P W Barker Ltd of Worcester - Triumph Car dealers 26

This is the 26th article in my series about Triumph car dealers and features P W Barker Ltd of Worcester.

P W Barker Ltd enamel plaque

A long established business the earliest reference I have found is in the Institution of Automobile Engineers year book for 1910-1911 which lists Mr P W Barker of Barker's Garage, Lowesmoor Place, Worcester as a member. The business was founded in 1906 and started selling Standard cars before the 1914-18 world war. They were appointed as a distibutor for Standard cars in 1921.

A company called P W Barker Ltd (company number 357729) was incorporated on 17 November 1939 and dissolved 22 October 1996 having ceased trading during 1984.

Holloway Barker Ltd invoice from 1976

The business became known as Holloway Barker Ltd as can be seen in this invoice for a new Triumph Toledo dated 15 March 1976. Holloway Barker Ltd (company number 535678) was incorporated 12 July 1954 and dissolved 22 October 1996.

Holloway Barker Ltd, Worcester December 1978

A family business

R B Barker

Philip Walter Barker the founder died in April 1959 aged 80.

Robert Blakeley Barker son of P W Barker joined the firm in 1939. He remained a director until the business ceased trading in 1984 and died in 2012 when aged 96.  He had been a long term member of the Worcestershire Motor Club and took part in the 1939 RAC Rally.

Symington Table Creams competition

Symington Table Creams competition winner outside P W Barker of Worcester

It was reported in the Standard Triumph Review dated February 1964 that:
Mrs D Timmis, of Barnt Green, Worcestershire, one of the winners of the country-wide Symington Table Creams competition, is presented with the key to her prize - a new Triumph Herald 12/50 saloon car - by Mr P Dolphin, Symington's regional sales manager, outside the showrooms of P W Barker Ltd, Lowesmore, Worcester. Mr R B Barker, Director, looks on approvingly. Mr. R B Blakeley also of P W Barker is on the right.

Triumph car dealers in Worcester

April 1952:
H A Sanders Ltd, Austin House.
Eric Williams Ltd, Pierpoint Street.

1955:
P W Barker Ltd, 82/84 Lowesmoor.    distributor
H R Broadhurst, Kempsey.
Carmichael & Sons (Worcester) Ltd, The Butts, 24hr service
F Norman & Sons (Worcester) Ltd, St. John's Garage.
F Sanders, Barbourne Motor Garage, 6 Barbourne Road.
Reginald Wall Ltd, 50 Ombersley Road.
Eric Williams Ltd, Pierpoint Street.

1959:
P W Barker Ltd, 82/84 Lowesmoor. distributor
Barneshall Garage Ltd, Bath Road.
Carmichael & Sons (Worcester) Ltd, The Butts
F Norman & Sons (Worcester) Ltd, St. John's Garage
F Sanders, Barbourne Motor Garage, 6 Barbourne Road
Eric Williams Ltd, Pierpoint Street

August 1961
P W Barker Ltd, 82/84 Lowesmoor.        distributor
Barneshall Garage Ltd, Bath Road.        24hr service
Carmichael & Sons (Worcester) Ltd, The Butts    24hr service
F Norman & Sons (Worcester) Ltd, St. John's Garage
F Sanders, Barbourne Motor Garage, 6 Barbourne Road
Eric Williams Ltd, Pierpoint Street

February 1965:
P W Barker Ltd, 82/84 Lowesmoor.        distributor
Bromyard Road Motors (W D Smith & Son), Bromyard Road.
Carmichael & Sons (Worcester) Ltd, The Butts.
F Norman & Sons (Worcester) Ltd, St. John's Garage
Sanders Garage (Barbourne) Ltd, Little London
Eric Williams Ltd, Pierpoint Street

September 1968:
P W Barker Ltd, 82/84 Lowesmoor.        distributor
Carmichael & Sons (Worcester) Ltd, The Butts.
F Norman & Sons (Worcester) Ltd, St. John's Garage
Marshall Motors (Worcester) Ltd, Hallow

March 1972:
P W Barker Ltd, 82/84 Lowesmoor.        distributor
Foley Caravans (Motorised) Ltd, Hallow Road - same phone number as Marshall Motors (Worcester) Ltd

March 1974:
P W Barker Ltd, 82/84 Lowesmoor.        distributor
Preston's Garage, Fernhill Heath, nr Worcester

March 1988:
Mann Egerton & Co Ltd, Austin House, Castle Street, WR1 3 AW    distributor

May 1991:
Startins of Worcester, 391 Ombersley Road, WR3 7DG    Main dealer

Plea for more information

If you have any more information or recollections about P W Barker Ltd of Worcester, photos of window stickers, dealer badges or sill plates etc please let me know. I can be contacted via the comments to this post or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin

Further information and sources

Link to the other articles in this series.

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr gallery of images I have found on Flickr.

I have a collection of Standard Triumph car dealer directories: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/triumph-car-dealer-directories.html

Picture credits: Symington Table Creams competition winner photo from Standard Triumph Review February 1964; Holloway Barker Ltd invoice from 1976 photo from Rob Marshall; other images from Jez Phillips.