Ernest Sheasby arrived in the small village of Corfe Castle, Dorset, in around 1896. After working in other employment for ten years, he set up shop with a horse and carriage business. The company quickly grew, and Ernest was soon able to buy newly available motor vehicles; he also opened two tea rooms to cater to Corfe Castle’s visitors. After obtaining a contract to transport children to school, he purchased the company’s first coaches – embarking on a venture that would continue for almost a century.After Ernest’s tragic death in 1932, his family carried on his legacy under the name ‘Sheasby’s South Dorset Coaches’. The business continued to expand further, with a second garage opened in nearby Wareham. Sheasby’s thrived throughout the twentieth century, carrying out tours, international trips and school transport contacts – and acquiring a rival coach operator in Swanage in 1966. The family sold South Dorset Coaches in 2005 after many years of dedicated and professional service to the community.Gloriously illustrated with over 150 rare and unpublished photographs, 99 Years of Coaching tells the fascinating personal story of a family’s drive to succeed, and the extraordinary way in which the coaching industry has developed throughout the twentieth century.
| BOOK ISBN |
9781781554258 |
| FORMAT |
235 x 165 mm |
| BINDING |
Paperback |
| PAGES |
128 pages |
| PUBLICATION DATE |
15 December 2015 |
| TERRITORY |
World |
| ILLUSTRATIONS |
151 black-and-white photographs |
Despite living in north London, Andrew Mead has loved the area of the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, since he was a child. He was also fascinated by motor transport from an early age, especially after family holidays to Swanage introduced him to the local coach firm, South Dorset Coaches. Over several years of visits, Andrew became close friends with Norman Sheasby (the director of the company) and many of the staff. 99 Years of Coaching is Andrew’s first book for Fonthill Media.
