Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Garage Opposite Central Station

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?

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.

that's the one matey used to be sort of quick fit place. used to do a bit of welding work for them.

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!!

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.

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.

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.

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 !!

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.

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

Wow, not looked for a couple of days and there's loads of info.

Thanks everyone!

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



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.

Thanks, I'll have to try and find someone still alive to confirm this is what we're talking about!

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?