Thanks to the archives on the Isle of Wight the original registrations still exist for the VDL range – with confirmation that Downing and Donovan registered the car on 8th December 1960. Now a (Mr?) […]
A new photo and a new angle – looking down Victoria Street, in Ryde, this time. The view looks towards the mainland – the Methodist Church at the end of the road (actually located in […]
Two fantastic period photos have been found showing the annual Ryde carnival. The carnival took place around the exact time Rosie was first shown in the Downing and Donovan showroom on Victoria Street in Ryde. […]
SEM – Leatherhead 2001. Despite having all the magazines since 2001 – only during a sort out did this little gem appear. A photo did appear which was taken at this event in May 2001 […]
Our car VDL634 (Y15469CV) was build and despatched from Canley to Munns & Underwood (Portsmouth) through to the Isle of Wight Distributor Downing and Donovan August 1960. We know the car was present in the Isle of […]
A very early photo – just look at the cars! It’s great to see this angle though – was VDL634 in the showroom part of the garage from September 1960 through ’till December 1960 – […]
This great photo has emerged with a couple of names too. Garage owner Ralph Shotter is here on the left, shaking the hand of a customer? In the background is Brian Shotter with the glasses […]
An early nameplate? All other references I have, have the telephone number as 2043. Downing & Donovan nameplate
Ryde Garage, Downing and Donovan – from a Standard Triumph dealership in the sixties and seventies to a Lancia dealer in the 1980’s. After an appeal on Facebook for names – below are some that came […]
The original advert, direct from Microfilm isn’t the best quality so it has been recreated (almost) exactly the same as the original albeit a lot clearer. This is the first draft.
