Hardwick Service Station 1946 1955

A Memory of Hardwick.

Ronald Newell, my father, moved from Potters Bar to Hardwick in 1946. He bought Hardwick Service Station from his brother in law (Bert Croad), who owned it during the second world war. Bert was a lorry driver who used to drive to Scotland in the 1930's. My father who was an electrical engineer on secret work during the war took on Tom Merritt as a mechanic. Tom later bought the Enterprise Cafe on St Neots Road in 1955 and stayed in business til the 1980's. My mother, Margaret, ran the cafe next door. Dad had a towing and taxi service and in 1955 the business was sold to Shell, years later it became the Cambridgeshire Car Company.

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