Howick Motors Ltd. Ridge Road.

Anybody know if these guys are still operating in some form. Google shows the company as being struck off. I have a couple of rulers in my possession, as were given to good customers many years ago. The telephone number on the ruler is only four digits so we must be going back a few years. Just curious as to the vintage of the rulers.

Long Gone
I do know one of the directors though.

I think they might be 70s or earlier. Numbers got longer in the early 80s with the shift to electronic exchanges.

Thanks for the replies. Not a major, just idle curiosity really.

I can tell you that about 40 years ago, they had a great pump attendant. I'd give him $5 and he'd just fill the tank, say "don't worry about it - my mistake" and send me on my way. It was a bloody good scheme when sole income was what you could get from after-school jobs or scrounge. I don't know if the $5 note ever made it to the till, whether he did this for other folk, or whether if I'd been able to get the $10 or whatever it was I'd been undercharged and done the right thing by paying it back, what would have happened. Yes - I was culpable/dishonest, a morally reprehensible ratbag, if free gas man wasn't working and I needed gas, I'd pray I'd make it home - and that the lawnmower can in the garage wouldn't be empty.
Perhaps they closed the place down eventually because they thought the tanks were leaking a few hundred litres a day.

Earlier than that. When I started work in 1965 the phone numbers were already six digits.

In some places yes.

For quite a while there was no pattern as such and numbers were between 4 and 6 depending on locale. You could be right though, it's hard to find exact info for different areas.