Ministry of Supply sales, 1947–1952

Many people will have largely forgotten, or may never have known, the shortages that persisted in the early years following the Second World War. Food, clothing, furniture and petrol were rationed. Materials for manufacturing and building were subject to strict regulations and many prices were controlled. This environment meant that there was considerable interest in the post-war Ministry of Supply sales undertaken by Peacock, Merry and Swaffield.

Throughout the British Isles there were vast quantities of surplus military vehicles, equipment and other items stored in depots, awaiting disposal. One such, Elstow Storage Depot, was sited some four miles south of Bedford, off the A6 trunk road, close to approaches to the village of Wilstead. Now developed as The Wixams, this huge depot and the adjacent munitions factory once extended as far as Ampthill Road at Kempston Hardwick.

The task of disposal lay with the Ministry of Supply which, assisted by the Chartered Auctioneers’ and Estate Agents’ Institute, selected a panel of auctioneers to sell the items for disposal by public auction, without reserve. Following a meeting in London attended by Robert Peacock, the best-known chattel auctioneer in Bedford, Peacocks were appointed to the panel. The first sale to take place at Elstow Storage Depot was held on 10 and 11 March 1947, when some 350 motor vehicles, 60 factory trucks and miscellaneous equipment including electric motors, cine equipment, 800 stereoscopes and gun sighting telescopes came under the hammer.

The prospect of Peacocks enjoying sole local control of these attractive sales led Jack Merry of Stafford, Rogers and Merry Ltd, the Bedford auctioneers, to make representations to share the work. Arising from these representations a special partnership trading as Peacock and Merry was formed for the second sale at Elstow, which lasted for four days from 30 June 1947.

The Peacock and Merry partnership had conducted just two sales before Norman Foster made persistent overtures on behalf of Swaffield & Son, the old-established Ampthill auctioneers, to participate in the work. Thus it was that a consortium trading as Peacock, Merry and Swaffield was established, and held its first sale at Elstow for three days from 4 November 1947. This partnership continued for thirty-eight sales until the final three day sale from 9 September 1952.