Aston's Garages and Light Cars

Hi, Light Cars Ltd was part of Astons of Coventry owned by William (Bill) Aston and his brothers John, Charlie and Harry. Bill was the main man. He had branches in Lower Ford St on both sides and on the corner of Vecqueray St and at Spon End. New and used cars, motor cycles, three wheelers,and commercial vehicle sales and repairs were run from these sites, prior to Bill spotting the opportunities in property development and rental both in Coventry and further away. A true entrepreneur with great vision.

Wasn't he connected with High House Tennis Club on Warwick Road, opposite KHVIII?

Yes, Bill was an active member and a top local player. I lived above the clubhouse in one of his flats, and spent a lot of time watching the club and individual matches played there, also time spent weeding, grading and rolling the courts prior to the matches.

Astons Garage operated from Gosford Street, Spon End and Lower Ford Street Run by the Aston Brothers known for Austins, Reliants, BSA and secondhand cars Bill Aston well known for buying a Batomobile and FAB1 and 1FAB now owned by Chris Evans (Please help Chris Evans' charity event driving a pink Rolls Royce around the country with FAB1 on it) Astons were associated with Astons Coaches at Marton In due course I will start posting photos and stories but in the meantime let's have your memories

Hi David Aston's was more Far Gosford Street than Gosford Street. They did once apply for permission for a permanent building in Gosford Street but were refused as the area was shortly to be redeveloped. This is the Light Car division at Nos 4-7 Far Gosford Street next to Bednell's TV shop: Pictures of Coventry

I remember going past Aston's regularly on the number 1 bus from KHVIII to Clay Lane. Circa 1972 Aston's had a Triumph Hurricane motorcycle mounted on an upstairs gantry that was a joy to behold through the smoke filled upper deck of Coventry Transport's finest! I loved that motorbike, but it was a mere dream for a 16 year old penniless schoolboy. These days the Triumph Hurricane can command a second-hand price of up to £23,000!!! Not a bad investment!

Here you are, not Triumphs but some interesting BSAs These photos Copyright of Aston Family, please feel free to print them

Gosford Street showroom. Anyone buy a car from here?

That's actually the corner of Vecqueray Street and Far Gosford Street in the early 1960s. I used to pass it every day on the way to and from school but it looks very different from how I remember it.

This showroom was built on bomb damaged ground about 1948 by the four Aston brothers themselves without planning permission for which they were fined £50. This made the national papers and Harry Aston told me that they had donations from all over the country which paid their fine over and over again.

Cheers Colin I'm curious that they used the sun ray motif so prominently as it was more typical of a pre-war design. Did they perhaps recycle the glass from another building?

Morning dutchman, yes I think it would be recycled glass as nearly all the building material was. I can remember them building it, give them credit they worked very hard at it.

I bought a Triumph Tiger 110 from Astons. Fantastic bike but a faulty oil pump led to a seized engine and me ending up wrapped around a tree on the central reservation outside Whitley Hospital as it was then (opposite Riverside Close). I was very lucky as I collected grazes and bruises but nothing more serious. Fair play to Astons, they sent a vehicle out to collect the bike and within a fortnight they had done an engine rebuild and resprayed the "dustbin" rear wheel cover. I also bought a Moggy 1000 Traveller from them which was a good motor so all in all not a bad firm.

High House Scooter Club 1959 Anyone out there who was a member? Where did they go?

Harry Aston, one of the Aston brothers, started a motor cycle repair business in Tile Hill Lane before the war