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Recollections
Moir & Baxter's
Garage
Comely Bank
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1. |
Graeme Charles
MUNRO
Adelaide, South Australia |
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At Work
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Lynn
FULTON
Granton, Edinburgh |
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At Work
update
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Graeme Charles
MUNRO
Adelaide, South Australia |
- Charlie Hedges
- Mechanic Work |
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1
ctd. |
Graeme Charles
MUNRO
Adelaide, South Australia |
- Le Mans
- Carlaw & Baxter |
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2. |
John ROSS
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire,
England |
- Apprentice
- Monte Carlo Rally |
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3. |
Phil WILSON
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire,
Scotland |
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Baxter Family |
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4. |
Frank
ROGERS
Australia |
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1940 |
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5. |
James ALLAN
Australia |
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1960 |
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6. |
Graeme Charles
MUNRO
Adelaide, South Australia |
- Workers
- Cars
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7. |
Fred
BLICK
Stafford, Staffordshire,
England
and reply from
George ROY
Hong Kong |
-
Bill Baxter |
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8. |
Rob GURNEY-SMITH
Cheshire, England |
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Moir & Baxter Badge |
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9. |
Alex LEGGET |
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Apprentices |
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10. |
John BLAIN
Edinburgh |
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Workers |
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11. |
George ROY
Hong Kong |
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Workers |
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Recollections
1.
Graeme Charles Munro
Adelaide, South Australia |
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Thank you to Graeme Charles
Munro for sending me his
recollections
including the following:
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At Work
"I remember:
- Charlie Hedges from London, the
'gruffy parky' in East Pilton Park. I used to take his place
sometimes as I was in the Parks Dept between my trade jobs.
- Charlie Hedges' son, (Charlie),
was my
journeyman when I was apprenticed at Moir and Baxter's garage at
Comely Bank, now a Waitrose supermarket."
Graeme Charles Munro, Adelaide, South Australia; June
26+27, 2006
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Update
Thank you to Lynn Fulton, Granton, Edinburgh
who replied:
"The 'gruff
parkie' in East Pilton Park was my Grandpa,
although to me he was never gruff!
My Granny, Jenny Hedges, also worked in
the park and we spent many happy times there playing putting.
The Charlie Hedges who worked in Moir &
Baxter was my uncle. Ironically he and his family moved to Adelaide
in Australia too and died there a few years ago."
Lynn Fulton,
Granton, Edinburgh: May 25, 2009 |
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Graeme
Charles Munro replied: |
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Charlie Hedges
"Apologies
to the Lynn whose Uncle was Charlie Hedges
Senior. Charlie was
only 'gruff' to the weans. I got on
fine with him.
His son,
the other Charlie, as I said was one of my
mechanics, and indeed I met him here shortly after I arrived in Australia,
at a Burns Supper.
He was as
amazed and overjoyed to see me, as I was him.
I was dancing with my wife when he tapped me on the shoulder:
'Hi.", I never did catch up with him again I am sorry to say and
sorry also he had departed this life.
I used to love when he
started to sing songs at work. He had a
fine voice. His favourite
song of the time was 'I Love
You Any Way You Are'.
Mechanic Work
All
the memories of working at Moir & Baxter are
still with me. I never did get my
indenture papers in Scotland, and had to wait till I got to Australia to
qualify as a mechanic.
I was paid off from M&B,
ands could never get back into the trade due to Abdul Gamel Nasser, who
sank ships in the Suez Canal to stop Brits getting petrol.
It took them years to clear
it and by that time, I lost interest in the motor industry for a while,
and went to repair washing machines and fridges instead.
But just prior to coming here, I got a mechanic's job in Trinity
Road, and ended up the foreman there for some years.
It
went the same way as Moir and Baxters and is a block of
flats now."
Graeme Charles Munro, Adelaide, South Australia;
May 29, 2009 |
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Recollections
1
ctd.
Graeme Charles Munro
Adelaide, South Australia |
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Graeme sent more details of
Moir & Baxter, after reading comments from John Ross and Phil Wilson
(below).
Graeme wrote:
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"It's gie cauld the noo in
South Australia, our winter time!" |
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Le Mans
I knew Mr Baxter Jn in the
early fifties. He was a keen rally driver and took part in the
Le Mans in France. He was the son of the owner of the business at Comely
Bank.
He used to have a Fiat car,
that I bashed at one stage, I never saw it in the dark, and it had been
thoroughly gone over for a Le Man's race in three weeks time.
I got
forgiven as I owned up to it at a mere 16 years of age. |
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Carlaw & Baxter
Moir and Baxters took up
with a Glasgow company, and the name changed to 'Carlaw and Baxter', but
by that time I was well gone from the premises. |
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Graeme Charles Munro, Adelaide, South Australia; June
30, 2006 |
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Recollections
2.
John Ross
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England |
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After reading the comments above, John Ross, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire,
England wrote the message below:
(I have provided the contact details as requested.)
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Apprentice
"I started as an apprentice at
Moir & Baxter
at the same time as Graeme Munro (above). I would dearly love to contact
him by e-mail.
I was working in the Servicing
Department and then went across the road to the Commercial side. I
had a wonderful girl friend who worked in the office. She married senior
storekeeper at Moir and Baxter who was English, approx 1950-51.
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Monte Carlo Rally
I also remember one of the mechanics
servicing boss's rally car. It was being prepared for the Monte
Carlo Rally. I think it was a Lagonda
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John Ross, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England: June 28 + 30, 2006. |
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Recollections
3.
Phil Wilson
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
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Phil Wilson, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland also wrote on the
subject of Moir & Baxter.
Phil wrote:
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Baxter Family
"I notice a couple of your correspondents have
mention Moir & Baxters of Comely Bank. My mother was nanny to the
children of the boss of the company, Bill Baxter, in the 60s and 70s.
I learned to ride a bike for the first time in the garden at
Gogar, the then home of Mrs B's mother, Mrs Barker."
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Austin 1800
"I remember around August/September 1964, when
I was 11 years old, having a ride in the first Austin 1800 to arrive in Edinburgh, driven by Mr B, who was an accomplished rally
driver. The car was officially launched in October 1964.
All I really remember about the event is Bill
B saying that it was the first one, that it was white and rather large,
and the 'new' smell inside (plastic still covering the seats).
I can't remember where we went on our spin. It
didn't seem particularly comfortable or cosy inside, but then no British
car of that price did in those days!"
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"I don't know if Bill Baxter is still alive.
The last I heard from him was a nice letter when my mother died in 1996."
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Phil Wilson, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland: June 27 + September
26, 2006 |
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Recollections
4.
Frank Rogers
Australia
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Frank Rogers,
who has lived in Australia since 1952, wrote: |
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1940
"My first introduction to Moir & Baxter was
in June 1940 as a very young private in the R A S C.
I had been in the army for about two months
and suddenly found myself moved from the heart of Birmingham to Edinburgh
where I underwent a 3-month training course at Moir & Baxter.
Now at the age of 88 I can still look back to
those days. It was not all beer and skittles. I learned a lot
about Edinburgh and Moir & Baxter in the short time I was there, and not
withstanding early war time conditions I consider myself fortunate to have
had the experience." |
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Frank Rogers,
Australia:
June 20, 2008 |
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Recollections
5.
James Allan |
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James Allan
wrote: |
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1960s
"I served my time at
Moir & Baxter, starting
in 1960 in the paintshop. The foreman was Joe Didcock. I remember
Tam Tibbets, George Buchanan, John Robertson, Jimmy Burns, and in the
Commercials, GUS and John Blain.
Lots of mechanics were fired by Jack Johnstone
for coming back drunk and wrecking the canteen one Hogmanay.
I was indentured when I
became 16 and eventually became foreman before I left circa 1971 or 1972. |
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James
Allan, Bo'ness, West Lothian, Scotland: January 11, 2009 |
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Recollections
6.
Graeme Charles Munro
Adelaide, South Australia |
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Thank you to Graeme Charles
Munro who wrote again sending me more of his
recollections of working for Moir & Baxter.
Graeme
wrote
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Workers
"I was at Moir & Baxter in
1956.
I'm sorry
that I don't recall a John Ross, but it was 58 years
ago. John said he was on the
commercial side of the road. The mechanics I remember were Andrew
Jenkins, George Louden, and two others but its been too long for me to
remember them.
I do remember Joe Didcock,
and it doesn't surprise me he was made foreman of the paint shop." |
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Cars
"The mechanical foreman of
my time was George Gray. He used to own a
little Austin 7 Ruby saloon
The Monty Carlo race
Fiat that I bumped was
one of the first cars I ever saw with overhead
cams. The father owned a Bristol car, made by the Bristol Air Company.
They stopped making bombers and decided to make cars!
The Lagonda car mentioned on
your site must have been later, for the next
Monty Carlo race. One of your contributors
talked of an Austin 1800. It was Austin
7's, 8's, 10's,
and 16's when I was at M&B. Then just
before I left, it was the new Austin Devons, Somersets, and Hampshires.
That's when it was still Austin, and not
BMC." |
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Graeme Charles Munro, Adelaide, South Australia;
May 29, 2009 |
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Recollections
7.
Fred Blick
Stafford, Staffordshire,
England |
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Thank you to
Fred Blick, Stafford, Staffordshire, England who wrote:
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Bill Baxter
"I have
been searching the web for Bill Baxter of Moir & Baxter whom I knew
on National Service in the Army in about 1955. If
alive, he must be 80 like me.
(**
See 'Answer' below)
He was keen on cars then.
Here is a photo of him cleaning his Austin Healy sports car,
with my vintage Austin 7, 1929, behind him.
I rediscovered the photo only a year or two ago.
©
RASC, Farnborough
The photo
was taken in front of the Officers' Mess
of 2nd Battalion, RASC, Farnborough, Hampshire. I would love to let him
have a copy of the photo as it will bring back many memories of our army
days
Since my National Service
days I have seen Bill Baxter only once and briefly - about 25 yeas ago and
quite by accident in Henderson's Vegetarian Restaurant in Edinburgh, when
my wife and I were there during the Festival period. He he was immediately
recognizable and little changed, the same genial, easy going friend.
New Car
Bill was instrumental in my
buying my first new car when in the Army in 1955, an Austin A30 from his
Edinburgh family firm. New cars were then
difficult to get, believe it or not, with a long waiting list for
customers.
My wife and I celebrated
collecting this car (which was equipped with a heater for the first time
in our experience) by turning the heat on in midsummer, thereby sweltering
all the way home because we did not know how to turn it off while on the
move! Such happy and simpler days
Fred Blick, Stafford, Staffordshire,
England: August 11 + 12, 2009
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Question
Do you know
if Bill Baxter is still alive, and if so, where he is living. Please
email me if you can help to answer this. Then, I'll pass on your
message to Fred Blick.
Thank you. -
Peter Stubbs: August 15, 2009 |
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**
Answer
Thank you
to George Roy who replied:
"My late
father, who originally had
Roy's Garage at Abbeyhill, was a business associate of Bill Baxter (and his father).
Mr Baxter is still alive. He,
in fact, last spoke to my mother last September
at the time my father sadly passed away.
Dad did a huge amount of second-hand
car business from the late 1930's onwards.
When he sold his garage, around 1966,
he worked as a 'permanent consultant' for Moir
& Baxter, basically selling to the motor trade all the
second hand cars that they took in part-
exchange for new vehicles.
I remember seeing Bill Baxter at
Comely Bank back in the 1960s, always with his pipe and checked
suit, although I don't think I've seen him for at least 40 years."
George Roy, Hong Kong: March 29+30, 2009
George has sent details of how to contact Bill
Baxter to Fred Blick. Fred tells me that he remembers the Bill with
his pipe and and his check off duty suit from the tie when they were in
the Army on National Service together in 1954-55.
Peter Stubbs: March 30, 2009
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Recollections
8.
Rob Gurney-Smith
Cheshire, England |
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Thank you to Rob Gurney-Smith who wrote:
Moir & Baxter Badge
"I own a 1966 Austin Cooper first
supplied by Moir & Baxter. It has the attached badge in it.
I thought this pic of it might bring back memories to some of your
Moir & Baxter members.
©
The car is registered HSG13E. It
is a red and black 998cc Cooper – BMC, delivered it to Moir &
Baxter in June 1966. Itt sat around for over a year before
being sold!"
Rob Gurney-Smith, Cheshire, England: November 14,
2009 |
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Recollections
9.
Alex Legget
Boston, Massachusetts,
USA |
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Thank you to Alexander Legget who wrote:
Apprenticeship
"I served my apprenticeship
with Moir & Baxter 1953-58
and worked as a journeyman for another 4 months
before doing my National Service in the R.E.M.E.
I remember Graeme Munro
who didn't finish his time there
and. Charlie Hedges who was also my
journeyman for a while,
Other
apprentices that I remember were:
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John Ovenstone
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Ian Mackay
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Dave Mackay
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Duncan (Pinocchio) Blane
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Alex McPhee
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Andrew Gillon
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John McLaren
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Alistair Melville
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Johnny Meikle
to name just a few.
I also
remember:
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Freddie Somerville
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George Louden
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Andrew (Geekie)
Jenkins
- Gordon
Campbell
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Jimmie Stobie
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Bob Allan in the
machine shop in the Commercial Dept.
I married a girl Maureen Henry who
worked as the telephonist for the company and we
are still happily married after 52 years.
We have lived in the Boston, USAarea
since 1963.
If Graeme or any other employee would
like to communicate by email I would be happy to hear from them."
Alex Legget, Boston,
Massachusetts, USA: March 17, 2011 |
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Reply to Alex
If you remember Alex and would like to send a
message to him,
please email me, then I'll pass on your message to him.
Thank you.
Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:
March 17, 2011 |
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Recollections
10.
John Blain
Edinburgh |
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Thank you to John Blain, who worked for
Moir and Baxter for over 20 years, for sending me his memories of
the company.
John is now employed by Lothian & Borders
Police in Edinburgh as Senior Vehicle Examiner, responsible for
taxis and private hire cars, and is due to retire on March 30, 2012.
John wrote:
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Workers
"What a surprise to find this web page.
I worked for Moir and Baxter from 1961 and throughout the change of
ownership until I left in 1982 I
remember all the names mentioned on this page.
I remember:
-
Charlie Hedges.
I always knew him as Chuckie Hedges.
- Jock
Dutch who ran the body shop
-
dear old Freddie
Sommerville who was my journeyman for many years
- Vic
Smith springs to mind. He never
liked a drink ,did he?
- Bill
Fowler was the workshop foreman for privates.
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George Gray was the
workshop foreman for commercials.
Jack McCullough, car salesman
- Stewart
Frail, Sales Manager
- Jack
McNight who was the lubrication bay operator
- Jack
Jackson was the Manager.
-
Bob washed the cars
- Billy
Heathcote, who I see from time to time in
Penicuik, married Sandra from the office
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Charlie Greenslade was in reception and
finally workshop controller.
John Blain, Edinburgh:
January 27, 2012 |
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Recollections
11.
George Roy
Hong Kong |
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Thank you to to George Roy, who read
the comments from John Blain, above, and replied:
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George Roy
"John:
I was very interested to read your recollections and I was
wondering if you knew my father (who had the same name as me) during
your time at Comely Bank.
Dad used to work from an office on the
first floor just above where the petrol pumps used to be, but he was
rarely there, being most of the time in the workshops, over in the
sales department or out testing/selling the used cars taken in part
exchange. I hate to think how many
times he must have crossed that road over the years!
Dad retired in 1985, by which time
everything had gone off the rails, with successive name changes
to Carmichael Baxter, then Carlaw Baxter."
Other Workers
"From your
list, I remember Bill Fowler, Fred Somerville and, last but not
least, Stewart Frail
If I take my
mind back to the 1960s and early-1970s, I
recall a lot of the Moir & Baxter's salesmen, many - if not all - of
whom you must remember. Some of them
used to work in the little lane just off Queensferry Street, before
they all moved to Comely Bank:
- Barry
Gray (My mother is still in touch with him.)
- Ken
Riva
- Bill
Forker
- Bruce
MacLeod
-
Alastair Robertson
- Donald
McCausland
- Donald
McLeod
- John
Cowan
- Fred
Hubble
There were also:
- Harry
Allen (Accounts)
- Stuart
Nimmo (Budget car rentals)
and all the
others whose names escape me."
George Roy, Hong Kong:
February 4, 2012 |
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