Bill Baxter

of

Moir & Baxter's Garage

Comely Bank Edinburgh

Bill Baxter polishing his Austin Healey

In the background, Fred Blick's 1929 Austin 7

Bill Baxter with Austin Healey and 1939 Austin 7

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to Fred Blick, Stafford, Staffordshire, England

 

Viewforth Coachworks

Thank you to Fred Blick, Stafford, Staffordshire for allowing me to reproduce this photograph.

Fred wrote:

Bill Baxter

"I have been searching the web for Bill Baxter of Moir & Baxter whom I knew on National Service in the Army in about 1955.  If alive, he must be 80, like me.

Answer

Thank you to George Roy who replied, telling me that Bill Baxter is still alive, and how to contact him.  (Details have now been passed on to Fred Blick.)

George wrote:

"My late father, who originally had a Roy's Garage at Abbeyhill, was a business associate of  Bill Baxter (and his father).

Mr Baxter is still alive.  He, in fact, last spoke to my mother last September at the time my father sadly passed away.

George Roy, Hong Kong:  March 29+30, 2009

He was keen on cars then.  Here is a photo of him cleaning his Austin Healy sports car, with my vintage Austin 7, 1929, behind him.  I rediscovered the photo only a year or two ago."

RASC, Farnborough

"The photo was taken in front of the Officers' Mess of 2nd Battalion, RASC, Farnborough, Hampshire. I would love to let him have a copy of the photo as it will bring back many memories of our army days.

Since my National Service days I have seen Bill Baxter only once and briefly - about 25 yeas ago and quite by accident in Henderson's Vegetarian Restaurant in Edinburgh, when my wife and I were there during the Festival period. He he was immediately recognizable and little changed, the same genial, easy going friend."

New Car

"Bill was instrumental in my buying my first new car when in the Army in 1955, an Austin A30 from his Edinburgh family firm.   New cars were then difficult to get, believe it or not, with a long waiting list for customers.

My wife and I celebrated collecting this car (which was equipped with a heater for the first time in our experience) by turning the heat on in midsummer, thereby sweltering all the way home because we did not know how to turn it off while on the move! Such happy and simpler days."

Fred Blick, Stafford, Staffordshire, England:  August 11 + 12, 2009

 

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