Bell Brothers was a diversified company with interests in the aggregates, automotive, civil engineering, heavy heads, mining engineering and transport industries. Primarily based in Western Australia, it also had smaller interests in other states of Australia.
History WJ Bell arrived with his family from Scotland in 1910. in 1917, he began carting clay with a motor truck purchased in 1924 . He was joined by sons David, Robert & Alex as they finished school. A mechanical shovel was purcahed in the late 1930s and they moved into earthmoving business, 38,000 tons of slag carted for Melville Park and huge quantities of sand for Perth City Council.The Bells of Guildford Ring Changes in WA Truck & Bus Transportation January 1954 pages 48-50, 66-70Like the West..this outfit is Big Truck & Bus Transportation December 1969 pages 82-85
In 1937, the first diesel truck was purchased, a Diamond T followed by in 1938 by three Leylands. During World War II, it worked on many airports including Broome, Carnarvon, Derby, Onslow, Pearce, Port Hedland and Wyndham.The Bells of Guildford Swan Express 18 June 1953 page 2
It went on to become one of the largest transport companies in the state.New Road Sunday Times 13 June 1954 page 7 In 1946 it commenced mining coal in Collie.More Collie Coal Daily News 23 March 1946 page 3 As well as operating trucks that moved goods to and from ships docking at Fremantle, by 1950 it had commenced hauling manganese to Meekatharra and iron ore from Koolyanobbing to Southern Express for onward movement by rail services.Ships Idle at Fremantle Through Truck Dispute The West Australian 6 September 1950 page 5Manganese Ore The West Australian 11 March 1950 page 13New Manganese Find Kalgoorlie Miner 8 May 1950 page 1From Horses and Drays to Huge Earth-Movers Sunday Times 21 March 1954 page 7
A 64-acre headquarters was established in Guildford in 1952.Bell Bros New Headquarters Swan Express 19 June 1952 page 3 In 1954 it became a distributor for ERF and Mack Trucks. In the late 1950s it was responsible for the construction of RAAF Base Learmonth briefly operating an Avro Anson aeroplane.The End of Avro Anson VH-BXC Airways Museum & Civil Aviation Society
On 9 September 1965 Bell Brothers was listed on the Sydney, Melbourne and Perth stock exchanges.Bell Bros float will be listed on three exchanges Canberra Times 9 July 1965 page 20Bell Bros turnover rises Canberra Times 8 September 1965 page 22 In July 1969, it diversified into aggregates purchasing Swan Quarries which became Bell Basic Industries.Swan Quarries Limited Delisted AustraliaBell Bros Canberra Times 10 June 1969 page 18Orange Grove Quarry - Crushing and Screening Planning Upgrade Boral 9 April 2015 In 1969, it purchased the first corporate jet in Australia, a Hawker Siddeley 125.Bell Bros buy jet plane Truck & Bus Transportation December 1969 page 128
In 1972 Western Transport of Queensland was purchased with 300 trucks followed by the Queensland Tyre Re-treading Company.Large transport company sold to interstate group Truck & Bus Transportation August 1972 page 127A brief history of Western Transport Western Transport MuseumBell to buy tyre business Canberra Times 10 August 1973 page 11 In 1973 Bell Brothers was acquired by Robert Holmes à Court's Albany Woollen Mills, becoming part the Bell Group in July 1976.$11.6m bid for Bell Canberra Times 30 October 1973 page 13 Fortune Magazine 19 August 1985Murdoch Challenged on Takeover : Holmes a Court Makes Counteroffer for Australia Papers Los Angeles Times 25 December 1986Bell Bros Holdings Limited Delisted Australia
After the Bell Group was taken over by Bond Corporation and the State Government Insurance Office, Bell Brothers was sold to Boral in 1988.Business and investment Canberra Times 5 January 1989 page 51980-1989 BoralBoral 2016 Review Boral 16 September 2016 In May 1991 the transport business was sold by Boral to Heytesbury, the family company of Holmes à Court's widow Janet.Heytesbury buys back Bell Freightlines Canberra Times 6 May 1991 page 5
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