W Harbrow, aero shed builders, Netheravon, Wolseley (?) lorry

[Moonraker]

A postcard that became even more interesting on closer examination:

 

 

W Harbrow of Bermondsey was a specialist constructor of aero sheds, and the above postcard has a Netheravon postmark and was published by Marcus Bennett, who had a studio at nearby Bulford Camp. The card was sent by the foreman at "Harbrow's, Netheravon".

 

At first glance I assumed that this was another card showing wartime construction workers. Unfortunately the year of posting is not clear - it could be 1915 or 1913, and I now favour the latter, as that was when Netheravon Airfield was being built.

 

As long ago as  2006 I asked what a

 

"(k)nut"

 

was.

 

Presumably these are Harbrow construction workers, dressed up to the nines and setting off for a night out on the town.

 

(The expression "dressed to the nines" may come from the name of the 99th Wiltshire Regiment, known as the Nines, which was renowned for its smart appearance.)

 

Enough of my waffle. I  would just like to know the make of lorry, please. I think it may be a

 

Wolseley

 

Moonraker

 

 

Edited 1 July , 2018 by Moonraker

[Dave66]

28 minutes ago, Moonraker said:

Enough of my waffle. I  would just like to know the make of lorry, please. I think it may be a

 

It looks like a Dennis, there's also a bear mascot on the grille just above the name badge.

could they be a wedding party?

 

Dave.

[Dave66]

Is that a football on the bonnet?! 

Great period image by the way.

 

Dave.

[IPT]

I think it might be the peaky blinders.

 

It's defninitely a Dennis. W. Harbrow did buy one in 1915 - http://www.surreyarchives.org.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=1463%2f91%2f3%2f1%2f31

 

 

[Moonraker]

On 01/07/2018 at 17:15, Moonraker said:

... Enough of my waffle. I  would just like to know the make of lorry, please. I think it may be a

 

Wolseley

 

Moonraker

 

 

 

On 01/07/2018 at 17:47, Dave66 said:

It looks like a Dennis...

 

On 01/07/2018 at 23:24, Dave66 said:

Is that a football on the bonnet?! 

Great period image by the way.

 

Dave.

 

On 01/07/2018 at 23:47, IPT said:

...It's defninitely a Dennis ...

 

Thanks for that info. Typical of me: I have stab at identifying a vehicle - car, lorry, motor cycle - and  get it wrong! At least with aircraft I can consult J M Bruce's The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps which has photos of nearly all the aeroplanes that featured on Salisbury Plain before and during the war.

 

Moonraker

[IPT]

I must confess that my vehicle recognition expertise consisted of reading the word 'Dennis' on the front of it.

 

 

 

[Moonraker]

Agh! Thought I missed something obvious, but you're better able than I to enlarge details, though I would have had to think a bit before arriving at "DENNIS" even from your image.

 

Terry

[CountryJohn]

I don't suppose this advances the cause too much, but it may explain the allusion to "Always merry and bright" and "The nuts" (a music-hall monologue / song by one Billy Merson).  See the last verse and chorus: -

 

https://monologues.co.uk/musichall/Songs-G/Gay-Cavalier.htm

 

CJ

[Moonraker]

On 01/07/2018 at 23:47, IPT said:

... It's defninitely a Dennis. W. Harbrow did buy one in 1915 - http://www.surreyarchives.org.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=1463%2f91%2f3%2f1%2f31

 

See here.

 

Slightly frustratingly, the message on the card makes no reference to the occasion featured in the photograph.

 

Moonraker

[Moonraker]

I'm told that there is another postcard featuring a Harbrow lorry at Netheravon. This one is shown crashed into the side of Choulston Bridge  (crossing the Avon on the road to Airfield Camp). What a coincidence if it was the same lorry on the return journey from what was obviously a jolly event!

 

Moonraker