First white lines in the World?

Popular belief is that Lancashire pioneered white lines down the centre of roads. There are rival claims from Canada but the following seems to prove Lancashire (or more precisely an independent Lancastrian) was first.

Chronology:

1. "About 1920" Mr John H.Willacy buys the Old Toll House Garage at Farleton in the Lune Valley.

2. Due to number of accidents, Mr Willacy paints white lines down the centre (and edges of the road?) around the bend.

3. "Authorities" battle with Mr Willacy over his lines. It is not clear who the “authorities" were – was it Lancashire CC or the Ministry of Transport?

4. Mr Willacy writes to King George V for support over the lines and the King’s secretary gives his approval.

5. November 1925 MOT approve white lines on dangerous bends.

6. An advert by John Willacy for his ("ever open door") garage probably 1929 includes a photograph of the garage and the road with a white line down its middle. The caption says the white line was origimated by the proprietor (Mr Willacy) many years ago

From the above chronology the lines must have been painted between 1920 and 1925. However, it must have taken a few years for the battles to take place and write to the King. Then for the Ministry of Transport to react to the King’s ruling and finally formulate their own rules would also have taken time. So a good guess would be probably have been around 1922 when the lines were painted.

References:

Return to the Lune Valley, 1972 by Stan and Freda Trott

Leading the Way, ed Alan Crosby.

Lancashire History Quarterly, September 2001.

Old Toll House at Farleton - location of the first white lines in the world - probably.
Note: the garage has now been demolished. Mr Willacy's original BP garage was
located to the right of the toll house and had rambling roses around the pumps!