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| ca. 1975 by Andrew Gaylor |
Grandfather founded the garage business at 400 Gallowgate in the east end of Glasgow in 1935. He was joined by his three sons. They were Rootes dealers (latterly Chrysler) and sold new and used cars, petrol, had a spares department and a workshop. They also had a filling station at Muiryfaulds in Shettleston, at the junction of Westmuir Street and Shettleston Road. For a while in the sixties they hired cars and dormobiles (motor homes, see photos below). My cousins and I used to clean them out on Saturdays. From the age of 13, I worked in the office on Saturdays and in the holidays. I did filing, answering the phone and calling for my father or uncles over the tannoy system. I balanced the ledgers using an enormous adding machine. When they didn't balance I did them mentally and we're talking big columns of pounds, shillings and pence. I was allowed to take money to the bank along the Gallowgate in leather pouches. I can remember the occasional £100 note. I wouldn't dream of doing this now.
In 1960 to celebrate 25 years in business they had a big event in the McLellan Galleries in Sauchiehall street. They invited customers and prospective customers to a
Silver Jubilee on the 5th and 6th of April. I have the guest list, the invitations, the thank you letters and publicity photos and I recently came across the following slides.
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think this is Margaret Baird later Mrs James Colquhoun who worked in the office
hire a dormobile for £25 a week
Miss Baird and Mrs McIntosh
Humber Super Snipe Touring Limousine
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| L-R Fay & George, Lena & Cliff, Margaret & Jim, Helen & Ted |
They opened Muiryfaulds filling station in 1962 at the junction of Westmuir St and Shettleston Road in Parkhead with Uncle George in charge. I don't recognise anyone in the photo from the Evening Times of 22 Nov 1962.
The premises at 400-420 Gallowgate in 1975 and after regeneration in the eighties. The only part to be retained (and restored) was an 18th century building seen on the right of the top photo.
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1944
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think this is Margaret Baird later Mrs James Colquhoun who worked in the office
hire a dormobile for £25 a week
Miss Baird and Mrs McIntosh
i worked in the garage in 1975
ReplyDeleteThat must have been just before they moved to Mount Vernon?
ReplyDeleteyes i went up to see dougie and the boys,i met george snr in killwining road ayrshire in the late 80s,not seen young george in many a year ,and he lives not far away ,,loved my time a the gallowgate ,,
DeleteHi Kay,
ReplyDeleteGeorge and Fay are my grandparents, their daughter Liz being my mum. I've heard many a tale of the garage at Gallowgate over the years but never seen any pics until finding your site!
George was seconded during the war due to being a leading mechanic in the area. He become Lead Engineer at Shorts on the Clyde overseeing the installation of Bristol Pegasus engines on Sunderland Flying Boats. Legend has it that one day he took a step backwards to admire his handiwork, fell of the high wing onto the concrete floor and wasn't quite the same again! :-)
Hi kay worked at gallowgate and muiryfaauld in the workshop petrol pumps and the stores with DOUGIE Robertson REGARDS murdo MACRAE
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