GEORGE WILLMOTT LATTERLY; WILLMOTTS TRANSPORT (WELLS) LTD, PRINCES ROAD, WELLS, SOMERSET
George Willmott was born in 1896 in the village of Easton, Somerset, just to the west of the city of Wells, the son of Sidney and Louisa Willmott. He received his education at Easton school, before commencing his motoring career with Messrs. Sampson & Jones Ltd, one of earliest motor engineers in Wells. Their business was situated in High Street, next door to which was blacksmith, Robert Ticknell, who later with his son developed the business into agricultural implement dealers. George had barely served two years of his apprenticeship as a mechanic before the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.
He joined the Royal Army Service Corps, serving for four years, and following his demobilisation from the army in 1919, with some knowledge of motors, George decided to set himself up as a motor haulage contractor and furniture remover.
Postwar
Using his army gratuity, he purchased his first motor lorry, a Napier 21.6hp, registered Y 6485, in January 1920. The Napier was fitted with solid rubber tyres, acetylene lights, a body fitted with dropsides and was painted dark green, a colour scheme that was adopted for all new vehicles for the next 60 years. George began to find work for his lorry and his father Sidney would help out on occasions. Sometimes they would carry coal, the coal having to be shovelled on by hand and then shovelled off the lorry when unloading. Gradually the work increased and he gained contracts for hauling goods for several local companies. From the outset, furniture removals was also undertaken with George being the local agent for the removal firm of Pickfords.
George took-over a coal wharf formally belonging to the New Rock Colliery Company from Downside, and in 1922 was advertising coal from Norton Hill Colliery and ‘Best Derby’ coal in any quantity, delivered to town or country by motor lorry.
Initially George housed the Napier lorry in a shed off Portway, Wells. Then he moved the business to Market Street, the old site there later being taken-over by Dyers, the builders.
