Inside the Oxford Motor Garage of 1912

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Sometimes you just wish you could see through a façade or wall depicted in an old photograph. What would be behind that door, that window, in that workshop or in that showroom? It’s only very occasionally that you actually get a glimpse of that. And this is one of those rare occasions.

This here is the forecourt of Oxford Motor Garage (Collins, Kerr & Co Ltd) at 194 Oxford Terrace in Christchurch, New Zealand. It’s photographed in around 1912 by Steffano Webb and the original caption tells us there are "three Buick cars parked on the street and in the premises". From the writing on the glass we can see that the garage was also an agent for Abbott, Rambler and Herreshoff cars. We must admit we did a little search on the latter ourselves.

Anyway, photographer Webb was kind enough not just to take this beautiful shot of the outside, but also one of what’s inside there. And that is least as fascinating. What do we see? Some great belt-driven machinery with wheels and belts going everywhere. There’s a big lathe plus many more tools. Hey, repairs are the speciality here, or so we’ve been able to read on the fascia. There certainly is a lot to see and we haven’t even mentioned the two cars and two bikes. The place may have been cleaned up for the picture but it looks to be a well-organised workshop anyway. Over to you for further identification and expertise!

Words Jeroen Booij. Pictures Alexander Turnbull Library.

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