Heybridge Basin (Cannibal Island)

The Jolly Sailor Garage, Car Hire & Taxi Service

For a period of time from the mid 1920's until sometime in the late 1930's the 'Jolly Sailor' proprioters expanded the business, first by opperating a car hire business, and then with some major building changes with the construction of an extention to the side of the pub and developing a petrol service area with a line of new wooden garages. It is often mentioned that the garages were originally stables for the canal horses, this is of course not true the stables were behind the 'Jolly Sailor', and the garages were not built until much later. The pictures below show the front of the pub before the garages were built but with a car hire service, and the lower two show the new garages and petrol pump.

(above) the 'Jolly Sailor' on the right has the 'Car For Hire' sign next to the front door. This picture is before the wooden line of garages was built or the new extention added to the side of the pub. From a postcard postmarked 1927.

(above) The 'Jolly Sailor' still with only the front painted but with the new side extention added. An unusual and rare picture showing not only the 'Car For Hire' sign, but when a retail petrol station and garage was being run from the pub.Possibly late 1930's

(above) a closer view of the petrol pump and new wooden garages behind with the Castrol sign on them.