Evolution of an old garage 1950s/1960s.
Coronation celebrations at this olde worlde workshop/filling station.
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My thanks to David Kiss for the following photographs that he kindly scanned and sent over. His family ran a garage in Kent, and a number of photographs record the premises as it evolved over the years. Signs come and go, as indeed does the house that features on the RHS in the earlier shots, to be replaced by a new-car showroom. The first pair date to 1953, when celebrations for the Coronation were in full swing.
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Plenty of advertising material is in evidence for various motoring-related products - including Shell & BP Fuels, Castrol oils (in the cabinet), and Exide - "the long life car battery". There's also a fine selection of old-style petrol pumps with their globes in place - back then independent garages could stock a variety of fuels from different manufacturers - shown are pumps for BP, Shell, National Benzole (Mr Mercury), and Power.
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The house was named "Brooklands" but sadly neither house nor garage survive today, other than in these great photos.
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Note the stylish canopy over the pumps that affords a modicum of protection from the elements to whoever was operating them, this disappears in later views of the same location.
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Two more photographs of Tippen's Garage.
This page was first published back in 2008. Six years later, David emailed over a pair of later photographs to include here. The first is from the early 1960s, so ten or so years later than the views already featured. Four of the five petrol pumps have been replaced by later types (probably by Avery Hardoll), while the remaining original has been repainted to match its younger cousins. This probably took place when the switch from BP and Shell to Regent was made. The canopy has now gone, while the Castrol Lubrication sign on the main workshop has been updated. Reflecting the increased interest in taking overseas road trips is a new sign for Castrol, fitted to the building on the left, advocating that the globe-trotting motorist would be well advised to stash a tin of Castrol's finest in their car's boot before heading forth on an epic trip.
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Slowly but surely the character of the garage is changing. David's mum is shown "on duty".
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By the latter end of the decade, circa 1967, there had been several very significant changes made. Most noticeable of all is the loss of the house, "Brooklands", to be replaced by a new showroom to which night-time passers-by would be drawn by the illuminated "Morris" sign. In pride of place are a Minor and Oxford saloon. Illuminated signs now feature on the forecourt, while the kerbing and forecourt surface have both been improved.
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Thanks again for the pictures. I wonder if anyone reading this remembers popping by to Tippen's, perhaps to buy petrol or have their car serviced?
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Click here for more motoring related photos.
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