Pacific Motors, 221 Brisbane Street, Ipswich, 1927 (Image courtesy of Picture Ipswich)
An article appeared in the Queensland Times newspaper on 6 May, 1927 reporting the opening of Pacific Motors Ltd in Brisbane Street, Ipswich. An Oldsmobile car district headquarters and a fully equipped service station, the building was designed by Mr G. Brockwell Gill. It contained a ground floor show room, a workroom plant and internal stairs to a basement. Managed by Mr Melhuish, the service station offered a complete service and specialised in repairs, grease change and car-washing. For the convenience of customers, there were two hoses; one for outside the shop and one for inside use. A small pump in the basement provided lubricating oil and petrol. Three bowser on the footpath each supplied a different brand of oil. The business closed in 1933.
Faulkner Motors, Brisbane Street, Ipswich, 1926 (Image courtesy of Picture Ipswich)
Across the road from Pacific Motors was Faulkners Motors. Originally home to the Old Lyric Theatre, the building was designed by Mr G. Brockwell Gill and built by Mr George Green. Faulkner Motors moved into the building in 1926 after alterations were made to include a large workshop at the back and a garage and spacious showroom at the front.
In 1929 Mr J Faulkner purchased the adjacent premises on the east side of his business. The old building housed by Messrs. Parkinson and Flynn was demolished and a modern brick edificed two storey building with an imposing frontage was built. The architectural work on the new building was done by Mr H N C Wyman and the contract by Mr P J Lye.
The new building was finished in 1930 and the Faulkner Motors’ premises expanded to include the adjacent new two storey building. The ground floor was used as a showroom with offices at the rear. A large ramp was built at the rear to the top floor which was used for storage of cars. A concrete right-of-way in the centre of both buildings was the entrance to both the old building and new premises. By the 1950’s Faulkner Motors had expanded again, this time to the west of their original building, now occupying three shopfronts in the top of town area of Brisbane Street. The business moved to the corner of South and East Street in 1958.
Faulkner Motors, Brisbane Street, Ipswich, 1959 (Image courtesy of Picture Ipswich)
Information taken from “Building Trade Ipswich Activity. New Works and Improvements”, The Queensland Times 14 April, 1927; “Serving Motorists. Up-to-date Service Station”, The Queensland Times 6 May, 1927; “Relief Granted. City Valuations. Many Accept Council’s Offer”, The Queensland Times, 26 July, 1933; “Faulkner Motors’ New Building”, The Queensland Times 19 February, 1926; “Old Building Sold”, The Queensland Times 14 September, 1929; “Faulkner Motors. Attractive New Building”, The Queensland Times 22 March, 1930; Picture Ipswich.