The three-generation family firm T B Oliver will celebrate 100 years in the motorcycle trade on 4 May with an open day for customers.
The business, based at Denholm, near Hawick, has actually been around for more than a century. It was established as a millwright, fixing threshers and farming implements, but 1919 was the year Thomas B Oliver (pictured serving fuel in 1958) added motorcycles to the full wedding taxi service and pick-ups from nearby train stations.
The business later passed on to James B Oliver (Jim) and his wife Ray. Jim was a keen enthusiast for both modern and classic motorcycles and cars, and this was reflected in the running of the business. As a Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki dealer, he sponsored various road racing riders and, on occasions, sidecars. His most famous sponsorship was probably that of Steve “Hizzy” Hislop, who served his apprenticeship as a mechanic at the garage and went on to win 11 TTs and three British Superbike championships to name a few of his many successes.
Jim also sponsored Steve’s brother, Garry, who won the Newcomers Manx Grand Prix in 1982 but was killed in the same year.
Sadly, five years after his daughter, Wendy, took over running the business in 2010, Jim Oliver passed away. Ray still lives at the garage and is 88 this month – the couple were married 60 years.
It has four mechanics and services classic and vintage machines and modern two, three and four wheel vehicles.
Wendy, a keen motorcyclist who, with ex-racer and Kirkcaldy dealer Alan Duffus, has organised the annual Steve Hislop Memorial Run since 2003, said: “We are having a celebration for our valued customers on 4 May in the garage, where we will have some of our race bikes and cars on display.