1949 Bentley MKVI Four Door Sports Saloon
A smart and sound car, looking particularly attractive in very dark green with lovely tan leather interior, a colour scheme which we feel suits the car really well. The leather, carpets, headlining and woodwork are all fresh, correct and gorgeous. There are even colour-coded, inertia reel seatbelts, front and rear. Various correct tools, large and small, are included. The history file with the car confirms expenditure of about £53,000 on repairs and maintenance over the last couple of decades, all documented, several Jack Barclay invoices from the 1950s, and there is also written history from an earlier owner, MoT certificates, a buff logbook from 1960, and various other documentation, even including instructions for the HMV radio! As well as the original trafficator arms, still working properly, the car has been upgraded to flashing indicators, neatly incorporated into the existing side and tail lights, all working from the same switch. Driving nicely, performing well, and offered with a new set of radial tyres (not shown in the photos), serviced and MoT tested.
Chassis No. B356FV.
Reg No. KXN 880.
Price £29,500.
Snippets: Kilted
Major Donald Callander (1918/92) served during WWII with the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders and was one of the last British Army Officers to go into battle wearing a kilt, he was awarded the Military Cross in 1940 this was in acknowledgement of the fact that his platoon of antitank guns put 21 enemy tanks out of action & in 1945 he his second Military Cross (the Bar) for his actions in the Battle of the Reichswald. The Major is mentioned in the book Monty’s Highlanders – the story is that whilst enroute to an officers’ party they were questioned by American sentries as to who won the World Series – surprisingly the correct answer of St Louis Cardinals was given!
Donald’s wife Margaret was the daughter of Andrew Geddie (1886/1976) who from 1331/39 was chairman of the Royal West India Turf Club and director of the Bank of India as well as the co-founder of Geoffrey Manners Ltd a leading pharmaceutical company. When Donald met up with Andrew and Margaret in 1943 at Poona Race Course he was, of course, kilted. During his ownership of B356FV (1949/1955) he covered some 65,767 miles which is confirmed on the 1955 Jack Barclay’s invoice.
From 1961 / 2001 the Bentley was registered with the firm of Foster Yeoman of Dulcote Quarry in Somerset. John Foster Yeoman inherited his first quarry in 1950 on the death of his father, John was just 21 at the time. By the mid-1960s the company had grown to such a degree that he was able to get British Rail to re-open the branch line from Torr to Westbury in order for him to deliver his stone. One of his most unusual land acquisitions was a granite mountain in Scotland – namely a 2,000ft mountain at Glensanda which provided crushed rock for the Channel Tunnel. Robin Thornes wrote a biography of John Foster Yeoman which we have managed to obtain and which will be with the car.