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Dunn's Garages (Sunderland) Ltd Road Atlas cover |
Dunns Garages (Sunderland) Ltd are the feature business of this article - number 52 in my series about Triumph car dealers.
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Dunn's Garages (Sunderland) Ltd Road Atlas |
Dunns as distributor
Dunns Garages (Sunderland) Ltd were the distributor for Standard Triumph cars in their area (County Durham excluding Gateshead) for many years and would have supplied vehicles to other garages in their territory. They operated from two premises in Sunderland Wheatsheaf Corner and Roker Avenue.
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Dunns Garages (Sunderland) Ltd advert from Autocar 23 Oct 1953 |
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Dunns Garages (Sunderland) Ltd advert from Motor 5 September 1956 |
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Dunns Garages RoverTriumph advert 1973 |
As at September 1956 the dealers supplied included.
- AUNGERS LTD, Newcastle Road, CHESTER-LE-STREET
- C R BRADLEY & SONS (Blackhall) Ltd, Coast Road, BLACKHALL
- T COWIE LTD, Millfield, SUNDERLAND
- MOTOR SERVICES (Consett) LTD, Medomsley Road, CONSETT
- MAIN ROAD GARAGE (East Boldon) LTD, Ashbrooke Terrace, EAST BOLDON
- MILL GARAGES (Sunderland) LTD, Newcastle Road, SUNDERLAND
- J McINTYRE & SONS, 83 New Elvet, DURHAM
- REG. ROSSITER, South End Garage, CROOK
- F ROUNTHWAITE & SONS, JARROW, HEPBURN and TYNEDOCK
- WILLIAM SKILBECK LTD, Cliff House Garage, SEAHAM
- J. F. STROTHER & SON LTD, Holmeside, SUNDERLAND
- R. & J. SMITH, Pallion Road Garage, SUNDERLAND
- SYDNEY SPARROW LTD, Four Lane Ends, HETTON-LE-HOLE
- STREAMLINE GARAGES (South Shields) LTD, 93 Mile End Road, South Shields
By May 1975 they were listed as being distributors for the Rover, Triumph and Land Rover franchises in Sunderland. Became a part of the Dutton Forshaw group. The garage premises at 53-6 North Bridge Street have been demolished and block of student flats (called Dunn House) now stands on the site.
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Dunns Garage Street Scence 1950's |
Thanks to Gary Flinn for this copy of a 1950's street scene that includes Dunns Garage. I think this shows 53-6 North Bridge Street.
Roker Avenue
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Dunn's Garage (Sunderland) Ltd, 190/198 Roker Avenue |
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2017 google streetview of former Dunns building |
Thanks to John Scarr for his comment: "building formerly Dunn`s garage and showroom in Roker Ave. Showroom windows now bricked up as Tile Giant. Small island with pumps used to be at the front left corner. Workshop entrance was down George St to the left. Roller shutter doorway, (now also bricked up) was where the blue car is standing."
Dunns of Sunderland branches
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Dunns of Sunderland advert Motor8January1964 |
Dunns of Sunderland had several premises in other towns including at; Deans Road, South Shields; Gilegate, Durham and at Durham Road, Herrington
Triumph Dealers in Sunderland
April 1951:
Binns Ltd, Union Street, Sunderland
Dunn's Garages (Sunderland) Ltd, Wheatsheaf Corner
1955
Dunn's Garages (Sunderland) Ltd, Wheatsheaf Corner. 'Phone: Sales 57666; Service 57067.
+ dealers
R J Smith, Pallion Road Garage. 'Phone 3303.
J F Strother & Son Ltd, Holmeside. 'Phone 4597.
Mill Garages (Sunderland) Ltd, Newcastle Road. 'Phone 58225
1959:
Dunn's Garages (Sunderland) Ltd, 53-6 North Bridge Street. 'Phone: 57666/7
+dealers
T Cowie Ltd, Matamba Terrace phone 70491
Grimshaw Leather Ltd, Mayfair Buildings, Burnpark, Durham Road, phone 2623
Mill Garages (Sunderland) Ltd, Newcastle Road, phone 58225, and Ryhope Road phone 57631
J F Strother & Sons Ltd, 41 Holmside phone 4597
W Veti Ltd, Station Road, Fulwell phone 4029
August 1961:
Dunn's Garages (Sunderland) Ltd, 53-6 North Bridge Street.
+dealers
T Cowie Ltd, Matamba Terrace
Grimshaw Leather Ltd, Mayfair Buildings, Burnpark, Durham Road,
Mill Garages (Sunderland) Ltd, Newcastle Road, and Ryhope Road
Mowbray Motors Ltd, Ryhope Road
J F Strother & Sons Ltd, 41 Holmside
W Veti Ltd, Station Road, Fulwell
February 1965:
Dunn's Garages (Sunderland) Ltd, 53-6 North Bridge Street.
+dealers
T Cowie Ltd, Matamba Terrace
Grimshaw Leather Ltd, Mayfair Buildings, Burnpark, Durham Road,
Mill Garages (Sunderland) Ltd, Newcastle Road,
W Veti Ltd, Station Road, Fulwell
September 1968:
Dunn's Garages (Sunderland) Ltd, 53-6 North Bridge Street.
+dealers
T Cowie Ltd, Matamba Terrace,
Mill Garages (Sunderland) Ltd, Newcastle Road,
Seaburn S S, Station Road, Fulwell
March 1972:
Dunn's Garages (Sunderland) Ltd, 190/198 Roker Avenue.
+dealers
T Cowie Ltd, Matamba Terrace, Millfield
March 1974, May 1975:
Dunn's Garages (Sunderland) Ltd, 190/198 Roker Avenue, SR6 0BW
+ a branch at Gilesgate Moor, Durham
March 1988:
Distributor - Dutton Forshaw Sunderland, 23 Roker Avenue SR6 0BX
Dealer - Warwick Garage, Warwick Terrace, Silkworth
+ Dutton Forshaw Durham, Sunderland Road, Gilesgate Moor, Durham, DH1 2HL
Delivery transporter
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Dunns of Sunderland Delivery Truck February 1960 |
Dunns of Sunderland, Standard-Triumph Distributors, had their own transporter. It looked very bright in the firm's colours of black and chrome yellow with the Standard-Triumph insignia in blue and white. Here is an reproduction label in the brands black and yellow.
Standard Atlas
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Dunns Garages (Sunderland) Ltd Atlas advert the Sunderland Echo 1958 |
An Ambulance conversion of a Standard Atlas supplied by Dunn's Garages (Sunderland) Ltd to the Red Cross Society, Durham was shown in the Standard Triumph Review for January 1964.
Plea for information
If you have any more information or recollections about Dunns Garages (Sunderland) Ltd such as photos of window stickers, dealer badges or sill plates etc please let me know. I can be contacted via the comments to this post or on facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin
Further information and sources
Link to the other articles in this series.
Link to face book page: Triumph Car Dealers.
Link to my
Triumph Car Dealers Flickr group .
I have a collection of Standard Triumph car dealer directories:
http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/triumph-car-dealer-directories.html
Picture credits: Dunn's Garages (Sunderland) Ltd Road Atlas images from Steve Fenna Fenson on facebook; Dunns of Sunderland Delivery Truck February 1960 from Standard Triumph Review Feb 1960; dunns-garages-sunderland-motorcycles-dealer-decals-transfers from www.heortieg.com; Dunns Garage Street Scence 1950's - Gary Flinn; 2017 google streetview of former Dunns building John Scarr.