Monday 23 June 2014

Motor Garages or Service Stations

Here are a few photographs of service stations in the region. Service Stations or motor garages were established in most areas after the First World War and into the 1920s. 


This is the garage opened by Lawson Poole in December  1919 on the corner of High Street and Sladen Streets in Cranboure - right opposite the Shire Offices. I believe that the garage was built by Lawson's father, William Burdett Poole for his only son. You can read more about Lawson Poole and his wife Laura, and their contribution to the Cranbourne community here.


South Bourke and Mornington Journal 18 December 18,  1919

 Lawson's 21st birthday party was also held in the newly opened garage as this report on the South Bourke and Mornington Journal of December 19, 1919 attests.

Lawson Poole's garage 
Cranbourne Shire Historical Society photograph

Another view of Poole's garage, above, looking west down Sladen Street - the house next to the garage belonged to the Pooles.


Dusting's garage, Koo-Wee-Rup circa 1926
 Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society photograph

The building on the right, above, is Dusting's garage in Koo-Wee-Rup It was built around 1926 by Ernie Mills and taken over by Robert Dusting around 1930. As you can see by the picture below at sometime fashionable Spanish Mission style architectural details were added to the building - the bricks were rendered and the terracotta tiles were added to the parapet. The building is still standing in Rossiter Road and is now a vet's surgery.

  Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society photograph


The upgrading of Dusting's Garage may have coincided with Mr Dusting securing a Ford dealership - this advertisement was in the Koo-Wee-Rup Sun of September 8, 1932.

 Mills and Davey garage, Koo-Wee-Rup
Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society photograph.

The photograph, above, shows Mills and Davey's garage in Station Street in Koo-Wee-Rup It was built about 1923. They were agents for Dodge motor cars. The building is still standing in Station Street in Koo-Wee-Rup.


This is an advertisement from the Koo-Wee-Rup Sun of January 1924 - for Mills and Davey's 'up to date motor garage' with a 'first-class mechanic, late of Dodge Bros, America'

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