Pembroke's vintage car rally

Interested in classic cars? Well you'll be in for a treat on Saturday, September 29, as Pembroke Chamber of Trade events committee have organised a car show on the Commons Car Park between 10 am and 4 pm. They are expecting about 100 cars. Exhibitors include the Ford Club, the Volkswagen Club and Pembrokeshire Classic Cars. Some of the clubs will be displaying cars through time, eg the Volkswagen Club will be bringing along a collection ranging from beetles to camper vans. And while all vehicles will be assembling on The Commons, there will be occasional drive throughs around the town. Should be good - and a free event!

A little car history

Road traffic at the beginning of the 19th century was still horse drawn. Then began experiments using steam as a means of propelling road vehicles and in 1827 Gurney patented a steam coach. It weighed two tons and could travel at a speed of 10 mph carrying 18 passengers. However, railway development and heavy tolls crippled the road steamers and finally the Locomotive on Highways Act of 1861 dealt the death blow. All mechanical road vehicles were restricted to a speed of four mph on country roads and two mph in towns; there had to be three persons in charge of the machine and a man with a red flag had to walk in front of it.

Many inventors worked upon the idea of an internal combustion engine with Gottlieb Daimler inventing an engine for use with petroleum vapour fuel in 1884 and Carl Benz building his first motor car in Germany - a three-wheeled 'horseless carriage' in 1885. In 1891, the first car with a modern design was built in France by Emil Lavasseur and Rene Panhard, but while German and French engines were surging ahead, the British could not compete because of their restrictive laws.

However, in 1896 the law was eased and the speed limit was raised. A great celebration run was organised on November 14, 1896 - 40 cars set off from London to Brighton, 13 of them actually finishing eight hours later!

Early cars in Pembroke

Leading the way in Pembroke was the pioneering engineering business John and Archibald Stephens and Son of the East Back Works. I have a certain affection for this old Pembroke business, popularly known as Knacky Stephens because of it I met two very good friends, Peter and Felicity Hurlow-Jones. It was their family history research and connection with John and Archibald Stephens and Son that inspired my future research. Their archive of old family photographs was a revelation, a real insight into industrial activity and innovation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries right here in the heart of Pembroke. I had to find out more.

"Brothers Archibald and John Stephens started an engineering business in about 1870," Peter told me. "They were involved in most things mechanical and were described as Agricultural, Marine and Motor Engineers. They did repair work for the Admiralty Dockyard at Pembroke Dock, hired out traction engines and threshing machines and had steam road rollers for hire by the local councils. They introduced the 'Castlemartin' bicycle to the district - my Aunt Dodo used to give lessons in cycling to the ladies. With the advent of the motor car, I believe my other great aunt Bob was the first woman in Pembroke drive one."

The extent of the enterprises in which this small family business was involved is amazing. Peter has photographs of ships undergoing repair work on Pembroke's South Quay, agricultural machinery on hire to farmers, a boiler being removed from Hook colliery, a gun being removed from Dale Fort, materials handling equipment engaged in the building of the lighthouse on Skokholm Island, shipwreck salvage work... and many more.

Many photographs show the workmen and members of the Stephens family posing in front of the engineering works with assorted materials and machinery. Behind them are the distinctive wrought iron gates which are still there and bear the words (some letters missing)' J & A Stephens & Son, Established 1873, Engineers Millwrights etc'.

The Dreadnought

Of course, enterprising as they were, they were local pioneers in mechanical engineering and among Peter's photographs are vintage cars. There is also one of a double decker bus, and here again the Stephens' were to the fore in providing a bus for hire in Pembroke.

"This was formerly a Glasgow tram nicknamed the Dreadnought," Peter told me. "Bus trips were made to St. Davids, Freshwater West and other places and I am told that it was even hired out to suffragettes during Mrs. Pankhurst's campaign. Apparently they ran into a snag on St. Daniel's Hill outside Pembroke - the bus had one gear and gravity feed petrol tank and could not climb hills. It went uphill backwards rather than forwards. Ever inventive, Knacky Stephens cured the problem by repositioning the petrol tank and designing a new gear box which was cast in Woodside Foundry at Wiseman's Bridge."

Knacky Stephens

People still remember Knacky Stephens.

"The story about the origin of the name has been passed down the family," Peter told me. "It all began with my great grandfather, John Stephens Senior (born 1816), who was the village blacksmith in Castlemartin. He was a competent and resourceful workman and once repaired a badly damaged plough for a certain farmer Roch of Linney. Farmer Roch was delighted with the job as it meant that he didn't have to buy a new plough. He said: "Well done John. I'll christen thee Johnny Knacky". That nickname continued through three generations ending with the death of my great uncle Corbett (son of Archie) in 1925. Even my mother and aunt (Merry and Betty) were known as the 'little knackies' when they were children."

The engineering works later passed on to the Colley family, eventually becoming a home for the elderly and named Cartref. This has very recently changed hands and is now the Millponds Nursing Home. But the old gates remain to remind us of those former industrious times. If you look carefully at the handle on the gates you will see it is the hand of a child. Peter told me: "Corbett's hand was used as the cast for the handle on the gates of the engineering works when a five-year-old child. It is still there to be seen."

Future Events

Tonight (Friday, September 14): Terry John will be talking about 'Titanic: fact and fiction', 7.30 pm.

On Saturday, October 6, John Brock will be giving a talk at our coffee morning at 10.45 am. Coffee morning runs from 10.30 - 1.

Both events held in Monkton Priory Church Hall - entry free.