Historical information

Surrey Panels was started by Maurice Dalzell (Maurie) Costello (1918-2000) in 1948, soon after the first Holden was released. Maurie later brought his sons Alan, Robert and Brian into the business. F H Stevens Motors started in North Balwyn at a similar time and in 1982 was taken over by the Costello brothers, with Robert as General Manager.
Members of the Costello family have been around the Surrey Hills area for many decades. Maurie’s parents Thomas Maurice and Mabel Isabel Costello lived at 43 Box Hill Crescent, Mont Albert North. Thomas was a cattle dealer and related to the Costellos of Costello’s Jersey Dairy (demolished) in Mont Albert Road, Balwyn. Prior to starting the business Maurie is listed as a market gardener living with his parents in Box Hill Crescent. He married Mavis Jean Guillerme in 1942.

Significance

Surrey Motors and Surrey Panels are well known businesses serving the Surrey Hills community for decades.

Physical description

A small booklet, yellow in colour, designed to fit in the glove box of a car. It is stapled on the spine in 2 places and consists of 12 pages. Some pages are designed for the owner to fill in with their personal details. There is advice regarding emergency phone calls, what to do in the event of an accident, towing, 'at fault' information, insurance, location and services of Surrey Panels and F H Stevens Motors. There is a brief history of these linked businesses.
There is a separate loose sheet designed to be completed in the event of an accident.

Inscriptions & markings

Nil