#lincoln #history #memories #nostalgia #thenandnow #garage #petrolpump
Apologies for the poor new photo in this time shift video, the sun was against me, but I think the old one makes up for it! Our location is on Newport, Lincoln, just north of the Roman Newport Arch that is off to the left of this view.
The new photo shows the relatively new apartment block that replaced Newport Garage that you can see in the old photo from the 1960s. I remember the garage being there, but knew little about it, so most of the info that follows is from members of the “Lincoln then and Lincoln now” Facebook group, who came to the rescue when I asked for help.
It looks like it was there in 1933, and had previously been a blacksmiths. Many “smithies” became garages as people moved from horse to car transportation. Lots of people remember it selling blue three wheeler disability cars at one point, and becoming a Skoda dealer, presumably after a period for Austin as shown in the old photo.. Someone also thought there was a Ferrari in the window at one time? Bob Parker was the owner in the 1970s, and it was where the Mayor’s limo was fueled up as it was handy for the garage round the corner where it was stored. Norman Francis had a bicycle repair business round the back, and people used to leave their bikes there when they went to dances above the Co-op next door. Like most Esso garages at the time it also sold those tiger tails that kids attached to their schoolbags and bikes, when the slogan “put a tiger in your tank” was their marketing pitch 🙂