Garages galore – and a new car for just £200 in bygone Chichester
Before pedestrianisation took place in the 1970s, Chichester's main streets teemed with traffic. Cars, buses, lorries and bicycles all jostled for position.
One consequence of losing the traffic was garages were no longer needed in the centre of town. In the 1960s there were garages situated in all four main streets.
East Street had Adcocks, opposite Shippams, who were the dealers for Humber, Hillman and Sunbeam. This was one of the first garages in the city as it was established before the first world war. In West Street there was Reed's, opposite County Hall, and next to the Prebendal School.
At the end of North Street was the Fiat dealer, Blue Star garage. This earlier photograph shows the garage when it was known as The Car Exchange.
Advertisements
One of the advertisements on the side of the large building next door (now an estate agent), shows Carol Lombard was starring in the film showing at the Exchange Cinema in East Street.
This was the cinema known as The Granada Exchange from 1948 (just The Granada from 1951), so the photograph must have been taken before that date.
South Street had a number of garages. On the east side was Mason's, the Vauxhall and Bedford main dealer, which is now Caf Rouge – they also had premises on the opposite side of the road, which housed the petrol pumps – and Regnum Motors, next to Webster's florists.
Both these photographs were taken as part of the 1968 Chichester Camera Club survey.
At West Sussex Record Office, we have a bill dated October, 1932 from Mason's Garage to W Goodridge.
Mr Goodridge had bought a new 1933 model MG Midget four-seater for 200 – minus 75 part-exchange on his old Riley saloon!
On the west side of South Street there was Stringer's (previously Field's), the Austin dealer, and also Wadham's.
This garage was in Southgate, heading towards the Globe Hotel.
Wadham's was the Standard and Triumph dealer, but there is a Morris Minor just visible in the window.
This part of Southgate was demolished in the 1960s to make way for the construction of the new Avenue de Chartres.
Wadham's were to have had new showrooms on the corner of Avenue de Chartres, but they merged with Stringer's to form Wadham Stringer and moved further back along the street.
Changing times
Many people will remember Rowe and Co in the Hornet as it is only a few years since it was demolished and replaced by a modern housing complex.
But how many people will remember E Wellcome, Motor Engineer?
This garage was on the same side of the Hornet but further back towards the Four Chesnuts pub (spelt like this on the pub sign!).
By 1931 Wellcome's had changed its name to E Allman & Co and it was still thriving in the early 1960s. I well remember the petrol pumps being right in the middle of the pavement.
Further along in Bognor Road there was Coe's garage, where there is still a car showroom, now trading under a different name.
Going out of Chichester, many people will also remember CC Boys and Sons at Fishbourne, near the start of the old Chichester by-pass. This garage was originally started in 1927 as Weston's, even though it was the two Boys brothers who set it up.
At Westhampnett there was Everyman's and in Westhampnett Road, Palmer's.
At Lavant there was Bleach's, which first opened in 1930 and still survived in 1999 when Tony Bleach, son of the original owner, retired.
I am sure there are many others I have missed out and if anybody has any memories, or photographs, of local garages, please contact us.
What do you think? Click here to send a letter or leave a comment below.
Click here to go back to Chichester news
Click here to go back to Bognor Regis news
Click here to go back to Midhurst and Petworth news
To tell us where in the world you are reading this story click on the link below to add yourself to our readers' map.
MAP
What do you think? Click here to send a letter or leave a comment below.
Click here to go back to Chichester news
Click here to go back to Bognor Regis news
Click here to go back to Midhurst and Petworth news
To tell us where in the world you are reading this story click on the link below to add yourself to our readers' map.
MAP
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Chichester
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South west
