A man who drove a two-wheeled carrier's cart from Wollaston and afterwards founded the largest road transport business in the Midlands, died at Northampton General Hospital on Monday.

He was Mr. Arthur Peck, aged 77, of "Glenhurst," Wellingborough Road, Rushden, and his name, condensed to P.X. has been for many years famlliar on the roads of England and Scotland.

Born at Great Gransden Beds., Mr. Peck moved to Strixton as a lad and remained in the Wollaston district until 1913 when he transferred to Rushden.

Single-handed at first, in a typical country carrying business, he made daily journeys from Wollaston to Wellingborough and Northampton from 1896 onwards, also taking up brake work and general job-mastering.

At Rushden he took over a small carrying business in Carnegie Street and acquired his first motor vehicle.

Rapid Progress

Mr W J A Peck, County Council member for Rushden South Ward since 1950, chairman of a group of companies engaged in transport, farming, garaging and radio relay, purchased the 'Shrubbery' and gifted it to the town to be used as an old-peoples care home in 1955.

After the First World War he was joined by his eldest son, Mr. Will Peck, and other sons entered the business as they left school.

Progress was rapid and the firm finally employed a thousand people and worked from depots in several widely separated cities and towns with Rushden as the headquarters.

With Mr. Will Peck as chairman, Mr. Arthur Peck remained a director of P.X. until the company was taken over under the Nationalisation Scheme last year.

Mr. Peck had few interests outside business, but attended Park Road Baptist Church for many years. His health had bit been good during the last few years and he entered hospital last Thursday. His wife died in 1936 and the eight children are Mrs. H. J. Goodband, Mr. W. J. A. Peck, Mr. H. P. S. Peck, Mr. G. C. Peck (Great Yarmouth), Mr. E. D. Peck, Mrs. W. C. Timpson, Mr. P. A. Peck, Mrs. G. Willmott (Knuston). There are several grandchildren and great grandchildren.