Pratts was a trading name of the Anglo American Oil Company which became known as Esso in 1936. Pratts Ramsgate depot was in Lorne Road, from where a lot of the petrol was supplied in two-gallon cans as the smaller customers didn't have storage tanks. It was supplied in different grades with each grade having a different colour painted on the top of the can. Pratts cans were green all over for the cheapest grade, the next grade had a silver top for ‘High Test’, then there was,’ Benzole Mixture’ with an orange top, ‘Ethel Mixture’ had a pink top and a racing fuel with a gold top.
The picture above was taken in Southwood Road, outside the water tower, Alf Miller was the driver. A further 20 views of Ramsgate have been uploaded to the Old Ramsgate Album.
This pictures (click it to enlarge) was taken at the Sandwich depot but the lorry (thought to be a Talbot) would have worked the Ramsgate area. The driver is Alf (Fred) Miller and his 'mate' is Sid Finch.
This picture includes the truck above (2nd from left) and we think was taken at the Sandwich depot.
2 comments:
Esso was created from the break up of Rockefeller's Standard Oil before the First World War.
Standard Oil, initials S.O.= Esso.
It was mostly Parafin and buckets of axle grease from Lorne road.
It was when petrol became more popular that the depot was moved to Wilson's road where a new site had been prepared next to the Drill Hall. This site sloped down from the entrance gates, to an area at the bottom of the yard where semi submerged bulk storage tanks were installed, there was also a building for petrol can storage and this had a raised grill floor, at lorry back height to ease the loading of the full cans onto the lorries. there was also a garage to house the two delivery lorries,(1 Thorneycroft and 1 Morris Comercial in my time), and a small office with a telephone.
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