Hawley’s Tyres – The oldest tyre dealer in the country turns 111

In 2009 we named Hawleys Tyres the oldest tyre dealer in the country. A year later the Sheffield-based tyre retailer celebrated its centenary. 11 years on, we take a look back the company’s long history and bring things up to date as well.

Tyres & Accessories’ 2009 naming of Hawleys Tyres as the oldest tyre dealer in the land followed a national search for the UK tyre trade’s oldest retailer, something that was initially prompted by tyre manufacturer Pirelli’s interest in the subject. At first we thought that BMTR was the oldest, but at 102 years old this year, the company is the best part of a decade younger than Hawleys.

Hawleys Tyres Ltd Company was formed by Ernest Hawley, a taxi driver who established the business by selling tyres to other taxi drivers in the area in 1910. The business grew gradually as vehicle take-up increased, before Ernest’s son Reg Hawley took over during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. During this period, more depots were opened before Reg’s sons David and Martin expanded the business in the 1970s.

According to the company, Ernest Hawley was one of the few who pioneered motoring in its early days. An engineer by profession, he was foreman engineer at Oughtibridge Silica Works, until he started his motor taxi service from outside a shop that the family owned in Wadsley Lane, in the Owlerton district of Sheffield.

The taxi side of the business thrived and Ernest became known for doing a lot of his own repairs. This included the mending of punctures and the fitting of his own new tyres that he obtained. Gradually, other owners of cars came to him for help, when they had punctures, and even brought tyres that they had bought elsewhere to him for fitting. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to stock a few tyres to sell to others, and so the tyre business began.

Suitable premises were opened eventually in Gibraltar Street, on a main road position, near to the centre of Sheffield. As trade increased, agencies for numerous makes of tyres were taken on and a period of expansion took place. The depression and general strike and uncertain times caused trade to slump and brought Mr. Hawley to near bankruptcy, however he was able to keep hold of the Sheffield premises and to concentrate his efforts on that. He had been joined during this period by his son Reg Hawley.

In 1947, Ernest Hawley decided to retire. Reg Hawley took over the running of the firm and around this time the company was named Hawleys Tyre Maintenance Service.

New premises

Trading as “The Sheffield Tyre Depot”, Hawleys Tyres first branch was located in Gibraltar Street, on a main road position, near to the centre of Sheffield (Photo: Hawleys Tyres; Protyre)

In 1950 David Hawley, joined his father Reg, at the Sylvester Street premises, which was to serve until new premises were purchased in Bridge Street and a new Limited Company to be known as Hawleys (Tyre Services) Limited was registered, with Reg Hawley as managing director and David Hawley and Les Black as fellow directors.

The present Bridge Street premises became the head office. Other depots were opened in London Road and Langsett Road in Sheffield, and a depot in Canklow Road, Rotherham.

Martin Hawley, joined the company in 1967 and became company secretary, running the office side of the firm, whilst David Hawley concentrated on the sales and service side of a rapidly growing outfit.

Reg Hawley retired in 1974 and David Hawley became managing director. The main concentration at this time was on the retailing of tyres and their servicing. In 1984, Simon Hawley, and in 1989 Tim Hawley, the sons of Martin and David joined the firm.

After the retirement of David Hawley in 1994, his brother Martin took over as managing director. The company gradually took on other aspects of the retail side, such as exhausts, but the main expansion was in the wholesale supply of tyres to other tyre companies in an area 50 miles around Sheffield.

After celebrating 100 years of the Hawleys name in the tyre trade, Martin Hawley retired in 2011 and Tim Hawley is now the current manager director. Having started out with one branch in 1910, by 2010 the company had five branches and now has six to its name as well as mobile tyre fitting options. In 2015, Hawleys (Tyre Services) Limited joined the fast-growing Protyre network.