Colonel Tools, Sheffield

[Mark Stansbury]

This came up in a social media group, a wood-handled screwdriver stamped COLONEL SHEFFIELD ENGLAND. A Google search for the maker found other searchers, primarily those with screwdrivers and wood chisels, but no answers. The blog Progress is fine... posted about it in 2015, with 2 photos of a screwdriver that turned up in Canada. A newspaper archive provided an answer from 1959, a house brand for Woolworth's stores in the UK.

 

[Dave455]

Woolworth’s was a British store chain, originally a subsidiary of the American F. W. Woolworth.

They sold all manner of stuff from stationery to confectionery, and including some hardware and tools. The only common factor was that nothing was costly. I think originally it was “nothing over sixpence” but that was soon abandoned!

They had a number of “house brands” which were generally goods sourced directly from manufacturers in bulk. At one time they had loads of separate brand names, of which I think “Colonel” was one, but they switched to one brand name (Winfield) in the early 60’s.

The tools wouldn’t have been top end, but most probably perfectly serviceable, and better than some of the stuff available today!

 

[Stuey63]

Hi there;

We inherited a Colonel screwdriver similar to the ones in the picture above and understand they also supplied OEM tools for Bentley and Rolls Royce, alongside the better known Sorby. My wife's grandfather worked with Bentley and Rolls Royce vehicles, so we expect they were picked up from this connection sometime along the way.

Cheers, Stuey.

 

[Dave455]

Hi there;

We inherited a Colonel screwdriver similar to the ones in the picture above and understand they also supplied OEM tools for Bentley and Rolls Royce, alongside the better known Sorby. My wife's grandfather worked with Bentley and Rolls Royce vehicles, so we expect they were picked up from this connection sometime along the way.

Cheers, Stuey.

As Mark Stanbury pointed out above, “Colonel” was a “house brand” of tools sold by Woolworths in the U.K. A bit like Craftsman at Sears, but far less extensive.

I would be surprised if a Woolworths house brand screwdriver was ever supplied with a Rolls Royce, but… It’s feasible that “Colonel” was a pre existing company that Woolworths bought out, in which case anything is possible!

Tools supplied by Rolls Royce (in that era) were generally dual marked with both Rolls Royce marks, and the manufacturers mark. Unfortunately, unlike many earlier tools where the “Rolls Royce” marks were part of the forging, the tools with stamped marks can more readily have the “Rolls Royce” applied later (sometimes several decades later…) so sadly there is much misinformation out there!

First hand knowledge, from the period, is obviously invaluable in this regard. It’s a shame that so many of your wife’s grandfathers generation are passing on, and taking all that knowledge with them!

 

[Stuey63]

I've seen a few online examples; see here: described as a 'Colone' screwdriver. Mine is identical to the one in this set.

Lot 115 - Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III / Bentley S3

Lot 115 - Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III / Bentley S3

www.handh.co.uk

I note mine also has the Colonel stamped so the L is under the handle and it looks like 'Colone'. However, I'm not averse to the possibility these were replacements of the originals of another brand, especially as this one seems too long for its place. Certainly, you see more of the Sorby style with a turned ridge on the handle rather than the smooth 'blob' style of the Colonel. I've seen good examples with RR on one side and Robt Sorby & Co on the other, but not Colonel. The only pics of Colonel style drivers in a RR/Bentley kit (with the smooth blob handle) have never been taken close-up enough to determine. There are a few references onling linking Colonel and Rolls/Bentley, but most are vague. The kits I've seen from around the late 50's onwards appear to have that smooth handle (different to the Sorby drivers). Maybe they were a good cheap replacement once someone took the originals for the household tool kit...

My example is quite a nice driver, regardless. The handle is very comfortable.

Cheers

Stuey

 

[Dave455]

I've seen a few online examples; see here: described as a 'Colone' screwdriver. Mine is identical to the one in this set.

Lot 115 - Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III / Bentley S3

Lot 115 - Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III / Bentley S3

www.handh.co.uk

I note mine also has the Colonel stamped so the L is under the handle and it looks like 'Colone'. However, I'm not averse to the possibility these were replacements of the originals of another brand, especially as this one seems too long for its place. Certainly, you see more of the Sorby style with a turned ridge on the handle rather than the smooth 'blob' style of the Colonel. I've seen good examples with RR on one side and Robt Sorby & Co on the other, but not Colonel. The only pics of Colonel style drivers in a RR/Bentley kit (with the smooth blob handle) have never been taken close-up enough to determine. There are a few references onling linking Colonel and Rolls/Bentley, but most are vague. The kits I've seen from around the late 50's onwards appear to have that smooth handle (different to the Sorby drivers). Maybe they were a good cheap replacement once someone took the originals for the household tool kit...

My example is quite a nice driver, regardless. The handle is very comfortable.

Cheers

Stuey

Just from a quick glance, first impression of that tool kit is that it is absolutely right, EXCEPT for the screwdriver!

I‘m not convinced it’s a Silver Cloud III tool kit anyway. Every one that I’ve seen has had a “King ****” adjustable, rather than the Garrington. I think it’s more likely that it’s an original Silver Cloud tool kit. You can’t derive much from the exact layout of the kit, as I’ve found considerable variation.

The Silver Cloud was introduced in ‘55, and every tool in the kit shown (screwdriver excepted) is absolutely correct for mid / late 50’s. The pliers are the earlier pattern Wilkinsons, the spanners are “Garringtons” not “Garrington” the adjustable is a Garringtons “Red Diamond”, and I can see “British Made” rather than “Made in England” on the Britool socket.

The Silver Cloud III wasn’t introduced till ‘62, and while it’s feasible some old stock items were used (certainly the Garringtons spanners) most that I’ve seen have some later tools, and all have had King **** adjustables.

Whatever that kit is off, I can guarantee that the screwdriver is wrong though. “Colonel” was definitely a Woolworths “house brand” by then, and Rolls didn’t “pop down to Woollies” to source their tools. By the time the Silver Cloud III was introduced, the “Colonel” brand had been replaced by “Winfield” and ceased to exist.

As you point out, the driver is also too long for the tray! Don’t let this stop you enjoying yours though. It’s definitely pre ’62!

Bear in mind also, that on any “coach built” Rolls (an option on the Silver Cloud) the tool kit would be down to the coachbuilder.


…and the contents to the customers requirement….

 

[Stuey63]

Ahhh, the Colonel Thompson sub machine gun.