[King and Harper Ltd]

A promotional film for King & Harper Ltd, owners of a garage and filling station and also a department store.

Two men load a King and Harper company vehicle with spare tyres and a canister of fuel, and the van leaves the depot. The van travels past the King and Harper department store… and arrives at the company’s vehicle workshop. Garage workers service a car, and the car’s owner steps into the driving seat and drives away. Meanwhile a man pushes a bicycle past the garage along the path. In a workshop the bicycle is fitted with a ‘power pak’ (an engine mounted above the cycle's rear wheel). The cyclist sets off on the streets of Cambridge and then reaches his destination, a house on a country road, where a King and Harper company vehicle is parked. The van reads ‘calor gas for rural homes’ on the side. At the company’s department store, home and kitchen appliances are shown to customers by attentive store clerks, including boilers and cookers, and the latest models of TV sets, audio equipment, and refrigerators. A customer visits the records section of the department store and listens to an LP on a turntable. Then featuring many new motorcycles and cars at the Milton Road depot, and work carried out at the garage workshop and filling station.

Keywords

Shopping; Domestic appliances; Garage business; Motorised bicycle

Background Information

This is a promotional film for King & Harper Ltd, owners of a garage and filling station on Milton Road in Cambridge. One of the directors, Mr William King, was a keen amateur film maker and was responsible for filming many of his business activities. King and Harper were a successful company. What started as a bicycle hire business soon expanded to four major sites around Cambridge at 6 & 7 Bridge Street, Thompson's Lane, Milton Road and Hills Road. Kelly's Directory for 1929 records that King & Harper, automobile engineers and accessories dealers, had branches at 6 & 7 Bridge Street, Thompsons Lane, Milton Road and Hills Road. As well as motor car repairs and petrol sales, King and Harper were dealers in new and used cars and bikes and later had their own department store selling the latest electrical goods like radios, TVs and fridges. King & Harper showcased many of the latest cars, motor cycles and bicycles that were on the market in the early 1930s, including vehicles by Morris, Rover, Standard, MG, BSA, and Hercules. At the height of their success, the company employed over 200 staff. During the Second World War King and Harper's engineering expertise was invaluable. Their mechanics were regularly called upon to maintain and supply fuel to heavy military vehicles. Once again, King was able to film some scenes of the work they were involved in during the war. - See more at: http://www.archivealive.org/video/index/id/98#sthash.jRIQuYlZ.dpuf William King started his business as Kings Motor Bicycles in 1900. He built motorcycles and raced them. He also exhibited at the 1903 Motor Show at Crystal Palace. He went into partnership with Mr Harper and started the firm King and Harper. He was a keen amateur film maker and made many films in conjunction with his son Ken King. His grandson is Geoff King (son of Ken King). http://www.archivealive.org/video/index/id/98