This year, as we approach the 40th anniversary of obtaining the Land Rover franchise, we want to thank everyone for being a part of such an enjoyable adventure, one that will no doubt continue for many years to come.
Explore how Duckworth’s has grown from humble beginnings to become Lincolnshire’s go-to name for Jaguar Land Rover and the county’s best-loved family-run dealership…
Duckworth's: A Short History
The journey began in 1952 when precision engineer James Duckworth upped sticks from Sheffield to move to Lincolnshire. That’s right, the Duckworth name has been connected with the auto industry since before we even landed on the moon!
James’s passion for engineering was certainly passed down to his son, James, who during the school holidays and weekends worked for an MOT and servicing garage in Lincoln from as young as 12 years old.
In 1962, just ten years after they moved to Lincolnshire and shortly after Martin left school at the age of 16, the pair of them took a leap of faith, opening their own village garage and engineering business; the seeds that would eventually grow into the state-of-the-art showrooms we are very proud to be based in today.
The Duckworth family have always had a strong connection with Land Rover, with Martin’s enthusiasm for the brand being owed to his garage’s strong agricultural customer base, whose vehicle of choice was largely the superb Defender. It was not long before Land Rovers dominated the majority of Martin and James’s workload, much to their delight.
Such strong affiliations with the iconic British brand led Martin to begin writing to Land Rover in the hope of obtaining the franchise. After much persistence and hard work, he was able to secure this in the late 60s, therefore officially commencing the now 40-year-strong partnership between Duckworth’s and Land Rover.
The Origins of our First Showroom
Having successfully gained the Land Rover franchise, Martin and James now required new premises that would enable Duckworth’s to become a vehicle showroom, as well as a workshop and parts department.
After searching for a suitable new home for the Duckworth brand, they came across a derelict workshop in Market Rasen and saw huge potential. Their optimism was matched by a series of rebuilds and renovations over several years; hard work that is plain to see when you visit our Duckworth Market Rasen showroom. That’s right, it’s still the same building from all those years ago, perfectly blending the nostalgia of the old with the luxury and elegance of the new.
We take great pride in being one of the few remaining family-owned and run Jaguar Land Rover dealerships in the UK, and the Duckworth legacy continued in 2002 when a new generation of Duckworth was introduced to the business.
Martin’s eldest son, Ben, joined Duckworth’s in 2002, having just completed his apprenticeship with Land Rover UK. He arrived with an HND in Motor Manufacturing, a wealth of experience working on projects in the Land Rover factory, and most importantly, stacks of enthusiasm.
Five years later, Ben took over the role of Dealer Principal from his father, projecting Duckworth’s to the next level by introducing a second dealership in Boston and expanding our team to over 100 staff members.
Jaguar Pounces into Lincolnshire
Our Market Rasen and Boston showrooms continued to be tremendously popular, so much so that we were able to secure plans for an exciting, new, state-of-the-art Boston showroom. In 2017, work was complete on building such an impressive site and the Boston team moved in, an achievement that marked a huge new step for Duckworth’s: the arrival of Jaguar.
Jaguar had been away from Boston for some time before we obtained the franchise, and we were delighted to bring such a luxurious, exhilarating andiconic brand back to the county. Now, we are able to offer our wonderful, loyal customer base the very best of both options.
Whether you’re looking for a robust, adventurous SUV from our Land Rover range or a thrilling sports car or beautiful executive vehicle from our Jaguar selection, Duckworth’s is the place to be.
Thank You to our Amazing Customers
We could not be where we are today – approaching 40 years of Land Rover and over 7 decades in the motor industry – without our remarkable customers. We can’t thank each and every one of you enough for being a part of our incredible journey.
We want to show our gratitude by celebrating and showcasing your enthusiasm for Jaguar Land Rover. So, if you’d like to share your Land Rover adventure with us, check out our Facebook album and send in your photos via social media now!
Thank you to Mick Raynor for sending in this fantastic photo. Send in yours via social media now!