Crowthorne Heritage

Welco, and Hughes Ltd: Photo from "Malcolm Buckler collection"

“Another photo of the Buckler car works at Heath Hill Road circa 1950. Car chassis were commonly gathered out in the road ready for export, as final assembly was often undertaken by Buckler’s agents in such places as Canada and New Zealand.

There is a sign in the background of the photo which says Hughes Ltd but I do not know the detail of that except that it was on my father’s land. Part of the land was taken for the Telephone exchange (for a very nominal amount). Welco is on the sign outside Bucklers which I have already mentioned. Welco predated Bucklers as my father took over the Welco agricultural business and then started making cars from about 1948-49. The Buckler name was on the gate and not very obvious when the gate was open.

My father, Derek Buckler often let sheds off to craftsmen, rent often being paid for with work on the cars. Thus C.F.Taylor, who was a body maker had a small shed under this arrangement. Later he set up in his own premises doing aircraft work. Taylor then grew into a large factory and in time a chain of factories and then international. C.F.Taylor who had started in that small shed in Heath Hill Road ended as a multi millionaire and sold out to British Aerospace, who were still using the name until recently.” – Malcolm Buckler