Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History J.Blake & Co. Ltd.

Blakes used to be in Claughton Road, where B&M is now. In the mid sixties Teddy Herron ( Geo. Herron & Son, Park Entrance) retired and sold up. Blakes, at that time, were a BMC Main Dealer but, as a result of Herrons' closure, took over the Ford Main Dealership.There was a mass exodus from Herrons and many of us moved to Blakes.
In the late sixties the premises were moved to Hind Street, at the back of Central Station, alongside the flyover. The company expanded with the new site comprising of an extensive Panel and Paint dept. and a very comprehensive Parts dept. It became a real hub of the motor industry on the Wirral with their only rival being Bowmans, in Bebington. But they weren't in the same league.
Good times and a good company to work for.

When I lived in B'head and even when I moved to Chester, I always took the firms car to Blakes nr. Central Station. I wasn't paying for the servicing/repairs BUT I used to (initially) put tell-tales on all the stuff they were supposed to check, adjust or replace. Not once did Blakes fail me! They did an A1 job every time.

Maybe they sussed out the tell-tales after a while. ha.ha. A bit late in the day, but thanks detsi & Co.

Possibly co-incidence, but all the tens of thousands of miles I drove in a car serviced by them, I never had one breakdown. Maybe just luck but...........?

I told an old pal and ex-workmate from Blakes that I started this thread and he suggested that I mention STREAKING. Streaking was a big deal at the time and a particular lad, at Blakes, was a very willing participant. We would put him in the boot of a car, stark naked, and drive him to the top of Grange Road (bearing in mind it wasn't pedestrianised then). Upon being released he would leg it down to the bottom where we would have another car waiting for him with the boot open. In he would jump and we would whisk him back to Hind Street.
It might even have been your car we used, Pinz.

Nowt wrong with a good road test!! Geez - some crazy crowd you worked with !! ha.ha.

Of course the ultimate jape would have been to have NO car waiting for him. tee-hee!!

did you work in blakes around 1978 as husband steve worked there then you might know each other the lad with no cloths on was called stevie

Stevie I****** was the culprit. But I had left by '78.

(dodie, I have sent you a p.m.)

Not Blakes but.....
One of my friends started his working life manning the petrol pumps for Bowmans in Parkgate.

Hi,
I started with Blakes in 71 at Claughton road. Ken Egerton was the manager then. It was about a year later when we moved to Hind Street, the bodyshop had moved there first.
I was an apprentice with Richie Downes, I wnet over to Heswall branch.
When I left to work at Vauxhalls Ellesmere Port, it appeared half of Blakes staff followed....incuding our streaker

Thanks for sharing

Ritchies now at Lookers in woodchurch road

I remember him saying he'd never want to work on Vaukhalls

If anyone remebers Dave Wevill...he'd told me Ritchie was working there on Farcebook.

he's on reception

Does he still drive a Reliant?

nooooo the reliant was his dads car who died a couple of yrs ago

does anyone have a picture of the blakes car sales? regards