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Brian Lister started the Lister car company in 1954, building a sports car with a tubular ladder chassis and installing a MG powertrain. The picture above shows the factory team with the second iteration, using a Bristol 2 litre engine, allowing them to compete in a different class. In the drivers seat, is Archie Scott Brown, who finished in second place in the sports car support race at the 1954 British Grand Prix. Nice... uhmm... Dagmars.
A further move to Jaguar engines from the retiring D type racers allowed Listers to continue their winning ways for another five years.
James Cockshutt started the Brantford Plow company in 1877. The venture was successful and in 1882 the organization was incorporated as the Cockshutt Plow company. By the 1920s it was a leader in ground tillage equipment and needed to get into the tractor business. A venture with Allis Chalmers was unsatisfactory and they turned to Oliver-Hart Parr, selling their 6 cylinder 18-44 model but moving to this streamline styled model 70 in 1937 when it became available. They were sold either in Oliver green or Cockshutt red and cream and were quite popular sellers.
Proprietary engine (From top left):
277cc two-stroke MAG, 1,098cc IOE MAG, 349cc ohv Bradshaw, 688cc sv Coventry Victor,
998cc sleeve valve Barr & Stroud, 346cc IOE MAG, two-stroke Villiers, 1090cc sv Precision;
696cc ohv Blackburne, 499cc sleeve valve Barr & Stroud, 349cc two-stroke Broler, 976cc sv JAP.
1,078cc ohv wc Anzani, 346cc sv JAP, 1,090cc ohv wc Blackburne, 249cc sv Blackburne.
A neat antique 1888 patent wrench. Marked Atlas, apparently it is a Copeland patent that was updated later in 1910 by Thomas Ryan. Measures about 11" long.
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| Sheffield Gordon Tools England |
Once again a British tool company that the beginnings and much of the history has been lost, Grace's Guide shows ads from the 50s on, but the company seems to have been around in the 30s if not earlier. The end at least is documented.
From the Sheffield forum; Gordon Tools was purchased by the Walter Lawrence Group in the early eighties. They bought it for three basic reasons - the forge, the marketing and a Taiwanese importing operation. It did fit nicely into their portfolio as they already owned Wilkinson pliers and Sheffield Steel Products (car tools like pry bars, axle stands. etc.). SSP was located near the M1 at Tinsley and there was room to expand, so the two Walter Lawrence guys involved in the running of Gordons decided to close down the operation on Rockingham Street and move Gordon Tools to Tinsley.
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