Carrying Goods (1900 to 1918)
One local carrier operated a 3 day-a-week service between Hinckley and Leicester, and a 2 day-a-week service to Nuneaton, using a 2-horse pole dray.
Their depot was the Blue Boar Inn in Southgate Street, Leicester, where people would take to, or collect from, small items such as groceries, medicines, bicycles - even ice for the making of home-made cream!
This carrier service was the hub of distribution for the district, the villages of Sapcote, Stoney Stanton, Huncote, Narborough were visited en-route to and from Leicester.
This was C. Swan & Son of Lutterworth Road, Burbage, who also serviced the community as coal merchants, general haulage contractors, and later as furniture removers and machinery transporters.
After the War ended in 1918 the horses were replaced by ex War Department motor vehicles. Swans started a passenger service into Hinckley, there was no timetable, set off when you had a worthwhile load!
The Dixie Body Works, then situated just below the Cross Keys Inn in Burbage, had built for Swans,(using a Ford Model T chassis) a load bearing body for use Monday to Friday, and a 14 passenger carrying body - 7 a side - with rear entrance, for weekends.
Mr. Jim Robinson of Burbage had driven both horses and motors, and from this was born the local bus and coach firm of that name, operating from 1923 to 1991.
Two other local firms started in business as carriers between Hinckley and Leicester with horse drawn drays - J.J.Edwards based in Regent Street, and W. Bass in Trinity Lane.