Local historian and heritage manager for Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, Josh Tidy, explores the history of a legendary local company.
Shelvoke and Drewry was founded in Letchworth in 1922, by Harry Shelvoke and James Drewry, who were former employees of Lacre Motors Ltd.
Lacre was not interested in their idea for ‘The Freighter’ municipal vehicle and so they set up on their own. This idea developed into a company that would be a leader in municipal vehicles for another 69 years.
The S & D freighter was the first mechanically driven refuse vehicle. It operated on a simple ‘tiller’ system with one lever for the automatic gears and another to steer.
Acceleration, or not, was achieved by pressing a small button on the floor (there was no handbrake). It had solid tyres to prevent punctures. This adaptable vehicle proved a hit and by 1929 over 1000 had been produced!
It was soon acquired by many different markets, from local council refuse collection to seaside front tour bus. More than 800 municipal authorities in Britain and abroad purchased SD vehicles, including London boroughs, Manchester, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff and Glasgow - to name just a few.
SD vehicles were also sold throughout the world and are still in use in many exotic places.
As with many of Letchworth Garden City’s long established industries the company had strong links with the local community and many people spent a lifetime working there.
There are still many vehicles around being lovingly conserved and there is the SD Enthusiasts Club for ex-employees and devotees alike, with over a thousand Facebook followers.
2022 marks the centenary of the Company’s founding, and the Garden City Collection is planning a major exhibition celebrating Shelvoke & Drewry this autumn.
If you have memories or photographs you’d like to share, or if you’d like to get involved in helping to make the exhibition a success, please contact Josh Tidy at josh.tidy@letchworth.com or via 01462 530350.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here