Clinton’s Motor Showroom & Garage
16
Argyle Street
Camden 2570
Lot
2, DP 1017656
 |
| Clintons Car Showroom c.1983 (J Wrigley/Camden Images) |
History and Description
The car showroom was built for Clinton Motors, the local Holden dealership, by local builder Mark Jensen in 1947 to coincide with the launch of the new Holden motor car in Australia.
Jack and William Clinton, who had extensive interests in the Burragorang Valley coalfields, extended their business into the the motor trade in 1945. William Clinton launched Clintons Distributions which is the pioneering General Motors dealership in the area in 1945. The business became the local General Motors Holden agency at Narellan. They sold Oldsmobiles, Mapleleafs, Buick, La Salle, Chevrolet, Pontiac, Bedford and Vauxhall vehicles. They moved to Camden in 1946 and Barry Clinton became sales manager. (Willis, Clinton Motor Group)
John Wrigley reports that one of the early sales manager was John Smails, service manager Harold Monaghan, and parts manager Garnet Rofe. In 1949 the dealership sold 65 Holden motor cars. (TDR 7 March 2008)
Condition and Use
The building is currently used as a real estate agency.
Heritage Significance
According to the Camden Heritage Inventory is a rare masonry Art Deco building with large shopfront and wrap around awning. The tower on the front of the building is meant to represent the grille of a Holden car.
Heritage Listing
Local Item 4
Read more
Ian Willis, Pictorial History of Camden & District (2015)
History of the Clinton Motor Group Click here
