Do any of you remember "Pike Bros. Gentleman's Outfitters" in Queen St. Brisbane?
Pikes offered "solar topees" same appearance as a pith helmet but made from 1" cork covered in a sturdy khaki light canvas with leather chinstrap and brim band. Made to measure.
Pikes were a quite upmarket store. They kept regular customer details on file so one could write or telegram them for a suit, shoes, hats, have them made to your recorded size and sent out. They also had a tobacconist counter and would keep your preferred cigars or tobacco in your personal humidor and send them out as required.
This was a time of gentlemen in business not businessmen. John Pike favoured sports roadsters and would park his in Queen St. right outside the shop. One of them was a custom bodied Bugatti. His mate, Fred Tritton of Trittons Furniture and Coupon Furniture had Downings of Wooloongabba build him a special to race at the Australian Grand Prix at Leyburn. He engaged Bill Kelly who did most of the work as his riding mechanic for the event. The last riding mechanic to be entered in an AGP.
