Past Romsey Garages

 

Jack O'Lantern Garage

All photos kindly supplied by Rick Ford of  rick-ford.co.uk/


The Jack o' Lantern Garage near Romsey, Hampshire was run by F.G. Wade-Palmer and Richard (Rick) Ford from 1958 to 1961. It was on the Romsey to Ower road by the Gardeners Lane  turning opposite the Ridge turning before the dual carriage was built. Shortly after the dual carriage was built they sold up and moved their collection of classic cars to the old Romsey Jam Factory  premises in the centre of Romsey.

Prior to 1958 the garage was owned by a Joe Burdekin

 

Jack O'Lantern Garage location (Now completely gone)

Bankruptcy in 1943

Info by Rick Ford

 

Jack O'Lantern Garage

The Jack O'Lantern's very first classic car a Rolls-Bentley

This is now the dual carriageway from Romsey to Ower (Paultons Park)

 

Jack O'Lantern Garage

 

Jack O'Lantern Garage

 

Jack O'Lantern Garage

This is now the dual carriageway from Romsey to Ower (Paultons Park)

 

1936 Horsch Straight 8

 

Rolls Royce previously belonged to Edward VIII

 

Rolls Royce previously belonged to Edward VIII

 

1933 Rolls Royce Phantom II 

 

1930 Rolls Royce, Phantom II

 

Jack o' Lantern Garage near Romsey,

 

A message from Rick Ford of the Jack O'Lantern Garage

"Dougie Dunford was a great friend to us at the Jack O'Lantern in the early 1960s. It was he that worked tirelessly at Beaulieu Motor Museum to establish the Motor Cycle section/display.

At the time I was at the museum photographing visitors seated on the 1904 Durkopp veteran car. Hats were supplied as can be seen in the image above with Dougie holding a Pedersen bicycle.  Memories "

 

Wade Palmer filling up

 

Richard Bialy standing next to a Rolls armoured car (rigged up on RR chassis for the film Lawrence of Arabia).

From 15 to 18 years age Richard worked every Sat and Sun and every day of holidays for Wade-Palmer - a very important resident of Romsey!!

 

 

 

Jack O'Lantern Garage

Bus body Silver Ghost in the ex Romsey Jam Factory Site

 

The bus was operated  by the nearby Ironmongers, Pink and Stretch, from Lyndhurst. It ran from Lyndhurst railway station to the Crown Hotel, a service which many Romsey residents knew.

Reg. No. YT33  Engine No. S281, Chassis No. 89RM

Still around today, see below

 

 

Bus body Silver Ghost in the ex Romsey Jam Factory Site

 

Vehicles in the ex Romsey Jam Factory Site

Broadwater flats in right background

 

Romsey Advertiser report 1962

 

A Romsey company, the Challenge Engineering Works, have built copies of armoured cars used in the desert campaign in the First World War for the new film "Lawrence of Arabia," starring Cary Grant, Kirk Douglas, Jack Hawkins, and Peter O'Toole as Lawrence.

 

from the left Hugh Moody, Roger Slade and a unknown lady lady next to Jack Moody the other two guys also unknown

 Please can you help with the other names

 

They are being supplied to Horizon Pictures by the Jack O'Lantern Garage. near Romsey. The works constructed bodywork from plans and specifications provided by the Imperial War Museum and the Royal Tank Regiment's Bovington museum. There are two armoured cars commissioned and the other vehicles supplied are two open tourer cars and two armoured tenders. The Challenge Engineering Works was run by two brothers, Messrs. H.J. and J Moody.

 

Basis of the film to be produced by Sam Spiegel and directed by David Lean, who made "The Bridge on the River Kwai" is T. E. Lawrence's book "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom". Mr. F. G. Wade-Palmer and Mr. R. Ford. of the Jack O'Lantern., may accompany the cars to Jordan for shooting of scenes. Other locations will be Lebanon and Cairo. Studios will be used abroad and in this country.

 

For Mr. Wade-Palmer this ls no new venture. He provided a primrose and black Bentley for the film "Greengage Summer" starring Kenneth Moore, and a Rolls Royce for "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse." made in Paris.

 

 

Scenes featuring the vehicles below

 

Jack O'Lantern Garage

Anthony Quayle  and Omar Sharif

 

Lawrence of Arabia

 

Lawrence of Arabia

 

Lawrence of Arabia

 

Lawrence of Arabia

 

Lawrence of Arabia

 

Lawrence of Arabia

Peter O'Toole, Anthony Quayle and Omar Sharif

 

Lawrence of Arabia