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Was Dias down Botchergate?

docka wrote:Was Dias down Botchergate?

The picture shows it on Lowther Street. They might of been down Botchergate at some point but I'm not sure? I know Graham and Roberts on Botchergate became Appleyards and I'm sure I saw somewhere that Appleyards also took over Dias or had something to do with them anyhow?

Time Bandit wrote:Dias & Co, Graham & Roberts & County Motors, Carlisle.

Nice photos, thanks!

I know I have asked this before, but if anyone had or knows of any photos of Wesley Turkington BMC dealership in Lurgan Co Armagh in the late 60s through to early 80s I'd love to see them / get a copy of them for my dad who worked there at the time.

Thanks

F W May's Dorking now a Majestic wine warehouse

Looking for any info or pictures for the dealer G E Tunbridge

My MK2 went out into the big wild world from here in 69!
Anyone remember the garage, don't suppose it's still there, is it?

rob0884 wrote:Looking for any info or pictures for the dealer G E Tunbridge

When I moved there in 1980 GE Tunbridge had gone. There were a couple of dodgy 2nd hand car dealers at their place was on St Johns then. The BL dealer at that time was Caffyns who were a bit further up the road. By the mid 1980's the dodgy dealers had gone and the place became Sevenoaks Hi-Fi, which it still is to this day.

Cammsjb wrote:

H A HAMSHAWS Ltd. LEICESTER.jpg

My MK2 went out into the big wild world from here in 69!
Anyone remember the garage, don't suppose it's still there, is it?

The building is still there, but is now a bathroom showroom (pic from Google Earth)

The H A Hamshaw building hasn't changed much in appearance other than the changes in building signage, probably because it was built in the 1930's Art Deco style of architecture and is now likely to be a listed building.

Too bad about the graffiti.

Yes it's a 'sign of the times' unfortunately.

At least they haven't knocked it down to build a World of Shite superstore.

Hamshaw's was a very big deal in Leicester, occupied three sites and it's great that the Parker Drive site has been preserved (albeit full of bathrooms and toilets!!), and as many dealerships were back then it's a great looking building (maybe listed?). They started as a coachbuilder originally and became a very big Morris distributor, big showrooms, rolling road, light and heavy parts stockists, paint shops, service, they did the lot! They produced a lovely brochure at one time giving a potted history of the firm, and some nice pictures of Minis in the premises, one of some Mini vans being sprayed and signwritten, another with a Cooper S at the front of the showroom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNK2WULcloU

Found these...

Yea, theres A World of Shite Superstore everywhere in CA.

Whilst looking for a picture or two for the Period Picture thread I came across this.

The garage was on Campbell Road, Stoke. Perhaps some remember it

Recognised the building straight away. Now a charity shop and tyre fitters

This Page Motors, Leatherhead, Surrey site is now a B&Q DIY Store.......

One from my youth, Websters garage in Axminster. A BMC dealer from the mid fifties, my late Dad remembers seeing a Mini in the sales place down the road (Lyme Rd) in 1959. This was the service department. I can recall when this was up and running, a big BMC rosette on the front even in the early seventies. It was closed down mid eighties and went to rack and ruin. Around 10 years ago some locals got an artist or two to do a facade for the front. Finally last year it was demolished.

To have had the money to buy it, renovate it as a garage again and actually dos something with it. Now it's just being used as a car park.

I have read this thread since it started with great interest, History, old building and cars, three of my interests.

What I have never done is get round to researching the dealers where any of my cars came from, I really only know where one of them came from as I have all the order forms etc from new. My 1960 Morris Mini Minor came from Caffyn's in Folkestone. 141 - 143 Sandgate Rd was originally Maltby's Garage bought by Caffyn's in 1935. Caffyn's had a coach building site rebodying Rolls etc and they had a body building department at the Sandgate premises. This was destroyed by fire on Sunday 19th June 1960 https://www.caffyns.co.uk/docs/history_of_caffyns.pdf.

As you can see from the order form, my car was ordered on the Wednesday after the fire from that same address. Put a slightly new perspective on a newly widowed 30 year old lady going to order her new car from a dealership that had had a major fire only days earlier.

Caffyn's relocated to a new building in Folkestone, the building is now a Bed and Sofa shop.

Fascinating what you can find when you actually look.