Have you ever seen photographs of the Lambretta Concessionaires Warehouse in London and wondered how they got the scooters to the upper floors? Well this photo may well satisfy your curiosity…
Taken in November 1960 at Lambretta Concessionaires warehouse in south London, this photograph shows the Series 2 models arriving via an escalator type conveyor-belt on an upper floor for storage. The scooters with a dual bench seats are TV175 models, most of which appear to be all finished in one colour. Those with twin saddles we assume are all LI models, some of which have painted panels and horn-casts in contrasting colours which was a feature sometimes added at Lambretta Concessionaires in the UK to aid sales.
On the far left is an interesting scooter in that it appears to have it’s front mudguard painted in two colours, not a standard feature of either the Innocenti factory or Lambretta Concessionaires, so presumably either a special order or maybe a scooter that was customised for promotional purposes?
Fab!
I love this picture. I lived in South London and wondered if you know the location? I know Lambretta Concessionaires were located in Purley Way Croydon at one time.
In 1960 Lambretta Concessionaires had moved into the Trojan Works, Purley Way in Croydon. Whether this photograph was taken there however or at their previous place (Wimbledon, SW20) we don’t know for sure.
I used to work there in the shipping dept. It was a great place to work
I worked at the Wimbledon location approx. 1962 and am sure the photo is not there.
Regards Mick Lodomez, Mitcham.
I used to work there. It was a great job
I worked for Lambretta Trojan group from 1957 ish until 1966 . I think this picture may be from the Wimbledon building. They were a super firm to work for and I have some wonderful memories from those days. James Agg was a such a nice guy . He arranged for me to go to Innachenti in Milan for a year , which was a great influence on my later business career. I also remember his PA Mrs Calder, also a lovely lady. Is any one still out there?
Thanks for your comment Dave. Yes Mrs Calder is still around.
That’s good to know if you have contact , pass on my comments. I also referred to James Agg it was his son Peter that I should have referred to
Regards
Dave L
Sadly Peter passed away a few years ago now.
My sister, Sylvia Allen worked in the offices in Lambretta Concessionaires in Purley Way in the early 1960s. She now lives with her husband in Lewes.
Thanks for the information John. If she has any photographs or stories to share we’d be happy to do so.
I was there about this time in the spares office , Dave Lowman I was twenty in 1960 would like to hear if you sister is in touch with any one else from then
davidlowman@live.co.uk
Hi, my sister, Sylvia Allen only worked there for a short while in about 1962-3. She was about 18-20 at the time. I live in Weston-super-Mare and visited the Lambretta museum a few years back. They had just managed to retrieve the massive blue “Lambretta Concessionaires” sign that was on the outside of the building. It was so large they had to break into 2 pieces to transport it. I had a large overhaul done on my GT200 at Lambretta Concessionaires.
Hi, Further to my earlier reply I have spoken to my sister and her husband John helped her with his diary:
“I asked John if he could remember whether I was working for Lambretta when we first met. He immediately responded that he remembered going to a social function at the Orchid ballroom! He has just checked his diary for 1963 – as well he kept it – and has found that we went to a Lambretta function at the Orchid Ballroom, Purley on October 1 1963. It was a Tuesday and he was impressed at the good turn out.
I think two of the people at the Lambretta office came to our wedding.
Cannot remember names but one was an elderly lady called Mrs Black and the other was another Sylvia with a husband who was a diabetic whose name was Alan who eventually died because he couldn’t keep off alcohol.
If we find out any more will pass it on.
Not sure when I left there. I cannot believe I was travelling between Beckenham and Purley Way to work. ”
Sylvia
Thank you so much for sharing this information about Lambrettas. It is very much appreciated.
I worked at Lambretta/Trojan from Jan 1963 in the workshop servicing and putting the front ends on new Li Mk 3’s ect my foerman was Tony Sutton and then Vernon Laville it was a great working there I can remember most of the guys who taught me about the Lambretta’s, George Sargon, Nick Yates, Colin Davis, Dick Sedgeley, Brian Tunnycliff. in the reception was a big guy called Brian Gibbs, I can remember he asked me to move his car a Vanguard beetle back, I reversed into a post by accident he was not impressed. anyway after nearly fifty years I think I could still strip down and rebuild lambretta’s to include LD’S ect. if anyone remembers me please say.
Mick Green, PS I was 15 years old then.
Hi Mick
I just been sent a link and thought I would respond to your message I hope you get it I’m Brian Gibbs son I can’t believe you remember him from such a long time ago
Thanks for reply, your dad was great to work with.
Sorry I’ve just seen your reply I grew up with Nick Yates and vernon laville it’s great hear my dad being talked about as he has been dead for nearly 35 years
i worked at lambretta works in the sixties as a mechanic in the service workshops not just on lambrettas but also iso gruff and iso revolt sports cars which lambretta also had some sort of concession for,the works were in the trojan works up a short road of of purely way,as you came in trojan was directly in front of you and lambretta occupied the premisses on the right,uptake next street along the road was another well known name ,walls ice cream.i used to travel from sidcup to croydon,purleyway on the green line bus everyday to work and back.i am now 72 years old and working on three moto rums for myself,a junior gentleman,a formachino and a sciottolo.
I worked in the Purley Way site in the late fifties in the spares dept. I can recall one of the first minicars was delivered to the factory which caused quite a stir, also recall the Go-Carts and they used to test them on the forecourt. I recall a Jean also in spares and a girl with Auburn hair in the office who I wished I had get to know better!
I also worked at Concessionaires Purley Way in the early sixties. I was based in the Technical Office working with Rex White and Tony Sutton. The secretary was a lady called Myrtle. I well remember Brian Gibbs nicknamed Gibbo who had a blue Vanguard car with the odd black door or was it the other way round! A real character who contributed to the great working environment at the time. Gibbo would frequently invite me to join him at his ‘canteen’ lunchtime opposite namely the Orange Cafe. When I first joined I remember being shown a warehouse by Peter Baker almost full of Rallymasters mostly red striped but about 20% being blue. We had two 2 Field Technical Representatives namely Dick Beel and Dougie Bedford. Eric Allvey ran the Parts Department. I also remember some of the Sales Representatives Nick Hands, Graham Goodman, Eric Hobbs, Alan Kimber.
Hi, does anyone remember my father who worked there. Albert Garland was his name. Would love to here if anyone remembers him.
Regards Paul
My father worked there at the time, Albert Garland, I would love to know if anyone remembers him?
Regards
Paul
Wasn’t Albert a fairly short guy who used to be in charge of the car side of the workshop ?
Hi I new Brian Gibbs well, he asked me to move his Vanguard on the front forecourt, as I reversed it I was looking not to go too near the petrol pumps, alas I hit the wall and damaged the boot lid, Brian was not impressed, but being the guy he was he said he will fix it. I remember the Orange café opposite, a cheese roll was 7pence and a cup of tea was 2 pence halfpenny. I was there in1963.
Regards, Mick Green.
Hi, does anybody recall any dealers in the Preston area late 60s you supplied with scooters ? John
Hi Ken Peters, presumably you heard that another of your former employers, Arthur F, died earlier this year ?
Best wishes, Ken H
Hello Ken, Thank you for posting. I did get in touch with Ken about the sad news. https://scooternova.com/2021/02/25/arthur-francis-rip/
He kindly let us use some of his photographs for a tribute article to Arthur Francis that we published in edition 25 of ScooterNova magazine as well. https://scooternova.com/product/scooternova-edition-25/
Kind regards, Andy (Editor – ScooterNova magazine)
I used to visit Purley Way and chat with Brian Gibbs in the early sixties on a Saturday morning. He welcomed all scooter club members and as I was with the Surbiton Club with an Li150 series 1 that got me the OK to visit. A little later I started writing about the UK Lambretta scene for an American scooter magazine named SCOOTOURIST. That got me in regular touch with Bob Wilkinson the BLOA head honcho (whom I last saw briefly 1990 when he had his PR company at Biggin Hill) and Phillip Garner Keeler the PR Manager for the Agg group.
PGK produced frequent news letters and good photos. It all went States side and was frequently published. But the US scene could not sustain a magazine and it closed by 1965 by which time my TV200 was worn out (too many silencers as well) and it all finished, I bought a car, got married and so it all moves on. But great days fully enjoyed.
Is that the Brian Gibbs who worked at Percy Boyden & Co in Commerce Way in the 1960s?
I worked at Lambrettas in Wimbledon Broadway from 1956, then moved to Raynes Park, then on to A3, then again moved to Trojan works at Purley Way, travelled there by bus,tube and coach. I met my husband Alan at Wimbledon he helped run theLambretta Hire service, raced the go karts, all good fun in them days. We will be celebrating our 60th Wedding Anniversary next year… all happy memories..
Hi, I’m from Argentina, I own a Siambretta TV175 S2 1967 since 1987. I’m trying to understand what was Lambretta Concessionaires. There were Lambrettas manufactured in England? Sorry about my bad english! The photograph is amazing!
Hello Diego, glad you like the photograph! Lambretta Concessionaires were importers but they also painted Lambrettas in England as well as making modifications for the British market.
Hello Diego. They did not manufacture Lambrettas in England. However, Lambretta Concessionaires in England (the importer) did create a special version of the Li Series at their HQ near London by fitting a Spanish turning mudguard, a few accessories and paint. It was called the Rallymaster. Kind regards, Andy (ScooterNova magazine)
Hi, my dad Terry Murphy worked at Purley Way for a number of years, he actually met my mum there, Margaret (Redington). My mum and dad have both sadly passed way now, but he installed a love of Lambretta’s into me, and I would love to know more of that time. If anyone has any memories of them, I would love to hear them. Thanks Mike