1933 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Rippon Sports Saloon. GSY73

A very handsome, substantially built car, wonderfully proportioned, with some lovely features, including sunroof, stainless steel lights and fittings, ‘trouser crease’ wings, draught deflectors on the door windows, and a fabulous tool kit fitted to the boot lid, below which are two fitted suitcases. The car is typical of Rippon, being very high quality, strong in construction, with wonderful  door fits, closing with satisfying ‘clunk’. Full of charm, character and desirability, and the car is featured on the front cover, as well as on several pages of  “Rolls-Royce 20hp, 20/25, 25/30 & Wraith in Detail” by Nick Walker, and a copy of this book is included. The comprehensive history file includes correspondence between owners, photographic records of work done, including a full engine overhaul, invoices, note books, and the original handbook, stamped with the car’s chassis number. All-in-all, a charming car, nicely original, mature in an appealing way, driving well, serviced, and newly MoT tested. 

Price. £34,500.

Snippets:  Textiles, Gas Works & the Gilded Age.

Sir James Hill (1849/1936) was 84 when he took delivery of GSY73 in 1933. When he died in 1936 his estate was left to his widow Dame Alice Hill who died just 5 months later.  Their eldest son Arthur had died in 1935 without an heir so the title was inherited by their 2nd born son, Albert and via his heirs to the current generation.  Sir James started his working life in a mill as a wool sorter when he was just 12, and by 1936 he had become Mayor of Bradford, acquired a title, been the proprietor of several newspapers, sat as a Liberal MP & become a major figure in the international Wool market.  He specialised in cross-bred New Zealand wool rather than merino and established his own purchasing operations “down under”.  His sons Albert & Arthur became junior partners in the family firm of Sir James Hill & Sons (Wool) Ltd, and in the late 1890s the company were importing in excess of 2,500 tons per year.  Although he enjoyed a millionaire lifestyle he donated funds for Bradford’s infirmary, bought land to be used as parks and also helped his customer’s by either investing in them or providing them with loans or credit terms during the times of hardship.  He assisted in the electrification of Bradford’s tram system, was a director of several banks and owned several newspapers – much of his success was credited to his wife Alice who he married in 1875.

The 2nd owner was Dennis Hartley of Harrogate, in 1911 he was offered the position of manager of Buenos Aires Gas Co in South America – prior to this appointment he had, for 5 years, been the assistant to Mr. Wellens of the Hebden Bridge & Mytholmroyd Gas Board & for the two years prior to going to Buenos Aires had studied engineering with Messrs Drake & Co Ltd.  In September 1912 his fiancée, Miss Thomas & her parents, sailed on the “Highland Scot” to Buenos Aires where she and Dennis were married.

From 1956 until 1960 the car was back with the theme of wool as it was with Michael Aykroyd – his grandfather Sir William Aykroyd was the first chairman of the family firm T F Firths & Son with Michael’s uncles Sir Alfred & Col Harold both taking up the role prior to Michael.

In 1960 the Rolls-Royce was discovered in an unloved state by Rev Jesse P Cooper, he was a retired RAF Chaplain who enjoyed classic cars.  So good was his restoration of GSY73 that it was awarded 2nd place in the 1962 Blenheim Concours event.

From 1962 until 1996 the car was in America with several interesting families including one Mr Hamilton Perkin Greenough, his father Charles P Greenough was associated with Henry Lehr who in turn was a favourite of Mamie Fish & Mrs Nancy Astor!!  In 1901 Henry Lehr married the wealthy widow Elizabeth Drexel Dahlgren but the marriage was never consummated due to Henry’s predilection…..  Hamilton’s son was the influential surfer and filmmaker George Greenough – a man of many talents.