Former Soans staff reunited

Thirty former employees of Soans Ford dealership in Leamington attended the Sydenham History Group presentation about the company last week.

A total of 94 people were in the audience to hear managing director Richard Soans talk about the business which moved to Leamington from Bromley in 1928.

He included some old photographs and there was a leaflet showing how, in the early days, Soans marketed their commercial vehicles. They claimed that they were quicker, less expensive and required less labour than the horse-drawn transport which most traders had used before.

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In 1916 Soans published a leaflet comparing the cost of delivery using one of their vans to the cost by horse.

It was headed “Figures speak louder than words” and claimed: “Here are the running costs of horse delivery and Ford delivery, showing how a Ford van saves time, labour and money, in this instance as a baker.

“The Ford van is a 20HP vehicle fitted with steel panelled body with doors at the side and rear and is of very smart design.

“It will climb any hill, is fleet and quiet on the flat and is the easiest car on the road to drive and maintain.”

At the time you could buy a Ford van for £130.

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