Vintage Vehicle Records

[Brewster]

Amongst other companies, I'm looking to trace details of commercial vehicle makes and models once owned by the George Shaw (Brewery) Co., Ltd., Leigh, Lancashire, pre 1932 (i.e. before the company became part of the Walker/Cain group). Also trying to trace details regarding their choice of livery.

What information did DVLA (or whatever it was known as then) keep on record and is there an archive which we can access??

Are there any other ways to fruitfully search for this information?

Example vehicle image attached.

[G-CPTN]

In the early days, each 'local' licensing authority kept their own registration records (think county level, although some 'metropolitan' boroughs would have their own facility).

The creation of DVLC (now DVLA) at Swansea in 1965 'centralised' all records, although many vehicles that were untaxed at the time of the changeover were 'lost' to the system at the time that card log-books gave way to paper ones.
I doubt that any record of early vehicles is held anywhere (unless they have been in continuous 'use').

http://www.speedyreg.co.uk/history-of-number-plates

[Brewster]

Thanks for the information. Looks like this might be an uphill struggle!