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It is no surprise that Drive Travel (trading as Eliza Travel, Motorhomes Worldwide, Canal & River Boat Holidays, Europe Shoppe and Kiwi Vacations), headed up by Tony Wilson is the leading global wholesaler for motor vehicle rentals worldwide - including Cars, Minibuses, 4 Wheel Drives, Campervans & Motorhomes
We are celebrating the 28th anniversary of Eliza Travel in 2007, however it will actually be the 104th Anniversary of my family's involvement with the Motor Vehicle industry this year with many Firsts to our name! |
I have photos of my Grandfather & Grandmother going back to the very early days when they ran the first Driving School in the UK, and one of the very first motor businesses in the world - Wilsons Automobiles and Coachworks Ltd originally located in South Norwood, London and then Acre Lane Brixton, London.
We later added branches at Dorking Road, Epsom, Surrey + Otley Road, Bradford, Yorkshire + Station Road, Castle Donington, LeicestershireThe story really started when my Grandfather, Howard Wilson, who was a Fish & Poultry merchant had a good year and decided to buy one of the new cars that were just beginning to appear on the roads of the UK. He spoke to a Mr Herbert Austin and was soon driving around the area.
A friend of his admired the car so Howard Wilson told Herbert Austin and shortly thereafter his friend came round to show off his new car. A few days later a cheque for Introductory Commission arrived in the mail from Herbert Austin! Howard thought this was great and, in 1904 he started Wilsons Automobiles & Coachworks Ltd... |
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Various highlights include:
We taught Australians and New Zealanders to drive army trucks
during the first World War 1914 - 1918. Trading as Wilsons Motor Schools
My father, Leslie Wilson, joined the business and subsequently became Managing Director.
Wilsons had the largest self drive car hire fleet in the UK in 1946.
I learned to drive when I was 5 years old and I taught children to drive at school in the 1950's as part of a road safety campaign - actually featured on Pathe News etc. I see Australia is considering this as a new idea now...........
We were agents for Austin, Morris, Wolseley, Riley, MG, Austin Healey, Renault, Lotus, Armstrong Siddeley, Hillman, Humber, Singer, Sunbeam, Standard and Triumph - the UK launch of the Triumph Herald took place in our showrooms in Acre Lane, Brixton, London in 1959 |
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We started the first global Motorhome sales centre in 1958 and we were the largest global motorhome dealership throughout the 1960's and 1970's etc. trading as Wilsons Motor Caravan Centre and selling over 2,000 motorhomes each year and with a rental fleet of 150 vehicles
We ran the first Motorhome Rally in the UK in 1960 at Woburn Abbey
We ran the first Motorhome Rally in Europe in 1966
We supplied motorhomes to many celebrities including Steve McQueen and Graham Hill etc. etc. (look at today's Formula 1 Paddock!).
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We worked with Qantas, BOAC (British Airways), PanAm, South African Airways and Air Canada as the supplier of motorhomes to their Landcruise Fly/Motorhome programme
We raced a Mini Cooper S during the 1960's and held 6 circuit lap records for our
class at one time
I competed in the first London-Sydney Marathon in 1968 driving an Austin 1800 ( the visit to Australia persuaded me to emigrate!) and again in the 1993 London-Sydney Marathon in a Rolls-Royce Corniche convertible
We entered a Motor Caravan (Ford Escort Dormobile) in the London-Mexico World
Cup Rally in 1970
We now operate the leading global reservations service, based in Frankston, Victoria offering Cars, 4 Wheel Drives/SUV's, Minibuses, Campervans and Motorhomes throughout the world. My wife, Luky, one of our sons, Francis, and our daughter Melissa are now involed in the business so the family tradition continues.... |
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We are proud sponsors of the Modern Competition of Targa Tasmania each year - please see: www.targa.org.au/Targa/ which helps us to promote our upmarket prestige and luxury car hire, and maintains our contact with motor sport
I have boxes of photos, brochures and support material etc. dating back to 1904 and I am trying to find the time to collate it all and put it up on our web sites. |
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There are literally tens of thousands of people around the world who have had dealings with us over the period and we would be really happy to hear from them again and receive further information and photos to fill in the gaps in our records
There cannot be many families with a stronger tie to the motor vehicle and recreation.............. |
This is why we refer to ourselves as ' The Experts' !
Tony Wilson
Managing Director |
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