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Posted By: AR_One Garage Opposite Central Station - 27th Feb 2009 11:55pm
Bit of a long shot this one!

Some distant relatives of mine (Great Grandfather and his brother) used to own a garage in Birkenhead (apparantly) and I have been told it was on Argyle street opposite Central station - could be where the builders yard and National Tyres are now.

Everythings a bit hazy as it's more family folklore than any hard fact but their surname was Wright so it could of been Wright Brothers or similar.

Anyone know what I'm talking about or (even better) have some piccys?
Posted By: scoops Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 28th Feb 2009 12:09am
Strangely enough That location has been discussed and diggingdeeper posted a map here
It looks to me that the baths were where National Tyres is now but the builders yard could have been anything.
Anyway, see what you think.
Posted By: kimpri Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 28th Feb 2009 12:12am
that's the one matey used to be sort of quick fit place. used to do a bit of welding work for them.
Posted By: hoseman Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 28th Feb 2009 9:15am
Your worst website, thurt it was "mad mike"!! Havnt seen Mixies Men for years, still going? Or was it his brother called Mike? They used to live in Upton, I used to live in the next road!!
Mad as abucket of frogs!!
Posted By: bert1 Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 28th Feb 2009 10:32am
Originally Posted by AR_One
Bit of a long shot this one!

Some distant relatives of mine (Great Grandfather and his brother) used to own a garage in Birkenhead (apparantly) and I have been told it was on Argyle street opposite Central station - could be where the builders yard and National Tyres are now.

Everythings a bit hazy as it's more family folklore than any hard fact but their surname was Wright so it could of been Wright Brothers or similar.

Anyone know what I'm talking about or (even better) have some piccys?


I think i can remember a second hand car showroom being right on that corner and then after that it was a exhaust/brake place. I think that would be late 50s early 60s.There was a Wrights garage on Woodchurch Rd, just up from the Halfway House.
Posted By: bert1 Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 28th Feb 2009 11:30am
Originally Posted by bert1
Originally Posted by AR_One
Bit of a long shot this one!

Some distant relatives of mine (Great Grandfather and his brother) used to own a garage in Birkenhead (apparantly) and I have been told it was on Argyle street opposite Central station - could be where the builders yard and National Tyres are now.

Everythings a bit hazy as it's more family folklore than any hard fact but their surname was Wright so it could of been Wright Brothers or similar.

Anyone know what I'm talking about or (even better) have some piccys?


I think i can remember a second hand car showroom being right on that corner and then after that it was a exhaust/brake place. I think that would be late 50s early 60s.There was a Wrights garage on Woodchurch Rd, just up from the Halfway House.


Sorry wrong info, Diggindeeper has just enlightened me, Kirbys garage was in Woodchurch Rd. Wrights garage was by the Prenton Hotel.
Posted By: history Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 28th Feb 2009 7:04pm
There was a "garage" at the bottom of Argyle St South in the 1980's to 1990's. Stone work was blue, it hard large windows. Dont have pics sorry.

You can see the garage in a scene from old footage by the bbc. I dont know if still available.
Posted By: diggingdeeper Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 28th Feb 2009 7:05pm
Here is a map about 1968 showing two garages opposite Central Station, one either side of Argyle Street South Baths. Three of the houses were knocked down at some point, making way for the garage on the left.


Attached picture Map-ArgyleStreetBaths1968c.jpg
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 28th Feb 2009 7:20pm
I remember the garage that was sandwiched between the houses and the old baths. They were pushed for space inside and had a turntable installed to make life easier for shunting the cars around.

Kirbys garage in Woodchurch Road was originally called Hughes & Watts - Motor and Aeronautical Engineers. Can't say I remember too many light aircraft landing round the back for servicing !!
Posted By: bert1 Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 28th Feb 2009 8:02pm

Originally Posted by history
There was a "garage" at the bottom of Argyle St South in the 1980's to 1990's. Stone work was blue, it hard large windows. Dont have pics sorry.

You can see the garage in a scene from old footage by the bbc. I dont know if still available.


I think by that time the garage was a clutch, exhaust and brake replacement center, The type of place where the lad was only trained to do one job, not a proper mechanic.
Posted By: jimbob Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 28th Feb 2009 9:33pm
the garage on the corner at the bottom of Argyle Street south was called Central motors and they sold New Cars. My uncle bought a Hilman minx from them in 1954, the a morris oxford in 1956, a morris oxford again in 1958 and then a MG Magnet in 1960, kept the Mg Magnet as his sunday car and got a austin A40 new shape in 1960 as his daily run arround car, followed by a austin 1100 when they first came on the market. yep money in the family in those days. good old tory goverments where a blessing then. ha ha
Posted By: AR_One Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 1st Mar 2009 7:17pm
Wow, not looked for a couple of days and there's loads of info.

Thanks everyone!
Posted By: uptoncx Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 2nd Mar 2009 11:27pm
Probably not the right wright, but the Wrights garage by the Prenton Hotel mentioned by Bert started out as Forde and Right in the early 1900s. They had premises at 14 Balls Road and 40a Beresford Road

[Linked Image]

Before 1920, the name had been changed to R.E.Wright & Co, and they had another garage at 32a Grange Mount.

In the mid 1940s they moved to a much larger garage in Borough Road.

Posted By: AR_One Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 3rd Mar 2009 10:29am
Thanks, I'll have to try and find someone still alive to confirm this is what we're talking about!

Posted By: AR_One Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 27th Mar 2009 10:50pm
Update:

Family strikes again - seems someone game me the wrong name for that part of the family - it would be Wilde not Wright so that might jog any memorys in someone?
Posted By: bert1 Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 28th Mar 2009 7:22am
Originally Posted by AR_One
Update:

Family strikes again - seems someone game me the wrong name for that part of the family - it would be Wilde not Wright so that might jog any memorys in someone?


Are you now looking for a Wilde in connection with the garage at central station ? I hope you know since you started this, GM have nearly gone bankrupt and the whole of the British car industry are on short working weeks. You will have to be more careful. raftl
Posted By: AR_One Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 2nd Apr 2009 10:33pm
I know the entire failure of the car industry is my fault (well actually my family who can make up their mind which side of their ancestors that they were talking about!).

Yes same place but the name is Wilde not Wright but I did love that old photo and wish that it was of my family too!
Posted By: dougthepiano Re: Garage Opposite Central Station - 13th Feb 2013 1:57am
I remember Victor Horseman,s garage ( Liverpool based ) having a car showroom on that site - followed by a sheds / greenhouse outfit by the name Sutcliffe,s on that site ( late 50s -early 60s. )
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