Business in 1930s: Mayo garage cash books found in biscuit box tell a story
By Tom Gillespie
CASTLEBAR garage proprietor Gabriel Downes, while trying to trace a leak in his upstairs premises on Spencer Street, in the county town, discovered a stash of old cash books that were kept by his grandfather, William Downes, in the 1930s.
They contained the day-to-day records of business transactions at the garage.
Gabriel told me: “I had a leak upstairs and I was rooting around to see where it was when I came on an old tin biscuit box.
“When I opened it I found a number of cash books dating from December 31, 1937, to 1946. Two of the books were from the Munster & Leinster Bank in the name of my grandfather, William Downes, of Blackfort, Castlebar.”
William had established the business in 1937.
Gabriel continued: “My grandfather died in 1966 and my father, Henry, then 34 years, took over the business. He had been working in the garage from the age of 16. I started there in 1981.
“There is a four-poster lift here. It is a Laycock lift, a Coronation lift of 1953, and it has been in operation ever since. I had a couple of issues with it. It is a chain-screw lift. I put in an ordinary two-post lift 15 years ago and the company who installed it for me were able to get screws for the four-post lift, but the four screws were the price of the two-post lift.
“I am the third generation here. I don’t believe any garages seeking planning permission now would get the go ahead for a town centre garage. Such developments would have to be on the outskirts of town or in an industrial estate.”
He went on: “We had petrol pumps outside on the street up to the late 1970s. The tanks are located in the middle of the floor of the garage. You would not get away with that under health and safety today.
“My neighbour Henry Horkan, who does picture framing, had a compressor when he started that he bought from Roadstone. But the motor to drive it seized up. He took the motor from the petrol pump and it is still going today.
“On examining the cash books I found that on December 31, 1940, there was £1,661 brought forward, which in today’s terms would be savage. There is also a record of cheques paid out and received as well as cheques returned.
“In accounts from 1954 there are a lot of names that older generations would remember. I found that an uncle of my wife, Annmarie (nee Deane), worked in the garage.”
He said before the garage was built there were three houses on the site, adding: “Johnny Mee was born in one of them and Mike Scriney in another.”
On August 31, 1939, William Downes paid his ESB bill, which came to £2-3-11. On November 3, the ESB bill was £2-19-4 and on May 13, 1943, the bill came to £1-13-1.
In one of the cash books a gentle reminder to customers who had an outstanding account read as follows: ‘Fearing that this account has escaped your notice we venture to ask the favour of a remittance in the course of a few days'. But that going unheeded the following correspondence was sent out: ‘FINAL APPLICATION: Unless this account is paid within seven days we will hand the matter to our solicitors for collection’.
Gabriel also came across a price list for motor cars that the garage had for sale on January 26, 1961, listing the registration, make and price. For example, a 1958 Skoda was priced at £250; 1954 Wyvern £140; 1960 Herald £525; 1954 Zepher £125; 1952 Commer £60; 1958 Hillman £325; 1955 VW bus £325; 1952 Prefect £70; 1957 Morris Minor £300; 1957 Zodiac £350; 1955 Morris Oxford £185; and a 1960 Austin 7 cost £355. A BSA bicycle could be bought for £45.
Gabriel also found a Morris and Riley price list dated June 7, 1962, with the prices for vehicles for retail, trade and a discount.
For example, a Morris mini-van, less passenger seat and heater £465 (retail); £68-10-0 (discount) and £399 (trade); Morris mini-van, with passenger seat less heater £474-10-0 (retail); £69-10-0 (discount) and £399 (trade); Morris mini-van, with passenger seat and heater £484-10-0 (retail); £70-10-0 (discount) and £416-10-0 (trade); a Morris Oxford Traveller, series VI, with heater and heavy duty trees £849-10-0 (retail); £127 (discount) and £725 (trade).
Gabriel’s father, Henry, was deeply involved in soccer in Mayo and was a founding member of a go-kart club which was established in Castlebar in the 1960s. In July 1964 they opened a go-kart track at Keelcoil, Breaffy.
Earlier, the club staged a series of go-kart races around the streets of Castlebar, using the loop - Ellison Street, Castle Street, the Mall and back onto Ellison Street.
* Gabriel Downes pictured above with the old cash books he found at his garage on Spencer Street, Castlebar.