The Reigate Garage Limited - Triumph car dealer 73

This article is about The Reigate Garage Limited and is number 73 in my continuing series about Standard Triumph car dealers.

The Reigate Garage Limited were based on Bell Street in Reigate a town in the county of Surrey in the United Kingdom. 

The Reigate Garages Limited 06-december-1935 advert from Surrey Mirror

As can be seen from these views they occupied their premises for many years.

Old Finch & Sons postcard said to be from 1942 sold on eBay for £14.50 in May 2018.

Another old postcard this time from 1965.

The Reigate Garage Ltd in the AustinRover era (image from Leon Guyot)  must before March 1988 as they were not listed a dealer at that time.

Brochure address stamp

Show and Service Week promotions

Staff from Standard Triumph HQ visited the business and assisted the firm with week long Show and Service promotions.  These were held by the firm at their Bell Street premises: 29 June to 3 July 1959, 13 to 17 May 1963 and 14 to 18 March 1966.

Butchers vans

These two Standard 6 CWT vans are part of a 1959 order completed for Matthews and Sons Limited, butchers of West Smithfield, London, EC1, who owned some 75 shops in various parts of the UK.  In 1954 The Reigatc Garage Ltd. had supplied three Standard Eights and later two vans. Those vehicles proved so satisfactory that further orders were placed for Standard vehicles; in fact it was reported later in 1959 that Matthews and Sons Limited intention was to eventually to replace all their vehicles used for their shops by Standards.

Triumph car dealers in Reigate

December 1935:Standard distributor

October 1955:
The Reigate Garage Ltd, 22/36 and 51a Bell Street, Reigate - phone 3333/4  distributor
Blackborough Garage, 28 and 31 Blackborough Road, - phone 3439

1959:
The Reigate Garage Ltd, 22/36 and 51a Bell Street, Reigate - phone 3333/4  4141 distributor
Church Street Garage (Reigate) Ltd, 24/36 Church Street - phone 2951

August 1961:
The Reigate Garage Ltd, 22/36 and 51a Bell Street, Reigate - phone 3333/4  4141 distributor open 7 days a week
Blackborough Garage, 31 Blackborough Road, - phone 3439
Church Street Garage (Reigate) Ltd, 24/36 Church Street - phone 2951 open 7 days a week

February 1965:
The Reigate Garage Ltd, 22/36 and 51a Bell Street, Reigate - phone 3333/4  4141 distributor
Church Street Garage (Reigate) Ltd, 50 Church Street - phone 5482/3/4

September 1968, March 1970, March 1972, March 1974:
The Reigate Garage Ltd, 22/36 and 51a Bell Street, Reigate - phone 43333/4  44141 distributor

June 1984 listed an Austin Rover dealer

March 1988 not listed as an Austin Rover dealer

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about The Reigate Garage Limited, 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: 1935-surrey-mirror-friday-06-december-1935-image-c2a9-trinity-mirror.-image-created-courtesy-of-the-british-library-board image sourced via https://prewardealerships.wordpress.com; The Reigate Garage Ltd in the AustinRover  era photos from Leon Guyot; Another old postcard this time from 1965 from Francis Frith website; ..

Triumph USA car accessories

Period accessories can were added to Triumph cars. If you want ensure that the extras were authentic how do you tell. One source is to look in the original sales brochure or parts books for the car in question. Another rarer source is an accessories brochure. Here are a few pages from the USA.

Triumph 2000 USA accessories

Triumph TR4A USA accessories

Triumph 1200 USA accessories

Triumph Spitfire Mk2 USA accessories

Plea for information

If you have any more information such brochures or pricelists which detail the accessories fitted to Triumph cars 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

Picture credits: If these images belong to you please let me know as I have forgotten where I got them.

A K Austin Ltd of Nottingham - Triumph car dealer 72B

A K Austin Ltd of Nottingham feature in this short  post about Standard Triumph car dealers in the Nottingham area.

A K Austin Ltd of  Mansfield Road July 1950

A K Austin Ltd of  Mansfield Road, Nottingham sold Standard Triumph cars for many years.

A K Austin Ltd of  Mansfield Road

In 1953 Who's who in the Motor Industry (available to view and search on the excellent GracesGuide website: https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Main_Page) it is stated for A K Austin Ltd that they were car Stockists. based at 375, Mansfield Road, Nottingham. Telephone: 64790. Directors: A. K. Austin (Managing). W. H. Goodchild.

A K Austin Ltd advert from August 1967

I have them listed as a Standard Triumph dealer from at least 1955 until 1972.

Fifty years with Standard Triumph

Fifty years with Standard Triumph

It was reported in the Standard Triumph Review dated February 1963:

A month or two ago, Standard-Triumph Dealers, Austin's of Mansfield Road, Nottingham, gathered some early cars together for a special showroom display. The oldest was Keith Mitchell's 1914 9.5 hp Standard and the newest a Triumph 2000, whilst in between came a rare 1929 Triumph 'Super Seven' 2-seater, a 1936 Triumph Vitesse, and a 1953 Triumph Renown. Even a few 'potted palms' were brought in to re-create the vintage atmosphere and the display attracted a great many visitors to the showroom.

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about A K Austin Ltd of Nottingham or any other Nottingham area Standard Triumph dealer 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

See also my earlier post about Mitchells of Nottingham the area Triumph distributor.

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: A K Austin Ltd of  Mansfield Road photos from PictureThePast website; A K Austin Ltd advert from August 1967 from Tollerton Village History Group website; Fifty years with Standard Triumph photo from the Standard Triumph Revire February 1963.

Bunny Garage (Nottingham) - Triumph car dealer 72A

Bunny Garage (Nottingham) are the feature business of this short  post about Standard Triumph car dealers in Nottingham.

Bunny Load

During August 1966 six of the famous Bunny girls of Playboy Enterprises visited the Bunny Garage, at Bunny, Nottinghamshire. While there they posed in a Triumph Spitfire.

Bunny Garage (Nottingham) Ltd of Loughborough Road, Bunny 'Phone 211281.

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about Bunny Garage (Nottingham) Ltd, 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

See also my earlier post about Mitchells of Nottingham the area Triumph distributor.

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:Photo from the Standard Triumph Review October 1966.

Mitchells of Nottingham - Triumph car dealers 72

This article is about Mitchells of Nottingham and is number 72 in my continuing series about Standard Triumph car dealers.

F Mitchells, Derby Road March 1949

F Mitchell (Nottingham) Ltd were the distributor for Standard Triumph cars for many years. They operated from premises on Derby Road, Nottingham.  In 1953 Who's who in the Motor Industry which ca be viewed on the garaceguide website:

Car and Light Commercial Vehicle Stockists. ta, Derby Road, Nottingham Telephone: 2814. Directors: F. Mitchell (Managing). J. D. Mitchell. J. P. Mitchell. Works Manager: E. Rawson.

F Mitchell colour advert

The enterprise changed both name and ownership over the years.  F Mitchell became Truman Mitchell and then Mann Egerton.

Police Triumph 2000

Police Triumph 2000 - October 1964

Seen at the Coventry factory in October 1964 was the police 2000 seen above. It was one of a fleet of such vehicles supplied to the Nottingham City Police by F Mitchell (Nottingham) Ltd, Standard Triumph distributors, and was brought to the factory by three senior police officers accompanied by Mr. J. V. Milestone, sales manager of Mitchell's.

1966 Round Britain Run

The first stop on the 1966 Round Britain Run was at F Mitchell (Nottingham) Ltd where refreshments were served to all the crews.  1966 was the first running of the Round Britain Reliability Run.

Tax disc holder

I found this image of a plastic tax disc holder on facebook.  Caxton license holders were produced for many car dealers.

F Mitchell (Notts) Ltd tax disc holder

Show and Service Week promotion

Staff from Standard Triumph HQ visited the business and assisted the firm with a week long Show and Service promotion at their Derby Road Street premises: 17th to 21st October 1960.

Competition Spitfire

Mr. Trevor Wombwell of Triumph Distributors F. Mitchell (Nottm.) Ltd, drove his hard-top Spitfire into first place in the Sports Car up to 1200 c.c. Class in the B.A.R.C. Autocross at Hallerton, Notts. It was reported in August 1966 that he had strong opposition and in bad weather which caused track deterioration and several retirements, the standard Spitfire with S.P. tyres, triumphed in its two laps 'against the clock'.

Christmas Cavalcade

Christmas display at F Mitchell (Nottingham) Ltd 1966

I have read that Father Christmas had a novel sleigh when he visited F Mitchell (Nottingham) Ltd, Triumph Distributors, around Christmas time 1966.  He and his gifts were in Mr. Keith Mitchell's 1914, Standard Rhyl two-seater, and 'horse power' was provided by a Triumph 1300, Herald Saloon and Herald Convertible.

Triumph car dealers in Nottingham

1951
A R Atkey & Co Ltd, Lower Parliament Street.
Bennetts (Nottingham) Ltd, 24-30 Shakespeare Street.
R Cripps & Co Ltd, Parliament Street Nottingham
T Shipside Ltd, Lower Parliament Street, Nottingham

1955:
F Mitchell (Nottingham) Ltd, Derby Road. 'Phone 52814.
A K Austin Ltd, 375 Mansfield Road. 'Phone 63251.
Bennetts (Nottingham) Ltd, 24/30 Shakespeare Street. 'Phone 44074.
H Johnson (Cars) Ltd, 249 Sherwood Street. 'Phone 44568.
Morkell & Carnill Ltd, 1 Derby Road. 'Phone 40304.
Nicholson & Myall, 100 Melton Road, West Bridgford. 'Phone 84598.
B & K Thomas Ltd, 17 Loughborough Road, West Bridgford. 'Phone 84736.
Sam Ward & Sons Ltd, Victoria Garage, Trinity Square. 'Phone 42331.

1965:
F Mitchell (Nottingham) Ltd, Derby Road. 'Phone 77701.
A K Austin Ltd, 375 Mansfield Road. 'Phone 63251.
H Johnson (Cars) Ltd, 249 Sherwood Street. 'Phone 44568.
A R & G C Nattriss, 499 Woodborough Road, Mapperley. 'Phone 666i4.
Nicholson & Myall, 100 Melton Road, West Bridgford. 'Phone 84598.
The Chequered Flag (Midland) Ltd, 7 Arkwright Street. 'Phone 892B2.
Sam Ward & Sons Ltd, Cental Garage, Goldsmith Street. 'Phone 42331

1968:
F Mitchell (Nottingham) Ltd, Derby Road. 'Phone 77701.
A K Austin Ltd, 375 Mansfield Road. 'Phone 63251.
East Leake Garage, Main Street, East Leake. ·Phone 377.
H Johnson (Cars) Ltd, 249 Sherwood Street. 'Phone 44568.
A R & G C Nattriss, 499 Woodborough Road, Mapperley. 'Phone 64792.

1970:
F Mitchell (Nottingham) Ltd, Derby Road. 'Phone 77701.
A K Austin Ltd, 375 Mansfield Road. 'Phone 63251.
Bunny Garage (Nottingham), Loughborough Road, Bunny 'Phone 211281
C H Truman & Co Ltd, Huntingdon Street, 'Phone 52991

1972:
F Mitchell (Nottingham) Ltd, Derby Road. 'Phone 77701.
A K Austin Ltd, 375 Mansfield Road. 'Phone 63251.
C H Truman & Co Ltd, Huntingdon Street, 'Phone 52881

1974:
F Mitchell (Nottingham) Ltd, Triumph Corner, Derby Road NG7 2GS. 'Phone 77701.
C H Truman & Co Ltd, Huntingdon Street, NG1 3NJ 'Phone 52881

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about Mitchells of Nottingham, 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 post about Bunny Garage (Nottingham) Ltd

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: All the images including Christmas display at F Mitchell (Nottingham) Ltd 1966 photo are from Standard Triumph Review except for 

• F Mitchell colour advert which featured in a blog called "Write Here at Nottingham Contemporary"https://wayneburrowsnc.wordpress.com/lost-city/ . 
• Tax disc holder image from my own collection.