We came across this 1940 advertisement for Plymouth, place by the Begg Motor Company, which had dealerships in Victoria and Duncan.

In 1926, the Begg Motor Company retained Victoria architect Ralph Berrill to design and build a new showroom at 865 Yates Street in downtown Victoria. That building is still standing at 865 Yates Street / 1250 Quadra Street. The Begg Motor Company still occupied 865 Yates Street when this advertisement was published in 1940.

This advertisement also states that the Begg Motor Company also had a dealership location on Government Street in Duncan. At that time Government Street in Duncan was part of the main north-south Island Highway, so it made good business sense to locate car dealerships and garages along Government Street.

We will do some research to see which building the Begg Motor Company occupied in Duncan. But here is a Google Street View image of the former Begg Motor Company location at 865 Yates Street in downtown Victoria.

We came across this 1940 advertisement for Dodge, place by the Begg Motor Company, which had dealerships in Victoria and Duncan.

In 1926, the Begg Motor Company retained Victoria architect Ralph Berrill to design and build a new showroom at 865 Yates Street in downtown Victoria. That building is still standing at 865 Yates Street / 1250 Quadra Street. The Begg Motor Company still occupied 865 Yates Street when this advertisement was published in 1940.

This advertisement also states that the Begg Motor Company also had a dealership location on Government Street in Duncan. At that time Government Street in Duncan was part of the main north-south Island Highway, so it made good business sense to locate car dealerships and garages along Government Street.

We will do some research to see which building the Begg Motor Company occupied in Duncan. But here is a Google Street View image of the former Begg Motor Company location at 865 Yates Street in downtown Victoria.

We came across this 1931 advertisement for Willys cars and trucks placed by the Victoria Willys dealer, Thomas H. Weeks & Sons Ltd., 968 Yates Street. According to the advertisement there were two other Willys dealers on Vancouver Island in 1931: Ira E. Lowe in Ladysmith and Joseph Hemm in Courtenay.

Notice that safety glass, now standard on all vehicles, was optional on the Willys Six but standard on the Willys Eight and Willys-Knight.

Here are some videos showing 1931 Willys models:

Here is a video showing a 1930 Willys Whippet Six:

Here is a video showing a 1930 Willys Whippet:

Here is a video showing a 1928 Willys Whippet Cabriolet:

968 Yates Street, where the Victoria Willys dealer was located in 1931, is still standing although it is now renumbered as 966 Yates Street. Here is a map showing its location:

Here is a Google Street View image of 966 Yates Street as it appears now:

Here is a 1931 Victoria newspaper advertisement for Dunlop Tires featuring British racing driver Sir Malcolm Campbell (1885-1948), who set several world speed records on land and water during the 1920’s and 1930’s.

Here are some videos of contemporary news reports about Sir Malcolm Campbell:

Sir Malcolm Campbell’s son, Donald Campbell (19121-1967) also set several world speed records.

Here is a documentary about Donald Campbell:

Here are some contemporary news reports of the 1967 crash which killed Donald Campbell:

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Here is a 1947 advertisement for Dunlop Tires featuring British racing driver John Rhodes Cobb (1899-1952), who set a world speed record of 394.1 miles per hour in 1947.

This speed record was set at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah on 16 September 1947 when John Cobb attained a speed of 385.645 miles per hour on the south bound run and a speed of 403.135 miles per hour on the north bound run. The mean speed of 394.196 miles per hour became the world speed record, breaking the previous record of  369.8 miles per hour which had been set at Bonneville by John Cobb in 1939.

Here are some websites with more information about John Rhodes Cobb:

• LeslieField,com
• Wikipedia

Here is a video of John Coob racing at Bonneville Salt Flats:

John Cobb was killed in 1952 while attempting to set a Water Speed Record on Loch Ness in Scotland. Here are some videos of 1952 news reports on John Cobbs’ death:

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