Some of the franchises listed in Caffyns’ catalogues of the early Twenties are familiar today: Austin, Daimler, Fiat, Morris-Oxford, Wolseley ... but agencies held ‘also included A.C,, Bleriot-Whippet, Calcott, Calthorpe, Darracq, Kingsbury, Phoenix and several others, as well as famous names in the motorcycle world such as Enfield, Harley-Davidson, Omega, Matchless, Martinsyde, Sunbeam and Triumph.

Percy Caffyns two sons, Sydney and Edward, joined the Company: Sydney in 1922, becoming Sales Manager in 1925 and a Director in 1928; Edward in 1925, subsequently becoming General Manager and in 1932 a Director.
In 1926 a period of rapid development started with the building of Queen’s Garage, Eastboume, followed in 1927 by branches in Haywards Heath and Lewes — the latter specialising in Commercial Vehicles for the first few years until the opening of Lewes showroom in 1930. In 1928 another specialist Commercial Vehicle branch was built at Hove with well-equipped repair workshops, and the first branch at Worthing was opened. Around this time, the Eastboume firm of Aitken, Grinstead & Co Ltd was acquired.
 

Extensive new workshops were opened in 1930 at 507 Seaside, Eastboume, by Sir William Morris (later to become Lord Nuffield) and the premises of Denman’s, Cuckfleld acquired. At the time, cars required servicing on a monthly basis and Caffyns’ sales literature included a menu servicing scheme, with prices at three pounds six shillings a month (~3.30).
 

Coach building operations were seriously hit by the cessation of special orders during the “Depression” of the early Thirties. However the situation improved during 1933, in which year Caffyns also arrived in Hastings and Chailey. The following year saw new branches at Burgess Hill and Uckfield, as well as additional premises in Brighton and Worthing.
 

Always looking ahead to anticipate customers’ needs, in 1934 Caffyns were pioneers in the field of Contract Hire and Leasing facilities for fleet operators.
In 1935 came the first entry into Kent, with the purchase of the business of Chas. Baker & Co of Tonbridge, including the Morris distributorship for an important area. In the same year a branch was opened in Horsham and a new garage in Haywards Heath, followed by East Grinstead in 1936, and Goring and Crowborough in 1937. Meanwhile, extensions to existing branches progressed steadily.
 

Caffyns took the bold decision that their new buildings during the 1930s should feature the new style of architecture spreading to England from the Continent, with its “white concrete, ribbon windows and curved walls”. Station Garage, Haywards Heath, has been described as “a prime example of combining all the major recognisable features of the international style in a contemporary facade”. The style reached its climax for Caffyns in extensions, begun in 1936 and completed in 1938, which doubled the size of Hove branch so that private cars, as well as commercial vehicles, could be catered for. The Commercial Vehicle operation expanded during the later 1930s, with Caffyns taking part in agricultural shows and holding their own exhibitions of vehicles.
 

During this period of rapid growth Caffyns were careful to emphasise that the Company remained a friendly, caring, local organisation. A booklet published to mark the opening of East Grinstead branch stated:
“if Caffyns means anything to the motoring public, it is the hope of the Finn’s Directors that it should mean honest service backed by experience and skill; such a service they hope speaks for itself and neither needs, nor uses, roadside signs, without which our County of Sussex would be even more beautiful than it is.”
 

The same booklet outlined the new sales policy introduced during the 1930s:
“Caffyns will only act as agents for British cars — they are not prepared to stock or push the sale of foreign cars.”
 

The Company also showed care and concern for its staff. In 1929 the question of insurance schemes for the protection of staff was just beginning to be discussed in the motoring press, and on July 13th, 1929, the “Garage and Motor Agent” published a double page spread on the scheme being operated by Caffyns with the Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada. Staff received either an endowment policy or a life policy, terms varying according to the age and length of service of each employee. Holidays with full pay for all staff at Christmas, plus a week in the summer, were introduced around this time
 

Staff included many personalities whose names and exploits figure regularly in staff magazines and Company bulletins. As well as Reg Matthews already mentioned, whose resounding laugh kept his colleagues cheerful for so many years, there was R.H. Cooke, whose salesmanship was legendary (he once took some sheep in a part-exchange deal and sold them at Lewes Market); W. Hawkes, the Cuckfleld blacksmith, who totaled 60 years’ service with Denman’s and Cafi,rns; R.C. Glazebrook whose sense of humor brought a smile to the readers of staff magazines, concert programmes and cricket score cards alike; Harry Brown, who won countless awards with his Sweet Peas and entertained colleagues at staff parties with a rendering of “Shipmates of Mine” . . and many more. Social activities were popular; with a wide range of inter-branch sporting events, fancy dress parties and concerts where management and staff entertained with songs and dances! Caffyns’ Social and Sports Club was funded in 1930 at the newly-opened Seaside Works.

The number of cars on the roads of Britain was beginning to increase rapidly and in 1929 Caffyns sold over 1,000, the first time this figure had been reached in any one year. At the same time, local authorities began to provide free space in towns for parking and this led to complaints from garage proprietors about loss of garaging business on their own premises. Caffyns found that their Queen’s Garage in Eastboume was under-used but, undeterred by the apparent setback, opened an Indoor Bowling Green there in 1932 to utilise the space.
In 1937 Mr PT Caffyn retired from the position of Managing Director, though he continued as Chairman until his death. He had seen the business grow and prosper to a remarkable extent and among those who supported his own hard work and enthusiasm must be mentioned Mr S. Bindon, who was a Director from 1923-1950, Mr Ernest Armstrong, a Director from 1925-1952 and, of course, Mr Harry Caffyn who remained a Director until his death in 1952.