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Does anyone have any information on a Fiat car agency - M ROSS BROWNE of Trinity Square?

They operated around 1913

Possible that the " Ross " was a relative of the BMC agency CHALLANDS ROSS who operated from premises on Canal Street in the '60s

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Many thanks Littlebro. Most interesting. My post relates to a newly found 1913 Fiat which retains the supplier's plaque ( Ross Browne etc ) on the dash. Ross Browne himself seems to evade research!

Cliff Ton: Thanks. I bought my first MGB from them in 1969! They were friends of my father. I picked up the car, forgot to pay them and after a month they rang " kindly asking whether a cheque might be forthcoming" !!

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Does anyone have any information on a Fiat car agency - M ROSS BROWNE of Trinity Square?

They operated around 1913

Do you have any more details of the address rather than just 'Trinity Square'? In those days Trinity Square didn't have many places suitable for a car dealers. I wonder if it was the building/garage later used by Sam Ward's.

trinity-1.jpg

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His first name was Michael . I don't have any credits to view the full article but I believe at a trial for some motoring offence Michael Ross Browne was described as the first licence holder in Nottingham . There are also many adverts for bus tours starting from his premises in Trinity Sq.

In 1915 there is a winding up of a Yarn Agents business in Nottingham with the names Michael Ross Browne and a Herbert Case .

My guess , judging by the dates of his adverts he sold the garage business in 1925 . Sam Wards adverts started in 1926 , so it maybe was the same premises .

If you scroll down the pages here from 1914 there are many repeat adverts from Ross Browne for Fiat cars.

http://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/newspapers/results?&firstName=&lastName=ross+browne&county=ALL&keywords=fiat&includeVariants=true&pageNumber=1&region=East+Midlands%2C+England

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Thanks to both Giga Notts. & Super Notts.

I had quite forgotten Ward's Garage and agree it would be about the only suitable place in Trinity Square. Thanks for the photo.

Unfortunately there is no more info. on the plaque to pinpoint the garage.

Ross Browne appears not to have lived in Nottinghamshire as he is not listed in Nottinghamshire Register of Motor Cars for 1903, which incidentally shows a total of 125 persons holding licences at that time.

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Thanks to both Giga Notts. & Super Notts.

Actually, you were reading the wrong bit :cool: . It was DAVIDW and Cliff Ton, but I'm sure no-one will be offended.

To prove it, here's a map of Trinity Square in the 1920s where the Garage - and lack of alternative - stands out.

garage1.jpg

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Thanks. Sorry about the wrong titles! I can just about remember Ward's Garage there.

Finally researched Ross Browne. Ross was a forename, with Michael. Born 1995, originally a Yarn Agent. Married a widow in 1895 but divorced her in 1903. Not certain when he became a motor agent but died in 1928. Lived his whole life in Nottingham but why was he not listed in the Register I mentioned above?

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I have not seen the Nottinghamshire Register of Motor Cars but does this cover the city as well as the county? They were 2 distinct registration authorities. City cars initially registered 'AU' and county 'AL'

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Managed to extract a bit more (free) info about Ross Browne licence maybe it was a trade one ?

MOTOR LICENCE HOLDER IN TROUBLE. For using motor car under a limited trade licence on Sunday, June 10th. in which persons in

addition to the driver were carried, Michael Ross Browne, of Trinity-square, Nottingham, was fined 10s. Mr. H. B. Clayton,
who,..... motor licence-holder in Nottingham, and it was absolutely clean. Under the limited trade licence he was entitled to
demonstrate and test cars on Sunday, but not to carry passengers. On this occasion had been out testing a car. and picked up two
lady friends........
Nottingham Evening Post
East Midlands, England
16/07/1923
Michael Ross Browne, of Trinity-square, Nottingham, was fined 10s. Mr. H. B. Clayton, who defended, pleaded guilty
to technical offence. He said... defendant was the oldest motor licence-holder in Nottingham, and it was absolutely clean.
Nottingham Evening Post
East Midlands, England
16/07/1923
Its not really of any consequence but he must have been born 1869 (not 1995 ;) )and maybe had at least 2 brothers who were good swimmers !
Masters Ross Browne (aged 12 years), Fred. Browne (11 years), Harold Browne (10 years), and Edward Taylor (11 years).
The ornamental swimming of Taylor was greatly admired, as also was the high diving and fast swimming of R and H. Browne.
East Midlands, England
28/07/1882
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Many thanks. Sorry about the typo!. Good point about a trade licence. Am not qualified to comment about the different types in those days. Sadly Fred Browne did not make into it adult life. There were two further brothers and two further sisters making a total of seven offspring.

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Ross Brown were on Trinity Square according to my Kelly's directories of 1916 & 1925

But by 1928(the next Kelly's directory) the business was owned by Sam Ward & Sons Ltd.

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In 1905 , Ross Browne was described as a director for Atkeys Motors . Obviously before he went on his own .

Looks like when younger , Ross Browne and one of the Atkeys were in the same athletics club .I seem to remember Atkeys was a well known car dealer .

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No. Closer to 1916 or even a little earlier. The top model is a Standard Rhyl, circa 1913/14, the bottom a Humber but not sure of the model.

Thanks for the info on RB's directorship with Atkey's. I hadn't realised they had these agencies in their early days. I have always associated them with Austins

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