Car Dealers, Garages, Petrol Stations

Brandish's had a Daimler dealership in Whitefriars Street

No.1 would be Swan Lane Garage's 'other' site. Dad bought his new Escort from there in '71 (and I think his previous car, a 100E Popular Deluxe - which eventually became my first car) was also from there.

After the war my late grandfather, Richard (Dick) Twigger of Raleigh Road built and ran The Three Tuns Garage on White Street. I'm presuming on the bomb-site of The Three Tuns pub? He bought and sold cars, vans and motorbikes and used to hold motor auctions on Saturday mornings. We have no photographs of the premises which were sold on sometime in the late fifties and I wondered if anyone has any photos or other memories of the garage.

Welcome to the forum Tim The Three Tuns pub was in Warwick Row and was never bombed. To the best of my knowledge the garage in White Street was always known as "The Swanswell Garage"

Three Tuns Garage, White Street, tel. 62086 - 1954 Telephone Directory Swanswell Garage, White Street, tel. 62086 - 1957 Telephone Directory

Thanks for that. I've consulted my father a bit more and he tells me the garage was in fact built on the site of a doctor's house but has no idea where the 'Three Tuns' name came from. Perhaps that's where the idea was concocted over a few pints!! The telephone directory entries are really interesting, apparently my grandfather was originally in partnership with a chap named Payne who eventually bought the business out in the fifties and changed the name. It seems then that the Swanswell Garage was the successor to The Three Tuns. As a point of interest I still have my grandfather's last car, a 1961 Morris Minor still with original Coventry registration number, purchased by him in 1964 from the Parkside Garage Ltd, it's fully operational and on the road but only when it's sunny.

I suspect that was Charles Payne who owned a number of TV, radio and music shops in the area. A planning application dated 1955 shows the name of the garage had already changed by then.

When I was at art college in Ford St in the mid 60s Swanswell Garage was directly opposite. I think my dad was one of their best customers

Hello, I am researching the history of my Triumph Herald DUE142K and registered in July 1971. Can anyone remember any Triumph dealers of that time, in and around Coventry, which may still in existence in some form, so that I can contact them? Perhaps a member actually owned it? Thanks for your interest. Paulg

I think you'll find that was Swan Lane Garage Matchle55. Swanswell Garage was on the corner of Wheatley Street

The UE registration mark is issued by Warwickshire. The card index for Warwickshire marks from AC to TWD-N is complete and held at Warwickshire Record Office, Priory Park, Cape Rd, Warwick, CV34 4JS Tel: 01926 738 959 Email:recordoffice@warwickshire.gov.uk Open Tue to Sat (BUT closed on first full week of every month) DUE 142K

Have you considered getting a Motor Heritage Certificate? I have one for my old Mini (Surrey registered, not Coventry unfortunately) and it states on there the dealer the car was originally built for. It also contains a lot of other interesting information such as the precise days it was on the assembly line at Longbridge etc.

Yes, Swan Lane Garage listed at 10 Ford Street

Looks like a triumph herald on top of the Parkgate garage on Parkgate Road, were they dealers?

My dad bought a brand new Triumph Herald estate from Newsomes on Kenpas Highway in May 1965. I still remember going with him to collect it. The reg no was CRW 841C.He still had it when he passed away in 2003. Love to know where it is now.