Selsdon Garage

A Memory of Selsdon.

In 1964 I started work as an apprentice mechanic at Selsdon garage, which can just be seen at the start on the right of this photo. The main range of vehicles repaired was mostly BMC though we would work on all makes of cars, from Fords to Jaguar. There was about 6 mechanics, 1 forman and 2 apprentices.The garage was owned by a Mr Bailey and his two sons Jeff and Tony ran it. It was a very happy time and we all got on well together. As apprentices we would have to go and get the cakes for tea breaks and I can remember going to Montys bakers about 3 shops up, they used to do lovely jam donuts - they were quite dark and greasey and full of jam about a thosand calories a bite!
There used to be a ballroom above the garage and on the top floor at the back was some kind of homework unit that used to give buttons out to be painted at home.
I am sad that I never took a photo of the garage, the last time I saw it it was in disrepair and covered in graffiti. It should of been a listed building, I was sorry to see somewhere with such good memories looking so bad.
Im now retired in Broadstairs working as a mechanic for most of my life for Royal Mail in Margate, and purchased this photo to remember all my old friends at Selsdon garage!

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Added 01 August 2013

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Comments & Feedback

I remember Baileys garage very well. My mother worked at Monty's bakery next door and as a pre schooler I stayed with a lady called Mrs Jordan, I think, she lived above the garage. She had two little girls.

By clematis on Mon Dec 22nd 2014, at 4:09 am

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Yes I remember the garage. Did it become a Budgen's supermarket? Barry, I would have walked past the garage on my way to school... if we went the long way round past the sweet shop. Was the sweet shop called Hackett's?

By Clare Benson on Wed Jan 21st 2015, at 12:03 am

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In response to Clare, I think it may have been a David Greig supermarket which was built behind the garage. (Could be wrong.) But I think you're right about the sweet shop name. Rings a bell with me. I used to spend my Saturday sixpence pocket money in there and it was always a protracted dilemma between choosing as many different little items (flying saucers, fruit salads, black jacks, white choc mice, Climpies boiled sugar balls, Parma violets, aniseed balls, sherbet dips, 'telephone wires' liquorice, wiggly snake chew) as possible, and blowing half on a Jamboree bag, which might contain a toy you didn't want.

By T Kent on Wed Jan 21st 2015, at 11:07 am

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To Barry
I too think it's a terrible shame that the Art Deco building wasn't restored. There's a superb example of just such a thing (complete with reconditioned old-fashioned petrol pumps) in Worthing which has been converted into a private residence and looks gorgeous.

By T Kent on Wed Jan 21st 2015, at 11:12 am

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To Barry
I am very fascinated of the old times and it is such a shame to go back and find such lovely memories ruined.....My grandfather may of been one of your clients!?
Even if that was many many years ago! I am constantly doing research of the family and I have often been back to Selsdon Surry to see his house I was only 5 years old when he died (now 40) but I remember him,and the house perfectly! It was through the internet that I found my mother's cousins,(I live in Italy) they lost contact in 1948 and I reunited my mother with her 6 cousins 8 years ago! Sadly my mum passed away this Christmas so I'm trying to keep all the memories and stories with all the photographs I have.....My mother's name at the time was Margaret Orrick,her dad's name George Orrick,he lived at n. 56 benhurst gardens from roughly around 1925 to 1980 his wife's name was Helen Borrow.....My mother for a period of time lived at n.86 old farleigh road and was married to David.....
My grandfather George Orrick had a electrical power repair factory in strover street Gillingham......I wonder if anyone knew him?

By Melina Margaret Helen Middleton on Thu Feb 26th 2015, at 10:40 am

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I worked as a salesman in the mid 90's when it was called Autotecnic which was owned my the a BMW franchise based on the Brighton Road in Croydon. Occasionally we would unlock the door to the dance floor upstairs and have a look around. It was in a very bad state up there but it was like stepping back in time, there were still signs saying cloakroom which had a 1940's font on the letters, it was very sad to see all that history just go to waste. I've not been back there in 20 years so not sure what has happened to the building now.

By Paolo Bragalone on Sat Sep 24th 2016, at 7:04 am

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Hi Melina, I remember your grandad, Mr Orrick. My family lived next door at no. 54 from about 1976. I was very young and don’t have any specific memories I can share with you, but I can still see his face in my minds eye.

By Julie Webster on Tue Mar 8th 2022, at 7:58 pm

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By Julie Webster on Tue Mar 8th 2022, at 8:00 pm

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