contact him pm me and I will let you have his address.
Hello to you all, and thank you for your replies!
@Stanfield, thank you for sharing your photographs with me. I’ve scoured the internet for photographs and found some good ones, although annoyingly a lot have a copyright label emblazoned across them, and when I’ve chased up who they belong to, they either want extortionate sums of money for an emailed copy of the photo, or I simply can’t find the owners of the copyright. Never mind, I shall keep searching! Thank you also for the information- I spoke with my father (Harold’s grandson) about why Harold left the company so suddenly, and he told me that unfortunately Harold had a heart attack in 1963, leaving him unable to continue running the business.
@Lawrence Dunbar, thank you for the warm welcome. If you have any old photographs or information about Harold, I would be very pleased to see/hear them!
@gingerfold, thank you also for your message. I shall have to visit the museum at Leyland to look at the magazines- thank you for the tip! I would be delighted to get in touch with Harry if he is happy for me to do so- I shall PM you now.
Thanks again 
Hayley
That’s brilliant, thank you Larry 
Hbrook1
My father drove for Harold Woods in the late 50’s early 60’s. As a nipper I went with him quite a few times and I remember him having an Atkinson 8 wheeler ( even after all these years, anorak that I am I can still remember the registration --OWX 980 ), and I can still in my minds eye see the warning plate on the scuttle saying —DO NOT ENGAGE OVERDRIVE BELOW 28MPH.
He always said that of the many tanker jobs he had Harold Woods was one of the best.
Cheers Bassman
I think this Mercury had seen its last days on the road
transportphotos.com/road/photos
Lawrence Dunbar:
0Hi Hayley this is the only one I have, Regards Larry.
I’ve a shilling that says that’s in the yard at Heckmondwike.
Hi Haley A couple more photos for you here.(not mine by the way,They belong to dubdee - K W Platt found on his flickr site click link) flickr.com/photos/8755708@N07/
Thank you, Bassman, for sharing your memories- it’s lovely to hear the respect and happy memories of Harold’s former drivers! And thank you, John, for the photos- I shall try and contact the owner of them to see if he’s happy to send me the originals. Thanks again
There’s a new Vintage Roadscene magazine dedicated to the history of Harold Woods out now it comes from the same series which have covered AEC and Lorries From the North which were both well worth buying
