1933 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Rippon Sports Saloon
A substantially built car in wonderfully solid condition, constructed in typical Rippon fashion, and with some lovely touches. The doors close beautifully, as though created yesterday, not ninety-odd years ago! The car is particularly handsome, with various appealing features, such as glass draft deflectors to the top of the doors, beautiful wings, incorporating sculpting and ‘trouser creases’, various stainless steel fittings, including door handles and the lovely P100 headlights, a sliding sunroof, and more besides. Unusually for a pre-war car, it is fitted with inertia reel seat belts in the front, neatly installed. We should also mention the very impressive toolkit, mounted in the boot, below which are two fitted suitcases. The car really is something special and ‘out of the ordinary’, is all correct, matured cosmetically in an attractive way, and in good order mechanically (with recent full re-wire including sensible upgrades), running smoothly and driving nicely. Offered serviced and MoT tested.
Chassis No. GWX10.
Reg No. KY 4506.
Price £39,500.
Snippets: The Darwin Link
GWX10 was ordered by Bertram Parkinson of B Parkinson & Co (Wool Merchants & Top Makers) & delivered to his home Creskeld Hall, Arthington. In 1800s Creskeld Hall was owned by the Rhode family, in 1849 Francis Rhode married Charlotte Marian Darwin Cooper, whose was a cousin of Charles Robert Darwin (their mutual great-grandfather being Robert Darwin). In 1850 Francis Rhode inherited the estate of his brother-in-law (Robert Alvey Darwin) & as a consequence of the condition of inheritance Francis changed his name by deed-poll to Darwin – not an uncommon occurrence. In 1920 Creskeld Hall was bought by Bertram Parkinson & it’s still home to the Parkinson family. In July 1940 Bertram Parkinson transferred ownership of GWX10 to his daughter Elsie Mary who had recently married Colonel Malcolm Stoddart-Scott, (Dr, MP & OBE) who by coincidence in 1932 had changed his name from that of Scott to Stoddart-Scott. From our research it would appear the GWX10 stayed with the Stoddard-Scott until 1972, almost 40years with one family.
During the 1970s the 20/25 was owned by A. J. Le Blond from Newcastle, an entrepreneur who as a hobby bred & raced several racehorses including Javorrian, Spoofer & Shady. Then was also J. Oliff-Cooper, a keen angling journalist whose family played the roles of aristocratic owners of an Edwardian County House which was broadcast in 2002 by Channel 4.
In the late ‘80s the car was acquired by R. Skerman of C. Skerman & Sons – manufactures of what can only be described as “cement mixers for rolling sweets in”!!