Iain Booth (ex owner of the Doyles van featured in the previous post) sends this image of the Bridge of Remembrance in Christchurch, taken in 1960. Despite every effort of the recent earthquakes, the Bridge survives. The Bridge’s foundation stone states “Laid 25th April 1923 by His Excellency Viscount Jellicoe Governor General of the Dominion”. Originally built in grateful remembrance of Canterbury’s Sacrifice in World War 1, the monument now pays tribute to those who served in more recent military activities too.

Yet more from our intrepid Oz photographer and reporter of all things J-type. Peter Bateman writes:

“The attached are of Ian Booth’s old van from Christchurch, NZ.  Now owned by Ben Doyle of the famous Sydney fish shop family at Watsons Bay, the van has found a new home. Any J enthusiast who wants one of Sydney’s best presented fish dinners can now enjoy their feed whilst looking at a J.  After coming across the Ditch (the Tasman Sea for those geography pedants) the van was given the correct documentation for road registration by the local mechanical firm IFIXEM.  Then a short transport stage to Bathurst for sign writing before another transport stage back to sunny Watsons Bay.
Not looking too bad for a van which was restored about 8 years ago.  Now Iain has a reason to visit the Big Island!”

We have added the photograph and three others to MORIS J’s gallery page.

Peter Bateman forwarded this photo of E Hayes Hardware’s J-type van, in Invercargill, New Zealand. The photo was taken by Andrew Blacklock, whilst in NZ.

And why is it in great company? Because E Hayes and Co also own ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’ – the much modified Indian Scout that Burt Munro took to Bonneville Salt Flats and on which he gained a world record – that stands to this day, apparently! Also owned is a 1936 Velocette MSS, again much-modified by Burt, and thought to be the fastest Velocette in the World!

Visit http://www.ehayes.co.nz/burt-munro/ to see much more