The Petroleum Transport Company operated from premises at number 32 Summerhill Road for many years which was used to distribute both Petroleum products and heating oils. I will have to try and write to David Rutter again, as perhaps he knows Eddie Gibbons from The Petroleum Transport Co’s address in Mill Hill. I will have to ask Cissy Minter if she can remember his surname (Cissy Minter once lived at number 32 Summerhill Road, which is next door to the depot and also the house once occupied by the ‘Viney’ family. She must be approaching 90 years of age and still lives at number 37 Summerhill Road- Now Know it was Eddie Gibbons) I do have an address for John Towell in North Harrow who took over from Eddie when he retired about 10-11 years ago. I once did some work at John's house but I am not sure if he still lives there.

Eddie was in the office for Petroleum Transport in Braemar Road, Tottenham (Just off West Green Road) and when they bought Smylies Garage in Philip Lane he went there. When Dudley Bellamy died I believe they sold the business to Proteus Petroleum Transport, who then sold both sites in Summerhill Road (Number 30 and 38/40) and then the garage in Philip Lane. They also sold the depot they had in the railway yard at Palace Gates (Alexandra Palace-Wood Green) they then moved the drivers (Only 4 of them) to the Proteus depot at Shellhaven. They also bought out Adams Heating Oil Transport in Southgate. Proteus was a Greek owned company who sold all the assets that Dudley had. This included Wilson’s Garage in Lansdowne Road Tottenham, Clapps Garage, which was near the ‘Spurs’ public house on The Roundway, Tottenham. They also had another garage somewhere, which was sold.

I can recall that Dudley had a really old Petrol Tanker in Smylies garage, which the Bellamy family had kept as it was vintage, but they (Proteus) scrapped about another ten old tankers, which were garaged at 38/40 Summerhill. I think Dudley was keeping them also for vintage, but he died before they came of age. He was a really nice man. I also knew most of the staff and drivers at Petroleum Transport.

Its also interesting to note that the Petroleum Transport depot at Palace Gates was geared up to take Petrol and Heating Oils delivery directly from the rail tankers. The company used to deliver Heating Oils direct to the houses. They had lots of runs into Bedfordshire, and when they were empty they re-filled from another big supply depot in the Bedford area, which enabled them to make more deliveries before returning home.

So the story could be as big as Horseshoe’s. They both had strong links to this area.


Ray Swain
5th Jan 2004

Editors Note: To complement this story we have also received the following information from Fred Hardy who once lived next door to the depot at number 28 Summerhill Road.

"When you research the Petroleum Transport Company, try to find Mr. Reggie Downs, Mr. Charlie Mallows and Mr. White. They were all drivers for the company for many years. In WW II Reggie served as a Commando, Charlie served as a bren gun carrier driver. Both saw considerable action.   Mr. Bellamy the owner had a son Dudley and a daughter. The PT Company later moved to a new location somewhere along off Philip Lane I believe near Greyhound Rd."

(Note: The original owner of the Petroleum Transport Company was W.R Bellamy who played Football for Tottenham Hotspur from 1926-7 until 1934-5 season. We also understand Eddie Gibbons played for Spurs and we have found a record for the 1952/1953 Season)

Editors Note: We have now received some futher information from Vic Hardy (Fred's brother) with his memories of Petroleum Transport Company.:

'Reading your article on on The Petroleum Transport Company, I realise that you have not got the beginnings of the Company. As you know we lived next door at number 28. I am not sure of the exact date but it must have been about 1936. Mr Walter Bellamy the ex Spurs player started with a partner a Mr Grey, and who by 1938  had left perhaps retired or bought out. I used to go out in the lorries for a ride on Saturdays and school holidays. We used to go to 'Thames Haven' to collect the petrol. One driver was a man named Ernie Sullivan and the other one I remember was Jack Gorman. There were others but I don't remember their names. My brother Charles worked their mechanic until he joined the navy in 1939. My brother Dick took over the job when he left. Somewhere about this time they had a fire while pumping petrol from one lorry to another, causing extensive damage to the garage. The war came in 1939 and the lorries were taken over by the Army, cleaned out and used as water carriers. Brother Dick then went into the Royal Air Force and Walter Bellamy also went into the Royal Air Force. Monk & Glass the Custard Powder firm then used the garage as storage during the war.

My brother Charles was very friendly with the mechanic who worked in the garage at the rear of number 32. I suppose he must have been working for Horseshoe Coaches. I can also remember my mother telling me that during the war, part of the garage was rented by Mr Allen the owner of the Piggery and they made tinned meat there. I used to help Jack Chapman feed the pigs and I can remember opening some of the tins of meat that must have left over when the place closed down'

Extracted from Vic Hardy's letter dated 10th March 2004