To be frank, Lloyd’s right at forefront of our minds

LITTLE short of wonderful has been the response to last week’s pleas for information on the Grimsby-made Lloyd motor cars and vans, once again revealing both the knowledge and kindness of my readers. While we have not actually found one of the vans, the game’s afoot, as Holmes would say. Old friends have helped. First, I must mention and thank an old chum, Bob Abba, retired schoolmaster, motoring buff and enthusiast who shows us this Lloyd picture in all its diminutive glory, £99worth of usefulness, on sale at Lloyd’s Garage at Nun’s Corner in March 1939.

The local Gas, Light & Coke Company had bought from Lloyd Cars in 1937 and had converted a batch of 10 to suit its own purposes.

This probably prompted Lloyd itself to make its own van, hence the van pictured. It could be said therefore that there were two marques of Lloyd vans. And it is for one of these that the quest goes on.

Lloyd’s Garage was housed in a large barn, part of Nun’s Farm where the College now stands. I can see the field of waving corn in my mind’s eye but it all seems an age ago. Now it is all flowerbeds. It was once a Corporation tip. But that’s another story.

I was equally thankful for John Aisthorpe’s call to me. We haven’t seen each other for years. In his late 70s now and living in Humberston, he is busy restoring a Lloyd 650 car which he bought in Birmingham last March.

More importantly, John was an apprentice at Lloyd’s Patrick Street works and actually worked on one van which was used as the firm’s parts vehicle. When he’s finished his restoration, he tells me the Waltham Windmill museum would like the car. We’ll see!

John also tells me, intriguingly that he knows of four Lloyds in Grimsby, one in working order and – even more excitingly – in a very nearby village three are owned by a man who has all of them stored away, and owns all the remaining chassis and spare parts from the firm when it closed. “But he won’t sell anything,” I am informed. So there we are, much reminiscence and excitement but no actual van. Bob Abba has spotted an advert for the car in last week’s picture, ETF 444. It’s for sale in Devon. Asking price? £19,995.