The Wolverton Express November 19^th 1965

FROM FARMYARD TO CAR SHOWROOM

I

Keeping pace at Old Stratford

KEEPING pace with modern living and especially with the development of the motor trade, an Old Stratford family has converted a former farmyard into a spacious car sales showroom next to their garage.
The firm of C. G. Holton and Sons Limited recently opened their new showroom in Deanshanger Road, Old Stratford, alongside the A.422 and backing on to a dutch barn standing on the farm.
The founder of the firm, Mr. C. G. Holton, took over a lorry and a small garage when he moved to the farm at Old Stratford in 1931. He has maintained the farm, but from small beginnings with his solitary lorry the garage side of the business has increased tremendously with the development of motor transport.
His three sons, Mr. A. L. Holton, Mr. P. P. Holton, Mr. R. K. C. Holton Joined him as directors of the original firm, as well as the new company formed to take care of car sales.
Holton Motors Limited has a spacious showroom for ten cars complete with underfloor heating to give an even temperature throughout the ground floor. Above the bright, open show room are the firm's offices which are equally large and impressive.
Although Rootes agents, the company can supply any type of car. The garage has also been extended, and now has a new accessory shop as well as a store room. The company will carry out any kind of repair work as well as servicing for the private motorist and can also deal with commercial vehicles. They have the latest Tecalemit lift which enables a mechanic to go above with a car and work on top while operations continue underneath the vehicle.
The car is surrounded by a walk when lifted, and the mechanic can go right round the vehicle when working above floor level
A. W. Walker and Partners, of Northampton, were architects for the building which blends with the modern development having taken place around it.
The haulage boom plus the development of the motor car has transformed the farmyard but a dutch barn still stands a few yards from the new building. The original firm now has a fleet of 22 lorries, and the new company has been formed to cater entirely for car sales and accessories.

The Wolverton Express December 12^th1971

Times were hard and money scarce when Mr. C. G. Holton started a one-lorry transport business in 1930, and to cut costs he drove the vehicle himself.
That initial effort, however, enabled C. G. Holton & Sons Ltd. develop into a formidable transport firm which now looks with great optimism towards expansion in Milton Keynes. Today the firm has over 20 lorries available for hire, probably the largest fleet in the vicinity of the city. Vehicles operate over most of the country with regular service to major regions.
Holtons boast a modern fleet with the majority of vehicles being under three years old, having up to 22 tons carrying capacity and stretching some 40 feet in length.
The firm also specialises in repair and maintenance of commercial, as well as private, vehicles. Its extensive work-shops cover 8,000 sq. feet and the skilled maintenance staff is mostly factory-trained.
When Mr. Holton, senior, moved to the Old Stratford premises in 1937 he converted a farm site into a garage. A petrol pump was added after the war and now Holtons operate a full service station complete with parts store, equipped with maintenance and vehicle accessories.
Holtons Motors Ltd., an associated company, was formed in 1965 and this brought a fleet of self-hire cars and large selection of guaranteed used vehicles. The firm is also an authorised dealer for Chrysler, and the two Holtons companies employ a combined staff of over 40 people.
Holtons is a family business in its true sense. Mr. C. G. Holton is director-chairman of both companies, while his sons, Tony, Peter and Roy are also directors.

The Wolverton Express February 26^th 1971

Now someone will deliver his pinta

Not once during the past 17 years has Mr. John Oxenham, of Old Stratford, failed to deliver milk to his customers. Whatever the weather or conditions he has always made sure the milk was on the doorstep every morning.
But now, at the age of 60, he has decided to call it a day. He has sold the milk business, in which he was in partnership with his son-in-law, Mr. Ken West, to United Dairies, of Luton.
Mr. Oxenham came to Old Stratford in 1953 when he bought the milk round from Mr. Holton, of Deanshanger Road. He had just left a clerical job in the wages office of an iron foundry in the West Country, where he had been for 20 years, and had no experience at all of the dairy trade.
After an 11 months' business course at a dairy, Mr. Oxenham began work at Old Stratford. "It was then 90 gallons a day," he declared. "It is now 500 gallons a day, and we deliver to Old Stratford, Stony Stratford, Loughton, New Bradwell, Haversham and Old Wolverton."
Every day Mr. Oxenham has had to get up at 4 a.m. “During all these years we have hardly had a holiday.” He added, “and there comes a time when you want to have a break. Things have not been easy and we have had to work hard to build the business up to what it is today.
During the early years Mr. Oxenham was helped on the round by his wife Daisy and daughter An. But later he obtained more help, and ten years ago his son-in-law Ken West, of Sherington, became a partner. Ken has also sold his share of the business and will go back to his former trade of bricklaying.