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Smithfield Garage

Jeanette Barnsley said:
yes they did it was called mermaid motors it then moved to marston green run by malcolm winkley and mike palmer
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Mermaid Motors certainly jogs my memory now you've mentioned it. Was it on Coventry Road or Stratford Road before it moved to Marston Green? Were you at Smithfield Garage at all?
 
vicfarlowe said:
I was in the stores at Smithfield 1972-73. Smashing people to work with but Volkswagen spares always seemed to need chassis numbers for any part and I could not handle it. I remember Les Smith, Hedley Hindmarsh, Allan Corbett, Andy Stevens, Mr Clive, Tony Ticer, Dave Rowley, Tom Gillette, Mr Winkley, Sandra from the office and Martin Broadbent. Smithfield were also BMW agents and I remember sitting in a brand new 2000CS in the showroom.
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My uncle was David Rowley.
Sadly he passed away many years ago.
If you have any old work photos of him could you let me know.
My Mom is still alive and would love to see them.
 
Brookfields Lad said:
I was there about the same time and can remember: Les Smith, Allan Corbett (he went to work at Car Lighting), Hedley Hindmarsh, Tony Ticer, Dave Rowley ( died a few years ago), Tom Gillette, Mr Winkley and Martin Broadbent. I was an auto- electrician with Les Jeans. Gordon (the swimmer), he was the workshop foreman/tester. I sometimes see him in Sutton. Roger the workshop foreman. Terry Blizzard (mechanic) who was a friend of Dave Rowley.
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My uncle was David Rowley.
Sadly he passed away many years ago.
If you have any old work photos of him could you let me know.
My Mom is still alive and would love to see them.
 
Rob C said:
Hi
I'm researching the Smithfield garage site, Meriden Street , Digbeth.
Using Kelly's directories, I've found that there was a Basket Manufacturers there beforehand and also a Branch of the King Edward VI school.

Does anyone know any details about these or have any images?
Also, does anyone know much about the Smithfield Garage? Or know anyone that used to work there?
Cheers

Rob.
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Good Evening, Thank you for having me! Through 1967 and 68 I raced in Formula Vee for European Cars, a VW dealer in London. Smithfield Garage in Birmingham also sponsored a car in this class which was driven by Bob Mason who, I believe, also worked for Smithfield. I'm guessing that some posters on this forum would have known him, hopefully still do. Can anybody shed some light, what became of him, is he still alive, where does he live now, how to contact him..........hope somebody can help! TIA.
 
Mike.M said:
Good Evening, Thank you for having me! Through 1967 and 68 I raced in Formula Vee for European Cars, a VW dealer in London. Smithfield Garage in Birmingham also sponsored a car in this class which was driven by Bob Mason who, I believe, also worked for Smithfield. I'm guessing that some posters on this forum would have known him, hopefully still do. Can anybody shed some light, what became of him, is he still alive, where does he live now, how to contact him..........hope somebody can help! TIA.
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Welcome to BHF Mike! A really good place with great folks, having said that I hope that someone can help you.
 
The Digbeth branch (newly extended) proudly displaying a VW Beetle in 1978. The location: corner of Digbeth and Meridan Street. Presumably, the showroom was the building to the right in the modern view (now demolished). Maybe that's where the wells were located (beneath the building encased by concrete). Interesting that this location was once known as "Meriden Wells".

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Source: British Newspaper Archive

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This was the Smithfield Garage building in 1972

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Source: British Newspaper Archive
 
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Evidence of the Smithfield premises still exists today in Meriden Street. Mikejee photographed this section of Meriden Street back in the 1970s (see post #6). And elbrown did so 11 years ago (post #10). Nothing seems to have been done to the structure in that time.

A report on Geograph noted in 2011: "Some years ago archeological investigations were made in part of the site, which revealed medieval pottery fragments and other evidence from that period"

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