Williamsons

I recently looked up Williamsons of Oldham to see if they were still in business and, sadly, it would seem that they are not, having, apparently, gone out of business around 10 years ago. This firm was what I would describe as an "old school government surplus supplier" and Williamsons tended to specialise in ex Home Office surplus. Back in the 1980's my family were a customer purchasing a number of items to equip an ex army, series 2A Land Rover ambulance. Items purchased included a number of "new old stock" Furley stretchers that, at the time had just been released from Home Office storage.

I believe that these particular 1952 dated Furley stretchers had originally been purchased by the Home Office to equip the post war Civil Defence Corps. The main purpose of this organisation, when set up, was to deal with the aftermath of a nuclear war and it's other roles included dealing with other civil emergencies.

Sadly we no longer have the Land Rover but I do still have a couple of the Furley stretchers, still "new old stock" and still with a little bit of the packaging on, just as they arrived from Williamsons in the 1980's.

Williamsons Fire and Rescue Equipment, Oldham - May 2015 | Derelict Places - Urban Exploring Forum

We had the same here Wellington Surplus in Wellington street Perth had a very broad selection of surplus and other armed forces gear they were started just after WWII and finally closed after 69 years I bought stuff there as a teenager the starting of my collecting.

Sad day for Perth and collectors, I know where your coming from F10.