Anything but Crystal-clear: whatever is this strange marketing-mobile?

• 

We’ve seen plenty of mad marketing-mobiles here on PreWarCar.com. Remember the Peters Bros. Shoe Car from America (here), or the Tiger Beer bottle car from Singapore (here)? What about the Italian Martini & Rossi streamliners (here); the Sphinx vacuum-cleaner car from the Netherlands (here); or the ‘Time trucks’ from German clock manufacturer Kienzle (here)?

This one was seen in a fundraising parade for Barrow Hospital at an unknown date. It was entered by G. S. Heath Ltd., which was the local brewery, set up by George Heath and offering its products with names such as Abbot’s Ale, Bullseye Bitter and Nectar Strong Ale. But Heath’s range was wider than just beer. He also bottled cider from Devon and made his own Sarsaparilla soft drink. Then there was Crystal Table Waters, with the vehicle seen here promoting that particular brand.

George Heath must have been a clever man. Rather than commissioning a coachbuilder to come up with a complete new body, he made a lightweight superstructure which could be removed and refitted at will. Look closely and you will notice that the drum-shaped extensions are precisely that: removable extensions. Some of it is simply a frame with fabric stretched over it. Add some bottles to the sides to display the range of drinks you sell and you have a great show-stopper that will get plenty of attention wherever it goes. Take it all off again and then you can go motoring relatively inconspicuously. You might get a few glances for that chrome "crystal" ball on the roof, though...

Now, it's over to you to tell us what Heath was hiding under all that paraphernalia.

Words: Jeroen Booij
Photograph: The Sankey Photographic Archive

Make a comment, ask a question, give your opinion, share additional information or start a discussion by filling in the fields below.