Skegness Magazine

Borman long established Coal Merchant Retires

Source: Skegness Standard 1963

A FAMILY connection of over 100 years in the coal trade in Skegness ended for Mr. John W. Borman, of 1, Lawn Crescent, off Beresford Avenue, Skegness, on Tuesday afternoon when he made out the last orders for the solid-fuel business he started in the town in 1929.

The firm of John W. Borman, of 2, Station Approach — office and coal yard are at Skegness Railway Station — has been taken over by its neighbour, Messrs. A. J. Walthall and Son Ltd.
The chairman and managing director of Walthall’s is Coun. L. N. Walthall, of St. Andrew’s Drive, but the controlling interest in the company is now held by Parsons Bros. and Snape Ltd.. of the giant British Anthracite group.
“Grandfather John” Borman started the connection of the family name with the coal trade over 100 years ago, carting coal from the beach with donkeys when cargoes were delivered by ship there. He had six daughters and six sons, of whom the present Mr. John Borman’s father was the eldest.

Started early
“I started learning the trade when I was eight or nine,” recalls Mr. Borman, who is now past 70 years of age. “With grandfather a coal merchant and father a coal merchant, there didn’t seem much doubt about what I was going to be . .”
But in fact, things did not look like turning out that way at one time. Mr. Borman did work with his father until the 1914-18 war broke out, but then he joined the West Yorkshire’s and was wounded in action. Invalided out, he started up on his own account as a carrier. The Borman coal business had been sold to a larger competitor.

Starting with one horse, bought for £20, and a cart hired for 2s. 6d. a week, Mr. Borman built up a small but prosperous brick and cement carting business. Skegness was beginning to boom and building was on the increase. By 1929 Mr. Borman had sufficient capital to put the family name back in the coal business.

‘Shoestring’
As with his carrier’s business, he started ” on a shoestring.” One lorry and one horse and cart took out deliveries, with ” the Boss ” working alongside his two or three men. But in a few years it was the second largest coal firm in Skegness.
“After 30-odd years I’ve had enough,” Mr. Borman said this week. ” I’ve no son to pass the business on to and I need a rest, so I’ve sold out.” With his wife Lilian, who has been the main helper (” You can say the mainstay!” says Mr. Borman) in the business for the past 17 years, Mr. Borman is now concerning himself only with retirement plans.
They intend to continue to live in Skegness. ” Leave our lovely little village?” said Mr. Borman. ” Not Something Likely!”
A lifelong Liberal, who has several times refused pleas to stand for the Council, he is former vice-chairman of the Working Men’s Club and the British Legion Club, and was a member of North Shore Golf Club for over 30 years.