Last updated: 16 June 2021

Amongst the items donated to the Society’s archives by the late John Sherwin’s estate was the large label illustrated here, which carries the wording ‘VIA UPLANDS ESTATE’ in green lettering on a cream background (ref PS01781a).  This artefact triggered a recollection that the archives also include a digital image of one of Provincial’s buses carrying one of these labels.  A brief search located the image (ref PS02429-171, shown here below the label) and revealed that it showed one of Provincial’s famous Guy Deutz double-deckers on route 17 in Fareham.

Route 17 had its origins in a service operated by Ernest Albert Millard, a small independent operator based in West Street, Fareham who ran to Catisfield via Park Lane, Kiln Road and Highlands Road from the late 1920s.  Following Millard’s death in 1935, his business was acquired by Mrs N K Ingram who retained the Millard name and continued to operate until 1940 when she sold out to The Blue Motor Services (Southwick) Ltd (which was soon renamed Glider & Blue Motor Services Ltd).  Glider, in turn, sold the Catisfield service in 1946 to Hants & Sussex who ran it as their No.14 (with shorts to the Hill Park Estate being introduced in 1950 as the 14A).  By late 1954, Basil Williams, manager of Hants & Sussex was looking to sell the service and, after reaching an agreement with Provincial, the latter started to operate their buses on hire to H&S during the autumn of that year, prior to formal transfer of the licence at the start of 1955.  Provincial renumbered the service from 14/14A to 17 and, by 1959, the terminus had been cut back from Catisfield to Fareham Park.

The Uplands Estate label measures 13 inches by 6 inches and can be seen clearly in the nearside screen of Guy Deutz number 36 (HAA 771E) in our photograph (which was taken by the late F W York).  No.36 had an interesting history as it started life as a regular Guy Arab in 1944, registered DWN 378, and was new to United Welsh with a utility body by Strachan.  Re-bodied in 1950, the bus was later converted to a tree-lopper before being sold by United Welsh in 1963.  The chassis was bought by Provincial in 1964 and formed the basis for the last of the company’s double-deck Deutz conversions.  As No.36 and later No.62, HAA 771E operated for Provincial until 1972 before being sold into preservation.  After a couple of years, it became a mobile caravan and it was later shipped to the United States, where it remains to this day, for use as a mobile wine bar.

The old Uplands Estate formed the grounds of Uplands House and during the decades before and after the Second World War, the land was gradually sold off for housing developments, which also became known as the Uplands Estate, as captured on our label.

If any members or non-members have similar artefacts or other material that they would like to donate to the Society or allow to be photographed or scanned, I should be grateful if you would contact me – Chris Richardsen – using e-mail address archivist@provincialsociety.org.

(C) Copyright The Provincial Society

Registered Charity No. 1104834