I contacted a Carlton guy in England and it seems received the definitive answer:
The frameset that you have was built to take a standard rear axle and not a quick release axle, so this is the reason as to why you cannot fit a quick release axle. The cycle would have had LF Normany / Atom hubs on Dunlop steel 27" rims and amber wall Dunlop tyres.
Williams 3 pin chainset , TDC bottom bracket and headset fittings. Huret gears, GB bars and stem , Brooks leather saddle, Brampton pedals, velox plastic bar tape with screw in reg end plugs. Weinmann side pull brakes and levers with Carlton plastic hoods on the levers. Bluemels full mugduards and Bluemels pump.
Atom 5 speed freewheel and Regina chain.