Hi Scott,

No, I've never been to Lynton in my life, I found the information and photos by doing a quick bit of research on the net. However being a life long railway enthusiast, I'm very familiar with the history of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway. I actually live in the far North East of England - a round trip to Lynton for me would be roughly 800 miles and take around 12 hours!

Jeff.

Location: Almost but not quite, the far North East of England

I was most interested to see the photograph of Prideaux's garage, as we published same photograph in the Vintage Austin Register's 2009'Spring' edition of our magazine.
The photograph was published in the book 'Lynton & Lynmouth by John Travis. Nothing unusual there, but then Dave Whetton of the Dorset Austin Seven Club sent me a copy of the same photograph - same cars, same drivers standing next to the cars, BUt the sign above the garage read 'DUSTON GARAGE' with an address of 711, Peveril Road, Dunston, Northampton. ,
I did try to get an answer from the people at DUSTON but they did not reply to my enquiry.
Interestingly, the registration numbers on the beautiful Edwardian Austins would certainly indicate that they were registered in Devon, so, without a doubt the Prideaux's garage photograph is the genuine one.
So why would DUSTON use a photograph of someone else's premises I wonder?
Answers on a postcard please...........
Jim

Location: The Tropical Isle of Sheppey

I have seen exactly the same photo (possibly here ) with the signwriting for a garage for Beaminster in Dorset, early Photoshop maybe ?

Interesting Jim and Nigel regarding the apparent multiple locations given for the Lynton photo - presumably the original publisher of the postcard saw an opportunity to market his copyright image to other garage owners simply by hand photo retouching the facia board to suit. I have to say that now you mention it, even the Prideauxs' postcard looks to have been retouched in a number of areas - so whether the original photo was actually of their garage in Lynton is without additional contemporary photographic proof, impossible to say.

Here's another postcard showing Prideauxs' Barnstaple Square garage with the words 'Austin Cars' clearly shown on the fascia board. The building still exists but is now trading together with the taller building to its left as the Bike Shed.







Jeff.

Location: Almost but not quite, the far North East of England