Maldon's Ruggles and Sons garage caught in 1961 photos

In the early years they were described in very British terms as “motor engineers”.

According to a town guide for 1950-51, there was Bates Motor Works Ltd, then main agents for Austin cars and commercials (as well as being agricultural engineers). Their site has since been replaced by Cooper Court, in Spital Road.

Nearby (also in Spital Road, but at the High Street/Fambridge Road end) was Doe Bros (Motors) Ltd, with garage and showrooms. They were Ford dealers – “sales, service, facilities” and “repairs, overhauls, tyres, accessories” included.

Quest’s (aka Gozzett’s) was a Vauxhall and Bedford dealership, at 127-131 High Street.

And then there was, of course, AW Ruggles & Sons, on The Causeway.

They specialised in Standard and Triumph cars, and Commer commercials, but “all other makes” could be supplied on request.

As well as being a member of the MAA (the Motor Agent Association), they also offered an AA-registered breakdown service and had “cars for hire”.

A later guide of 1960 continues to feature Ruggles and Doe and adds D Houlding & Son, at the Triangle Garage, Heybridge (Morris dealers) and Hunter’s Garage in The Square - “automobile, electrical and mechanical engineers” - who entered the motor trade in 1929 and was the place to go for “good, low mileage, used cars”.

Ruggles' commercial vehicles section (by permission Ralph Springett) (Image: by permission Ralph Springett)

In the same decade we have Gregory’s Motors Ltd, at 118 Wantz Road (now George Tyres) and in the 1971 Town Book the Promenade Garage, opposite the park gates in Mill Road.

Ruggles is one of those good old local names. I am still in touch with a few members of their extended family, in Maldon and much further afield (including America).

And if their dynasty was once synonymous with cars, Sadd’s (that is John Sadd & Sons Ltd) was the equivalent in timber, operating out of Maldon from as early as the 18th Century.

Bring those two Maldon businesses together and you have a remarkable set of photos, taken in 1961 by the late Norman Springett (1900-1969).

They show Ruggles' iconic Causeway garage, where Norman, an ex-Army driver, worked as a salesman.

At that time there were two parts to the garage – one for the cars and the other for commercial vehicles.

The picture of the section for cars looks like something out of a film set for the TV series ‘Heartbeat’. There are BP and Shell pumps and Castrol oils and an office space next to the open garage.

A board declares “Cars for Hire phone 171” and another “New and Used Cars”.

Best of all, peeping out of the opening, there are three contemporary vehicles.

I have it on good authority that these are (from left to right) a Standard Vanguard, a Standard Ten and what looks like a Standard Six Pickup.

The commercial vehicles garage next door appears to be in a relocated aircraft hanger with an additional brick façade and sliding corrugated doors.

The sign confirms that it is home to “Commer Commercial Vehicles 8cwts to 12tons” and standing outside are three of those pristine looking trucks (or at least their cabs).

I am told by friends who know about these things that they are diesel-powered Commer TS3s. Their condition suggests that they are brand new and are being supplied by Ruggles, all bearing the same distinctive livery for “John Sadd & Sons Ltd”, “Telephone 131, Maldon, Essex”, “Builders Materials”.

They are remarkable photos – snapshots in time, somehow strangely familiar, but actually from a very different, now long-gone age (by more than 60 years).

I recently had a walk down Market Hill, over Fullbridge and along The Causeway to try and compare those 1961 views with what is there today.

CSB Autoseekers is now on the site of the former Ruggles garage in Maldon (Image: Stephen Nunn)

Ruggles' former car garage, at number 23, is now CSB Autoseekers second hand/used car specialists, trading since 1989.

Although the signage above the building is quite different, remarkably the basic structure looks like it is still there – including the opening and the adjacent office space.

More problematic, however, is identifying the exact location of Ruggles' commercial site next door.

There is no clear evidence left of it today – it is just an open area occupied by the De Luxe Hand Car Wash and Valeting Centre with an associated forecourt for cars.

It is incredible how things that seem like permanent fixtures change over the decades.

However, thanks to the survival of Norman’s fantastic snaps, we can still look at the Ruggles business all these years on.