When Woolloongabba was Wattle Scented

Monday, November 8, 2010

Herbert Jones of Brisbane. Direct representative of famous Bosch magneto, ignition coils, and spark plugs; the Perlin storage battery, Mercedes crude oil trucks...........And my Great Grandfather.

 

Opening post. A diversion from the Fortitude Valley proper, just up Anne St. I remember little talk of my Great Grandfather Jones as a kid., what little I could recall was that he had something to do with Bosch products and Mercedes trucks.  I had a look around the newspaper archives and found Herbert Jones and Sons., 476 Adelaide St, Petrie Bight.  That street number doesn't exist anymore but I have taken a guess at where it probably was and plotted on the map below.


 


View The McWhirters Project in a larger map


I have searched for some photos and to date have found a couple.  The photo below was published in The Brisbane Courier... Tuesday July 22 1930, page 7. The caption indicates the photo was submitted by Herbert Jones and Sons and refers to Jones being the Queensland agent for Bosch products.


I have searched for some photos and to date have found a couple.  The photo below was published in The Brisbane Courier... Tuesday July 22 1930, page 7. The caption indicates the photo was submitted by Herbert Jones and Sons and refers to Jones being the Queensland agent for Bosch products.


Herbert Jones was somewhat of a pioneer in the Queensland automotive industry through his agency for Mercedes Benz Trucks. These trucks were considered revolutionary for their time, the unique thing about them was that they were fuelled by what was termed "crude oil" ( known today as diesel ), the trucks were considered very economical and suited for long distance haulage. A quote from a review of the truck published in The Brisbane Courier, Tuesday 27th,  November, 1928, page 9.

"So startling have been the results obtained that many people have doubted the authenticity of the performances of this five-ton truck, which will carry its full load for 100 miles at the trifling fuel cost of a few trivial schillings."


 
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