IT was a motor rally in the 1930s and crowds lined up in Bournemouth’s Westover Road to admire the passing cars.

But Simon C Dunk, who owns the pictures, would love to know more about the event.

“The man in the plus-fours in two of the photos is my grandfather Joseph Dunk,” he said.

“He was the manager of the George Hartwell garage that could then be found in Westover Road.

“I think the event was in 1933 judging by the advertisements on the wall,” he said.

One is for a film called Dinner at Eight, on at the Grand, that came out that year, featuring stars including Marie Dressler, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore and Jean Harlow. Another is for The Masquerader, starring Ronald Colman.

“I imagine the rally cars either visited the Westover garage as a stopping point or as the starting or finishing point,” added Simon, who lives in Corscombe Close, Poole, and whose roots are in Bournemouth.

His own career has been in the field of agriculture but his grandfather Joseph was the manager of the Hartwell’s garage for a number of years.

Hartwell’s this year celebrated its 110th anniversary, for it all started in 1902 when John and Reginald Hartwell left their father’s building and decorating business in Bourton-on-the-Water to set up an ironmongers and agricultural engineers business in Chipping Norton selling implements such as ploughs.

They branched out into the motor trade and in 1931 Reginald’s son George joined the company.

Keen to start up his own business, a small motor firm was purchased from a liquidator in Bournemouth’s Charminster Road and George Hartwell opened up in 1932.

It was not long before extra facilities became necessary and a spacious showroom was purchased in Westover Road beneath what was at that time known as The Ramp garage.

Prospective buyers would visit it to inspect everything from an Austin Seven to an Alvis Three Litre.

George Hartwell’s later moved to Bourne Court in the Square. Today the George Hartwell dealership is located in Ferndown.

Simon Dunk remembers his grandfather as “an imposing figure” who certainly looked the part in his tartan plus-fours in these early pictures.

“I’m keen to find out more about the rally,” he said, hoping that Snapshots of the Past readers may help provide some information.

Picture tells an interesting story

The main picture, above, also reveals:

• The cost of car parking was 6d (2.5p);

• Autocar, “the leading motoring paper” cost 4d (about 1.5p);

• The Autocar banner over the road says “Rally Control”;

• Other adverts were for Guinness, St Julien tobacco, Harris sausages, Bass and Betta (does anyone know what Betta was?)

• Few people went out without a hat!

• The first motor cars to make appearances in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch were believed to be in 1900.

• 1933 was the year when the largest car in the world was seen in Bournemouth after captain C W Foster purchased a Bugatti Royale for £6,000.