Ray Smyth:
Recent pictures of what was formerly the fruit and veg building and big fridge of the Wigan
branch of Louis Reece from the late 1960s. The building to the left of the first picture was
the Council owned home of the Wholesale Fruit & Veg Market caretaker, the remaining buildings
were all Louis Reece, which included an upstairs bedroom for the company drivers from
Horsemonden in Kent.
Ray Smyth.
Great memories, I remember the chap who lived in that house but i cant for the life of me remember his name, I can see him clearly in my mind, I went up there a few years ago & it’s changed from all recognition when I was there, Proper hive of activity. I drove for Louis Reece in the early 1970’s & remember the bedroom for the southern drivers, They left their keys in the office & went to bed, It was the first time I’d seen a Volvo F88 & thought they were the best lorry ever, I used to back them under the covered yard for unloading so as not to disturb them sleeping. Great times even though most loads were handball.
lancpudn:
Ray Smyth:
Recent pictures of what was formerly the fruit and veg building and big fridge of the Wigan
branch of Louis Reece from the late 1960s. The building to the left of the first picture was
the Council owned home of the Wholesale Fruit & Veg Market caretaker, the remaining buildings
were all Louis Reece, which included an upstairs bedroom for the company drivers from
Horsemonden in Kent.
Ray Smyth.
Great memories, I remember the chap who lived in that house but i cant for the life of me remember his name, I can see him clearly in my mind, I went up there a few years ago & it’s changed from all recognition when I was there, Proper hive of activity. I drove for Louis Reece in the early 1970’s & remember the bedroom for the southern drivers, They left their keys in the office & went to bed, It was the first time I’d seen a Volvo F88 & thought they were the best lorry ever, I used to back them under the covered yard for unloading so as not to disturb them sleeping. Great times even though most loads were handball.
Hi, Thank you for your interesting comments.I reckon that we must have seen each other occasionally in the early 1970s. From early 1970, and for
the next 3 years, I was a HGV driver with Robert Baillie & Co Ltd of Portsmouth, based at their Wigan depot at the rear of King Street in the town centre. From about the end of March until late October, me and the other Robert Baillie drivers delivered Guernsey Tomatoes to Louis Reece at
Worthington Way, and also to Conroy Bros, and Peter Conroy. A regular delivery during the winter months to Louis Reece was cauliflower from Brittany. During the busy Guernsey period in the summer of 1972, Louis Reece Volvo F86 artics carried many of the Guernsey loads to Baillies
at Wigan, Jack McLoughlin, the depot manager would take the Louis Reece driver/drivers to their sleeping quarters, and us Baillies drivers took
the Guernsey Tomatoes to their destination, Leeds, Bradford, Liverpool, etc, driving a Louis Reece outfit. Occasionally we would see a Baillies .
Atkinson coupled to a Louis Reece " Tautliner ", or a Louis Reece Volvo coupled to a Baillies 40ft flat trailer. Happy days.
Cheers, Ray Smyth.
Ray Smyth:
lancpudn:
Ray Smyth:
Recent pictures of what was formerly the fruit and veg building and big fridge of the Wigan
branch of Louis Reece from the late 1960s. The building to the left of the first picture was
the Council owned home of the Wholesale Fruit & Veg Market caretaker, the remaining buildings
were all Louis Reece, which included an upstairs bedroom for the company drivers from
Horsemonden in Kent.
Ray Smyth.
Great memories, I remember the chap who lived in that house but i cant for the life of me remember his name, I can see him clearly in my mind, I went up there a few years ago & it’s changed from all recognition when I was there, Proper hive of activity. I drove for Louis Reece in the early 1970’s & remember the bedroom for the southern drivers, They left their keys in the office & went to bed, It was the first time I’d seen a Volvo F88 & thought they were the best lorry ever, I used to back them under the covered yard for unloading so as not to disturb them sleeping. Great times even though most loads were handball.
Hi, Thank you for your interesting comments.I reckon that we must have seen each other occasionally in the early 1970s. From early 1970, and for
the next 3 years, I was a HGV driver with Robert Baillie & Co Ltd of Portsmouth, based at their Wigan depot at the rear of King Street in the town centre. From about the end of March until late October, me and the other Robert Baillie drivers delivered Guernsey Tomatoes to Louis Reece at
Worthington Way, and also to Conroy Bros, and Peter Conroy. A regular delivery during the winter months to Louis Reece was cauliflower from Brittany. During the busy Guernsey period in the summer of 1972, Louis Reece Volvo F86 artics carried many of the Guernsey loads to Baillies
at Wigan, Jack McLoughlin, the depot manager would take the Louis Reece driver/drivers to their sleeping quarters, and us Baillies drivers took
the Guernsey Tomatoes to their destination, Leeds, Bradford, Liverpool, etc, driving a Louis Reece outfit. Occasionally we would see a Baillies .
Atkinson coupled to a Louis Reece " Tautliner ", or a Louis Reece Volvo coupled to a Baillies 40ft flat trailer. Happy days.
Cheers, Ray Smyth.
Yes those were all familiar company names, When I was there old Bill with the club foot was in charge of the cold stores, I remember a few other drivers names, Derek williams, Eric entwhistle, Ken churchouse, Brian smith aka Smudger from Newton Le Willows Proper laugh with him. Miggsy, Keith Alker.
Photo courtesy of Steve Lynch. Louis Reece taken over by Glass Glover and moved to Harlow and equipped with Scanias. Not the way I want to remember them.
Ex Louis Reece hard at it but still on farm work.
I am in contact with John Freeman from Horsmonden in Kent, His father, John Freeman was a regular HGV driver
with Louis Reece at Horsmonden. We are trying to find some more detail and pictures of the company, hopefully
from several of the areas where Louis Reece had wholesale fruit stalls, for example, Spitalfields, Covent Garden,
Hull, Birmingham, Liverpool and Wigan. The company, Louis Reece, eventually became part of Glass Glover Ltd.
Regards, Ray Smyth.
I am in contact with John Freeman from Horsmonden in Kent, His father, John Freeman was a regular HGV driver
with Louis Reece at Horsmonden. We are trying to find some more detail and pictures of the company, hopefully
from several of the areas where Louis Reece had wholesale fruit stalls, for example, Spitalfields, Covent Garden,
Hull, Birmingham, Liverpool and Wigan. The company, Louis Reece, eventually became part of Glass Glover Ltd.
Regards, Ray Smyth.
Hi Ray if anyone is still interested in photos of Louis Reece I have some I can share.
Thanks[quote=“jetliner, post:1, topic:219797, full:true”]
Hello all
Im a Truck enthusiast and im after views of Louis Reeces trucks,they were based at Horsmonden,Kent in the 70s & 80s and im desparate for shots of there trucks,this is my last hope as ive tryed ebay sellers and Flickr and with no joy,somebody somewhere must have some pictures they would like to share with me and all the other members who have a interest in Kentish Operators.
[/quote]
Hi russrom, I am pleased with your comments regarding Louis Reece. If you have
any Louise Reece photos, other than what are already on the Louis Reece section
here, please send them to me on raysmyth6644@gmail.com
Cheers, Ray.
Hi to all friends of Louis Reece, past employees and enthusiasts.
I am compiling a local history page on the life and times of Louis Reece in Horsmonden from c1950’s to the last journey made by a Reece’s/Glass Glover lorry and every thing in between.
I would like to establish whether I would be able to make contact with any ex Louus Reece staff.
If you are able to help perhaps you could contact me.
Thanks
John Freeman
HORSMONDEN HISTORY RESEARCH GROUP
horsmonden.research@gmail.com
Hi sandway,
I’m researching Louis Reece for a local history project.
Wonder whether you are able to help at all.
Regards
John
horsmonden.research@gmail.com
I first posted these on Horsmonden Nostalgia Facebook and most of the ladies shown in the packhouse were from Horsmonden.
My Mum Marie Freeman was a supervisor here and is in the photos.
Both Mum and Dad worked at Reece’s!!
One of the F86 Volvo artic units from 1971. Picture from Dave pike.
