Tickford’s heritage can be traced back to 1820, when a coachbuilding business began trading in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. Around 1830, the company became known as Salmons and operated from the grounds of the former Tickford Abbey, a medieval monastic house founded in 1140 by Fulconius Paganel, Lord of the Manor of Newport Pagnell.

George Salmons and his sons initially specialised in the construction of horse-drawn carriages. As the automotive age emerged at the turn of the 20th century, the business evolved to produce high-quality, bespoke coachwork for motor vehicles. In 1925, Salmons introduced its innovative Tickford “All Weather” body, a drophead design featuring a hood mechanism operated by inserting and turning a handle located in the rear quarter panel.

Throughout the 1930s, Salmons became renowned for manufacturing Tickford drophead bodies for a wide range of leading British car manufacturers, including BSA, Daimler, Hillman, Lanchester, MG, Rover, Standard, Triumph, Vauxhall and Wolseley. Their reputation for craftsmanship and engineering excellence helped establish Tickford as one of the most respected names in British coachbuilding.