Opinion

Pics From The Past | First Shepparton-owned motor car

By Geoff Allemand

Dec 22, 2023

All dressed up: Mr and Mrs Pemberton in a De Dion-Bouton motor car, 1908, single cylinder and six horsepower. Source: Shepparton Heritage Centre. Photo by Contributed

The first person to own a motor car in Shepparton was Mr E. Pemberton in 1904.

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He was a brickmaker and owner of the first brickyard on Knight St.

In later years, it was owned by Edward Tuttle and then the Erskine family.

This article in the Shepparton Advertiser in 1928 also talks about Mr Pemberton’s love of cars.

“Mr E. Pemberton is well known to Shepparton as a hale and hearty example of Australian vigour. He it was who, some 24 years ago, brought the first motor car — an Oldsmobile — to Shepparton, since when he has never been without a car of some sort.

He has had seven cars since 1904, the latest being a new Victory Six Dodge sedan, which he personally selected at the motor show in Melbourne last week and brought to Shepparton on Tuesday last.

As Mr Pemberton is over 77 years of age, he must be congratulated for having vigour not generally possessed by people of his advanced age.”