Lewis George TOOP [7369]

  General Notes:

1895 SA Birth TOOP Lewis George William TOOP Eliza Jane BRANFORD Frome 558/351


The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929) Mon 1 Aug 1921
LAW COURTS.
POLICE:
Adelaide: Saturday, July 30.
(Before Mr. E.M. Sabine, S.M.)
. . . . .
Lewis George Toop pleaded guilty to a charge of having had dazzling headlights on a motor car he had driven on the Bay road. He was fired £1 and costs, £1 15/ in all.


Victor Harbour Times (SA : 1932 - 1986) Fri 5 Sep 1958
ADDITIONS TO MAITLAND MOTORS
The largest crowd ever to attend the opening of business premises on Yorke Peninsula was that of almost 1,000 at Mait land on Friday, 22nd August, when the Attorney-General (Mr. Colin D. Rowe), a former Maitland boy, opened the new service section of Maitland Motors. The smooth concrete floor of the building had been polished to the smoothness of a first-class ballroom, and Mr. Rex Toop, who conducts Maitland Motors, provided a superb orchestra for dancing. The Toop family have long been famed in the country car trade. All three sons of Mr. and Mrs. L. G. Toop, who commenced business in Orroroo, were managing separate businesses before reaching 21 years of age. They were also holding General Motors - Holden franchises when 20. This is a record probably unequalled by any family in the Commonwealth. Mr. L. G. Toop opened his first car business at Orroroo in 1921. Five years later, when G.M.H. began in Australia, he took over the franchise, and is one of their oldest term dealers in Australia. A Holden plaque in his Victor Harbour office commemorates his 32 years' dealership. Several car loads of members of the Toop staffs at Orroroo and Victor Harbour attended the opening of the Maitland service premises, and returned that night.


Victor Harbour Times (SA : 1932 - 1986) Wed 2 Apr 1980
30 Years of South Coast operations
Toop Motors IS this week marking 30 years of operations on the South Coast.
The company is holding open house on Tuesday, Wednesday (until 9 pm), and Thursday, with food and refreshments and an invitation to drive the new Commodore with its improved performance and more economical motoring. For both Toop Motors and General Motors Holden the occasion marks the opening of a new era, with the new model of the already popular Commodore and quite exciting G.M.H. plans ahead. Toop Motors began operations on the South Coast on April 1 1950, with the purchase of its existing premises in Ocean Street - previously Griffin's Garage. Later the crash repair section and used car facility were added. However, the Toop family's association with the motor industry dates back much further - to November 1922 in Orroroo when Mr. L.G. Toop and his brother Mr. H.A. Toop established Toop Brothers Car Exchange. When General Motors opened in the 1920's Mr. L.G. Toop was one of the original GM dealers appointed. The family operation spread to Maitland in 1949 with the opening of Mr. Rex Toop's Maitland Motors, and in 1950 came the purchase of Griffin's Garage and establishment of Toop Motors on the South Coast. Mr. L.G. Toop moved to Victor Harbor and his son Peter is the dealer principal today, having worked his way up through the business. Toop Motors was also established later at Peterborough.


Victor Harbour Times (SA : 1932 - 1986) Wed 19 May 1982
Lew Toop a G M man from way back:
The motor industry has played a major part in Lew Toop's life for the past 71 years. In fact selling motor cars was the one things 87 year-old Mr. Toop wanted to do in his life. The founder of Victor Harbor's Toop Motors, his interest in motorcars started when his father bought a new Humber car in 1911. The family was living at Orroroo at the time. 'We were about the first people to buy a car in the district,' Mr. Toop recalled. 'However, I must admit our puchase wasn't popular at first. 'Unfortunately the car's engine noise was causing a lot of bother by upsetting horses and their owners,' he said. But it didn't take long before the animals - and some of the local residents - grew used to the Toop vehicle. Mr. Toop was 16 and keen to get his licence to drive. After some careful practice with his father he gained his licence. 'I remember the licence number quite well. It was a unique 1234,' said Mr. Toop. His interest in motorvehicles began to grow along with his faith in the industry. 'I knew there must be a big future for motorcars. Although they were new on the market, I always believed they were here to stay,' he said. Mr. Toop's search for information about motor cars went to America where he wrote asking for magazines and articles. His next step in his career was 'under the bonnett'. Mr. Toop was one of the first people to become a certified motor mechanic in South Australia. His 'Automobile Engineering Diploma' is Dated 1919. He then went to work for an Uncle who owned a car business at Tumby Bay. He was also the first motor mechanic in the Tumby Bay area with a certificate. Two years later, Mr. Toop returned to Orroroo to start his own business - running a taxi service for a start. 'I had earlier bought my first car - a 1913 Dodge which I used for my taxi business,' he said. A few years later, Mr. Toop decided it was time to expand. 'I managed to get an agency selling Buick and Chevrolet cars.' 'It wasn't long before Mr. Toop's sales track record was recognised by the directors of General Motors Holden, and he was appointed a GMH agent in 1925 - one year before General Motors was established in South Australia. Mr. Toop remembers 1928 as being one of his best years. He sold 98 of his favourite motor cars, the Chev. In one month he sold 9 Buicks for one hundred and ninety five pounds each. It was also about this time when he sold his most expensive car - a Buick Special - for seven hundred and fifty pounds. In 1948-49, Mr. Toop bought a motorcar business and his son Rex and the Toop name moved to Maitland. A year later, Mr. Toop decided to set up business in Victor Harbor. At the same time the Toop motor trade name was being established in Peterborough by his second son Jim. Mr. Toop took over the Victor Harbor business with orders for 20 cars, there being a long waiting list for the new 'Holden', Lew Toop recalls the old days at the wheel of a 1927 Chev. Australia's first car, being built in Adelaide and proving to be very popular as it is today. He said it didn't take long to become establish ed in Victor Harbor. Throughout the years he has seen the local business grow. Today he doesn't take an active role but 'still signs the cheques.' Mr. Toop has seen the development of the motorvehicle industry since its small beginnings in the early 1900's to the massive factories in England, America, Japan and Australia. An early picture of Toop's garage, Victor Harbor.
Lew Toop recalls the old days at the wheel of a 1927 Chev. (photo)
An early picture of Toop's garage, Victor Harbor. (photo)



Advertiser TOOP Lewis George 1985 (d. 17 Jul - Pub 18, 19 Jul 1985)

The Advertiser Thursday 18 July 1985
Death Notices:
TOOP, Lewis George. - On July 17 peacefully at Maitland hospital. Dearly loved husband of the latre Doras Blanche Toop and loved father of Rex, Jim, Judy (Mrs Nutt) and Peter. Loved grand-dad of 14 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Aged 90 years.
TOOP, Lewis George. - Loved father of Rex. Loving father-in-law of Elinore and loved grand-dad of Mark, Elizabeth, Andrew and Kate.
TOOP, Lewis George. - Loved father of Peter. Loving father-in-law of Gloria. Loved grand-dad of Carolyn and Donald, Margot and Philip.
TOOP, Lewis George. - Loved father of Judy. Loving father-inlaw of Ralph and loved grand-dad of Dianne and John, Jenny and Ken, Lloyd, Bruce and Julie and families.
TOOP, Lewis George. - Loved father of Jim. Loving father-in-law of Sybil and loved grand-dad of Dennis and Danuta, Greg and Lesley, Lewis and Jane, Antony and Sylvia and families.
TOOP, Lewis G. - On July 17, 1985, at Maitland, loving brother of Linda Avery, Orroroo. Aged 90 years 5 months.
TOOP, Lewis George. - July 17. Specially remembered by your grandson Lewis John.
TOOP, Lewis George, (grandad). - Fondly remembered by Den and Danuta, Greg and Leslie, Lew and Jane, Anthony and Sylvia, Luke, Daniel, Marcos and Emma.

Funeral Notice:
TOOP. - THE RELATIVES and FRIENDS of Mr. LEWIS GEORGE TOOP, of Maitland and formerly Orroroo, are respectfully advised, that his funeral will leave the Orroroo Uniting Church, FRIDAY, July 19, 1985, after a service commencing at 2.00 p.m. for the Orroroo cemetery. ET Skinner & Son SAFDA Moonta 252028 AH 252654 Orroroo Funeral Directors Orroroo 581103.

Lew married Doras Blanch VERRALL [7370] [MRIN: 2558], daughter of George VERRALL [7371] and Elizabeth WARNER [7372], on 17 Mar 1923 in Methodist Church, Hermitage, South Australia. (Doras Blanch VERRALL [7370] was born on 6 Sep 1897 in Hermitage, South Australia, died on 25 May 1984 in Maitland, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia and was buried on 29 May 1984 in Orroroo Cemetery, South Australia.)

  Marriage Notes:

1923 SA Marriage 294/710 TOOP Lewis George VERRALL Doras Blanche Talunga