A good, sound car, perhaps needing some cosmetic improvement, but in sound, correct condition, and has been used and enjoyed recently by the last owner. The deep red paintwork is suffering from age, but the structure of the coachwork is fine, the doors closing nicely and fitting well. Interior is grey leather with fresh carpets, also grey, and the headlining is in good order.  Overall, the car is very useable, and looks impressive with its array of lamps and horns, and is fitted with a ‘backward leaning’ flying B mascot. The history file includes various correspondence, old MoT certificates, a green logbook from the 1960s, and an original handbook as well as a modern reproduction. Mechanically good following a great deal that has been spent on the car over the last fifty years, totalling £135,000, all fully documented with invoices. This includes major work, such as engine, rear axle and radiator overhauls, plus, of course, much more besides, details of which are available. In addition to this, the car is fitted with a high ratio back axle, which very much helps with cruising on long-distance touring. All of this puts the car puts the car in good stead for the future!

Price £39,500.

Snippets: Land, Steel & Steam Rollers

John “Jock” Wightman (1902/76) took delivery of B26BN at Maltby House, Louth which the Wightman family had owned since the turn of the century.  His mother, Hannah Louise Wightman nee Milnthorpe was also a keen motorist with GSY76, a 1933 Rolls-Royce Hooper Sports Saloon being registered to her.  Between the two generations we know of at least 8 Bentley & 3 Rolls-Royce cars that the family owned.  The Wightman family also owned The Lodge at Carlton & Thathwell Hall in Louth.  Hannah Wightman was the daughter of George Milnthorpe, his 1^st wife died in 1915 aged 73 and he remarried in 1916 to a young lady who was only 28 when they wed!  When George died in 1923 his estate was worth some £323,000 & all his motorcars where specifically left to Hannah and only £500 to his young widow………..

In 1941 B26BN Was sold to Charles Batten of Ductile Steels Ltd.  He had joined the company in 1924 and within 6 years was made a partner of the business.  In the early 1930s Ductile Steels were importing over 6,000 tons of steel annually and in view of the new import tariffs of 33% he purchased 2 cold rolling mills and constructed a “coffin-pot” furnace – this ensured that they produced the steel that the company needed.  Charles became Deputy Chairman and Joint Managing Director to the Ductile Steel group of companies.

Before Charles died he sold B26BN to Harvey Neal, a director of Trent Valley Paint Varnish Co of Nottingham who supplied “all your spring cleaning requirements”.  Members of the Neal family included Brewers, councilmen and engineers.

In 1967 the Bentley was discovered by Frederick Albert Coley (1913/2003) whose career path included being a garage proprietor in Old Hill, an employee of Fisher & Ludlow (in the 1930s the firm produced car bodies for Standard Motor Co & after WWII for Rover & Jaguar).  In the early 1960s before finding B26BN Fred became a clergyman! His interest in all things mechanical started from an early age as his father was the transport manager of a firm with a fleet of steam traction engines –  this became another hobby of Fred’s and there are newspaper reports of him conducting a service from the footplate of his 1902 McLaren traction engine “Apollo“!

A particularly handsome car, very attractively finished in dark green with tan leather interior, and in lovely, smart and sharp condition. The paintwork is to a high standard, the leather is excellent, as is the headlining, and the interior wood veneers are particularly lovely, with a superb finish. Features include P100 ‘bullseye’ headlights (unusual for a Derby Bentley) and handsome ‘trouser crease’ wings. The car comes with a significant maintenance and repair history file, two large folders worth, going back to the 1980s, showing a great deal of expenditure, together with various literature, and an original handbook in lovely condition. There is also a selection of spare parts included. It is apparent just from looking at the car that it has been well cared-for. Running and driving very nicely, and fitted with overdrive, which really improves long-distance cruising, making the experience much more relaxing. Also fitted with three-point inertia reel seat belts, which is unusual for a coachbuilt car. MoT tested until January 2027, serviced, and ready to go!

Price £57,500.

Snippets: Curtain Pole & Cylinder Liners

Sidney Charles Harrison was the founder of the business Harrison Drapes – manufactures of curtain poles and furniture.  The company dates back to 1898 and by 1961 they had some 1,200 employees.  Their adverts contained statements such as “Usually no more than a screwdriver is needed to fix” and “British throughout”.  It was such a successful business that allowed Sidney to indulge in his hobbies of Motorcars & Motorcars!!  He was a serial Rolls-Royce & Bentley owner with his first Rolls-Royce being a 1925 Phantom I saloon (he owned a total of 15 Rolls-Royce cars) and his first Bentley being a 1935 3 ½ Saloon (he owned a total of 4 Bentleys).

In 1905 he was summoned for obstructing the highway at Henley-in-Arden by leaving a car there for 14 hours and in 1910 he was fined for speeding. He did have a calmer hobby of fishing but even that was not straightforward as in 1932 he alongside Col G. B Heywood of Caradoc Court, Ross were summoned for non-payment of their fishing fines!  Shortly before his death (1944) B68GA was acquired by Harold Andrews, an engineer who formed HAGCO renowned for their cylinder-lining progress (not to be confused with Westwood Cylinders which was created by another Andrews family)!

The companies that Harold & William Andrews were involved with included: British Petroleum Lt (William managed their road transport dept of 1,200 vehicles & when it joined ShellMex this became 2,200 vehicles).  William & Harold were jointly involved with Airwork Engine Service Ltd at Heston Airport which later became H & W G Andrews Ltd and also Airwork General Trading Co Ltd; then Harold Andrews Grinding Co Ltd (HAGCO).  Harold Andrews was also a keen fisherman with notes made in the Machinery & Production Engineer magazine of his fine catch of salmon on the river Test!  The adverts for Airwork Ltd in 1954 made mentioned of their fleets of Hermes, Vikings & Dakotas with cargo including 2 white rhinos to Antwerp, helping eliminate TseTse flies with aerial spraying and Safari Service offering the lowest fares between Africa and the UK.

A clean, correct and very appealing example, smartly finished in black and deep red, with excellent beige leather, carpets and headlining. The wood work too, is lovely, all adding up to a charming package. The paintwork exhibits some cracking and marks in places, and will perhaps ideally need attention at some point, but nevertheless, the overall appearance is smart and attractive, just as it is. The car is equipped with correct lamps (not always the case), original ‘Ace’ type number plates, has a pair of fitted suitcases in the boot, various correct tools, comes with a car cover, and has been upgraded to flashing indicators, front and rear. Factors such as these can make a significant difference to the appeal of a car, and this example is no exception! Between 1987 and 2024, a total of £77,000 has been spent on maintenance and repairs, some minor, some major, all documented in the history file, which also includes the original handbook, a run of MoT certificates (the earliest from 1963), and various other paperwork. Fitted with well-suited Michelin radial tyres, serviced and MoT tested.

Price £32,500.

Snippets: Oil Chemists, Hand Surgeon & Stacking Chairs

Samuel Robert Miller bought B594TN the same year that his father John Fletcher Miller died – his estate was in excess of £150,000.  The family firm were involved in the oil business and their products included Clearedge, Cooledge, Lardedge, Rodol & Swift. 

By 1961 The R Type had been sold, via Onward Garages Ltd of Hyde to Harold Bolton FRCS (1918/2015), Harold’s parents Nina (nee Houldsworth) & Alexander Black Bolton were directors of Coronation Rock company based in Blackpool but Harold decided that he would become a medical man.  He attended Manchester Medical School and in 1942 was the winner of the Butterworth medical prize and the John Henry Agnew prize in children’s diseases.  During WWII he was stationed in India, Burma & Palestine and after being demobbed he returned to Manchester.  In 1952 he spent a year in Chicago working alongside the renowned hand surgeon Sumner L Koch (1888/1976) and upon his return to Manchester he was appointed consultant orthopaedic surgeon to the North Manchester area, he retired from the NHS in 1985 but remained active within the medical profession until 1991.

From 1964 to 1987 B564TN was with Raymond Reginald Whittle (1921/2009) whose father Reginald Wood Whittle (1883/1950) had, in 1935, established the firm R.W. Whittle Ltd, general engineers.  R W Whittle Ltd products were suppliers of nursery, school and university furniture and in particular their tubular steel stacking chairs with early adverts showing them neatly lined up in the Whitworth Hall of Manchester University – in fact we, at Real Car still have a few of these chairs in our staff canteen!

An R Type with a difference! The car has been upgraded to 4.9 litres, has a high ratio back axle and is equipped with P100 headlights, all of which enhance the car overall and make it stand out from the crowd visually, as well as adding to the already highly useable specification of these models. In lovely condition, with excellent paintwork in Mason’s black and grey, superb chrome plating, with original leather interior, accompanied by high quality carpets, headlining and woodwork, all in lovely order, and looking very smart. The underside is excellent, being clean, sound and well-protected, and includes a recent stainless steel exhaust system. Driving nicely, and fitted with very well-suited Avon radial tyres. Offered MoT tested.

Price £39,500.

Snippets: High Flying Lawyers & American Connections.

The first owner of B339TO was Raymond Clifford Clifford-Turner (1906/95), in 1925 his father Harry, changed the family surname from Turner to that of Clifford-Tuner. This wasn’t to take advantage of an inheritance but a purely business decision to take advantage of the goodwill associated with the name Clifford Turner in world of lawyers.   In 1931 Raymond was admitted to the firm, he was the only one of Harry’s four sons to join him.  In 1933 Raymond married Zoe Vachell whose father & grandfather had practised law in Cardiff and Zoe was in fact godmother to, at the time, the two richest children in the world!  These infants were namely David & Diane Dodge – their great-grandfather was Horace Elgin Dodge, an icon in the American automotive industry.  In 1925, the widows of Horace & John Dodge sold their shares in the automobile business to Dillon Read investment bankers for $146 million!!  Zoe & Raymond’s daughter Susan was a debutante in 1955 and she was presented at Court by her mother and given a joint coming-out dance alongside Penelope Knowles at the Clifford-Tuners London home of The Cottage in Hobart Place.  Raymond was a keen motorist and in 1924 he pleaded guilty to exceeding the speed limit but not to driving at a speed which was dangerous to the public!  John Scott published a biography of the Clifford-Turner law firm entitled “Legibus, a history of Clifford-Turner 1900-1980” which is full of fabulous detail including the fact that Raymond Clifford-Turner served with the RAF during WWII, initially in the air and later on the ground with the Air Ministry. The first noted official casualty of WWII was John Noel Isaac, a partner in Clifford-Turner.  He died whilst carrying out a solo practice flight in his Bristol Blenheim whilst serving with 600 Sqdn.

A very attractive Derby Bentley, well-proportioned and with some appealing touches, such as ‘trouser crease’ wings, chrome waistline mouldings, Marchal headlights (as per original spec), long trumpet Lucas horns, and – very unusually – a chrome plated dashboard. Finished in light grey and green, harmonising nicely with the original green leather interior. An essentially good car, running well and driving nicely. The history file includes, amongst many other documents, evidence of an engine overhaul in 2016, (which included new main and big end bearings), a number of old MoT certificates, a tax disc from 1970, various invoices, an ownership record, etc, etc. Originally used as a ‘trials car’ or demonstrator, by Jack Barclays, and registered JB1000, featuring  many times in the official quarterly Bentley journal of the 1930s, ‘On the Road’. Some of the pages from this are reproduced below, and there are many more!

Price £44,500.

Snippets:  Gun Roller & a South African Loch

After being used by Jack Barclay as their show car B36EF was sold to Arthur David Tipper of Handsworth Wood in Birmingham.  His father (Joseph) & uncle (Henry Powell) were involved in the steel industry and in whose footsteps Arthur followed. In 1865 his uncle Henry Tipper had registered Patent Nr 1738 for “improvements in manufacturing gun barrels & tubes of cast steel & iron”.  Almost 60 years later Arthur Tipper also applied for patents – this time relating to sash windows, door latches, door locks, door hooks & metal brackets – I’m sure many of us can remember the hooks in school corridors and changing rooms!

In 1939 the Bentley was bought by John Christian Duncan (1892/1947) & his wife Edith Clark Clark-Neill Duncan of 49 Knightsbridge Court, London.  John Duncan was originally from Loch Bridge, Barkly East – not in Scotland as one would guess but a place on the banks of the Kraai River in Eastern Cape, South Africa.  Loch Bridge was built in 1893 at a cost of some £15,000 and was named after the then Governor of the Cape Colony – Sir Henry Brougham Loch (1827/1900).  John Duncan’s wife – Edith – was the wealthy widow of James Clark-Neill of Curling Hall, Largs who had died in 1918 (John & Edith married in 1919). James Clark-Neill was a scion of two equally industrious families with his mother Elizabeth Clark – cotton, fabrics & thread (she left £11m in 1900) & his father William Neill – the sugar industry (he left £11m in 1903)! 

Just before John Duncan’s death B36EF was sold to the Campbell family who kept the car until 1976 – there is a note with the car that in 1969 it was used by Peter Campbell whilst he was training at Sandhurst – he later served with the Rhine Company.  Peter has very fond memories of the car & would enjoy relating tales of his ownership with the next custodian. 

The third private owner (1976 to 1993) was a noted European collector who sold his collection in 1993 due to ill-health. 

A later owner’s address was 47 Emperor’s Gate, London Nrs 37-47 were built in the 1870s by Henry Harris & the street was named in honour of the German Kaiser! The same owner had a property in the in the village of St. Martin Des Boscherville which was where Louis Fabulet (1872/1933) lived whilst he translated “The Jungle Book” by Rudyard Kipling.

Price reduced. A rare left-hand drive version in lovely condition, nicely finished in Shell grey and Tudor grey, with Parchment leather, and excellent veneers, headlining and carpet, all harmonising very well. Under the bonnet, the engine bay is fabulously presented, almost to concours standard and looking spectacular! The car is in good, sound condition structurally and mechanically fine, running and driving nicely. We have carried out considerable preparation work, fitted various new components, serviced the car, it is offered MoT tested, and comes with paperwork confirming collector car status for registration purposes in the EU. A lovely example.

Price £43,500 – now £39,500.

Snippets: Norman Hickman

The 1st owner of B92LCN was Norman Hickman of New York who kept the car until his death in 1989. Norman was a man of several parts, he was a stockbroker with Wood, Struthers & Winthrop, an author of “The Quintessential Quiz Book” and a movie producer “The Finest Hour” & “A king’s Story”. During WWII Norman was the commander of a PT boat and for his services received the DSC & the Bronze Star. What few people realise is that he was a huge fan of Winston Churchill and at one stage he owned the artwork “The Tower of Katoubia Mosque” (Marrakech) – the only painting that Winston created during WWII – in 2011 the artwork was bought by Angelina Jolie who subsequently sold it in 2021 for £8.25m – a record price for a Churchill. At the 1972 premier of the film “Young Winston” about Churchill’s early life Norman escorted Sarah – the Lady Audley to the event, other attendees included the Duke & Duchess of Kent, Simon Ward, Mrs. Neff, Danny Kaye, Mrs. D.K.E. Bruce & the Earl of Cromer.

A good, clean example, nicely finished in soft white with good chrome plating and pale grey leather interior, and specified when new with ‘Sundym’ rear screen and rear side windows, which are indeed still in place to this day. Unusually, and appealingly, the car is fitted with a Tudor-Webasto fabric sunroof, complete with identifying tags, as shown in one of the photos. We have prepared the car for sale, work which included attention to brake hydraulics and servo, power steering, etc, as well as a full service. Running nicely, driving well, and we have just been successful in having the original registration number, 702 GLR, re-instated, something which is always very pleasing!

Price £85,000

Snippets: Military Cross, PoW & Racing Team

John “Jack” Sidney Durlacher 1913/88 was a grandson Henry Durlacher, who in 1843 founded Durlacher Bros (art dealers) whose offerings included furniture, works of art and porcelain, the New York City branch was opened in 1920 to cater for clients such as J. Pierpont Morgans & Sir R. Wallace. The New York City branch of the company sold artworks to families such as the Sachs, Wideners & to the Frick, Fogg & Cleveland Museums to mention a few. Henry & Adelaide Durlacher had 10 children with the 7th being Neville who was Jaks’s father, the family wealth was such that when Henry died in 1902 his estate was in excess of £100,000 today that would be circa £15m! During WWII Jack Durlacher served with the Royal Artillery and on the 20th of May 1940 whilst defending Calais, for which he received the Military Cross, he was captured and imprison at Oflag VII-C Laufen in South-eastern Bavaria. After the war ended Jack join his father in “The City” and in due course so did his son, Nicholas. Jack’s family were keen sportsmen and women – his mother Ruth Dyas was a national lawn tennis player and his father Neville a keen golfer & tennis player with Jack and his siblings taking up skiing during their younger days. Jack’s aunt Nora had married Leslie Dow a member of the Dow Port family – he had been “sent down from Cambridge” due to being involved in a betting scandal!! Jack was 50years old when he took delivery of BC42XB, (a birthday gift perhaps?) and a few years later he went into partnership with the Johnnie Walker heir Rob Walker when they bought a Cosworth powered Lotus 49. That same year the team won the British Grand Prix with Siffert as their driver, it was Rob Walker’s last win. The second owner of BC42XB was Donald Louis Nicholas who had a lifelong fascination with the Stuart history, Donald had also served his country during WWII with the 70th H.A.A. Regiment and after the war ended he wrote several books on his Scottish heritage. His 1st wife, Evadne Chavasse was a scion of the Chavasse medical family & her Uncle Noel Godfrey Chavesse is one of three people to have been awarded the Victoria Cross twice, the others were C. Upman & A Martin-Leake. There were 4 members of the Chavesse family who were awarded the Military Cross during both WWI & WWII. The 3rd name on the chassis cards is Denys Martyn of Triley Court, Abergavenny (he also owned a SCIII Chinese Eye Coupe) – he had studied at Cambridge alongside George Lascelles (Earl of Harewood) and in 1947 Denys, George & Patrick Hedley-Dent enjoyed a motoring holiday in Italy & I quote: “wearing clothes that were too thick, failing to sleep in the hot weather, worrying about money “. Denys & George remained friends for many years and often went on Operatic Expeditions together.

Price reduced. One of just six Derby Bentleys bodied by Mulliners, this example went through our hands in 1991 and has remained with the same owner until 2024 – 33 years. Mildly, but appealingly quirky in design in some ways, and refreshing different from some other Derby Bentleys out there. Although the car would perhaps benefit from some tidying and general uplifting, it has a smart red leather interior, is complete and correct, and is in useable condition, as you will see in the video below. Fitted with a new cylinder head some years ago, and has just been re-commissioned by ourselves. A ‘use and improve’ car, suitably priced, sound, running well. You can see a walk round video of the car here.

Was £39,500, now £32,500.

Snippets: Louis Antweiler

B106EF was owned by Louis Antweiler a director of both Mulliner & Calthorpe, in 1924 Calthorpe ran into financial difficulties & Antweiler bought out Calthorpe & at the same time he created Mulliners Ltd. His first order was from Clyno and later customers included Austin, Hillman, Lanchester and Daimler. By 1929 the firm went public and with the onset of WWII Mulliners expanded their range of bodies to include military vehicles, aircraft and gliders! The 2nd owner of B106EF was Col Sir Joseph Reed who was, as it happened, a co-director of Mulliners Ltd alongside Gordon Caine, Edward Montesole & Louis Antweiler. All of these gentlemen owned Rolls-Royce 20hps Caine GEN34, Montesole GEN29, Antweiler GUK71 & Reed GEN57! 

Just prior to WWII B106EF became the property of Harold Basil Wallis – in 1925 he formed the firm Smith Wallis & Co, a Birmingham firm who manufactured brass, gunmetal and iron window fittings – was there a business connection between the two firms?

By 1973 the Bentley was in Ohio with C. Fred Brown who in 1953, aged just 21 had the distinction of becoming the youngest Cadillac dealer in the world! His collection of Rolls-Royce & Bentley cars included a pair of 20/25s, a pair of 25/30s, 7 Silver Wraiths, a SCI, a PV, a Derby 4 ¼, a pair of MK VIs & of course B106EF!

Price Reduced. An unusual and very interesting, attractive, practical four door open cabriolet configuration make this a particularly desirable Derby Bentley, being easy to access through large doors, and ‘wide-bodied’, giving increased spaciousness and elbow room, and nicely weather resistant, with well-constructed hood, wind up windows, tonneau cover, etc, ideal for tours, rallies and more, particularly as it is fitted with overdrive, thereby relaxing the cruising experience for long distance runs. Following an extremely thorough, high quality, chassis frame upwards restoration in the 1990s, the car is in excellent condition, with superbly re-framed and restored coachwork by Steve Penny, much mechanical work by McKenzie Guppy. The engine has sensibly been fitted with ‘MX style’ thermostat and oil filter conversions. Very nicely painted, upholstered, etc, and comes with a large file of history, which includes confirmation of a great deal of restoration expenditure, the invoices amounting to nearly £150,000. Also included are a photographic record, magazine articles, a logbook from 1968, etc, etc. A lovely, smart, sharp, very well cared-for car of sought-after design in wonderful order, very useable, offered newly MoT tested and ready to enjoy. In addition to the video below, here are links to two more that you may like to watch, one of the engine, and a walk around of the car generally:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z-ikl2zTN4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EC9t3i0mRc

£110,000.

Snippets: Doris Skinner

B179JY was bought by Sir Sydney Martyn Skinner (Chairman of John Barker & Co.) as a gift for his eldest daughter Doris Irene Skinner (1903/95). Doris never married and became an astute business lady – by 1931 she had several commercial properties registered in her name – 152, 152A & 154 Rye Lane plus Nrs 1 to 6 of The Market, Choumert Road, Peckham. In May 1927 Doris was involved in a collision with a motor cyclist Mr. Maurice Verrall of Crowborough– there is no mention of what she was driving at the time! Her brother, Percy Martyn Skinner (1906/93) was not only a pig farmer but also a poet of some relevance with his most noted being “Letters to Malaya” and “The Return of Arthur. It is understood that during WWII Doris gave B179JY to Percy for use on his pig farm, in order to take advantage of war-time petrol rationing he converted B179JY to an Estate Car! Her business acumen was such that when she died she left an estate in excess of £950,000 and she still lived in the same village as she did 1927. Her younger sister, Constance Muriel, married Henry John Kingerlee, a scion of the Oxford construction firm whose roots can be traced back to the mid1800s with Thomas Kingerlee a plumber & glazier. Today the company is very much a family concern and is in the hands of the fifth generation of Kingerlees. Family members who didn’t join the firm became drapers, chemists, film printers & a private secretary to Lord Nuffield. Later owners of B179JY included a garden specialist (Bostock), a clock maker (de Save), Benetton Formula 1 technician and Rally enthusiast (Grant) and Granger Telecom Director (Verth).

Price Reduced. A late example of the iconic fastback, benefiting from the 4.9 litre engine, which was only fitted to ‘D’ and ‘E’ series cars. This one also has an automatic gearbox and the larger, better padded seats, making the car very easy, comfortable and enjoyable to drive. The car is in lovely condition and beautifully finished in the original colour of metallic Regal red, and re-upholstered in recent times, including red piping to the leather, also as per original specification. The woodwork is gorgeous, with lovely veneers incorporating cross-banding ornamentation, and the carpets and headlining are absolutely excellent and very fresh. The engine compartment is clean, correct and well-presented, showing care and attention, and is just the way we like to see them, not ‘over the top’ or over-prepared. Rectification and repair work in recent years by a specialist amounted to more than £18,000, and we have ourselves just carried out a light engine refurbishment, including new pistons, bearings, etc. Has been with one family for 44 years, is all correct, driving very nicely and is in excellent condition throughout. Offered, prepared, serviced and offered freshly MoT tested.

Price reduced from £550,000 to £450,000!

Samuel John Harris of Cinema Press Ltd registered BC38D at his home address of 92 Cheyne Walk & his business “The Cinema”, 93 Wardour Street both in London’s West End.  Samuel Harris came from a family with many noteworthy & notorious individuals whose wealth originated from William & Elizabeth Levy.  In 1817 the Levy’s “disorderly house” attracted the attention of a House of Commons enquiry but their descendants were more circumspect in their careers becoming lawyers, QCs, Military heroes, actors, artists and adventurers!  The book “Wealth & Notoriety” about the family makes for fascinating reading with detailed information of the extended family – this is a must read for the next owner of the Bentley.  In 1954 whilst dining with his family at Cheyne Walk thieves entered the upper storey of the Harris home & stole furs & jewellery amounting to some £1,300 – all without disturbing the diners. 

A few years later BC38D was with Guy Howard Martineau his family were involved in banking, brewing, textiles & politics.  In 1930 Howard Martineau & his family acquired the rights to the UK branch of the French firm Salmson Motors (the Martineau brothers were very involved in the car racing scene of the 1920s – often competing against each other & Malcolm Campbell). The Salmson Motor company started as manufacturers of aero engines but they also produced a small quantity of cars – the Salmson 12/70 S4C, the S4D & the 20/90 S6D with versions including saloons, tourers & drophead coupes – all production of cars ceased prior to WWII with the firm concentrating on the war effort. 

The third owner of BC38D was Gilbert Nelson Southall of GN Southall Securities who died at his home of 98 Eaton Square at the young age of 54 leaving a small fortune of some £¾ million to his widow Betty. 

During the 1960s BC38D was with Aubrey Forshaw, MD of Pan Books – legend has it that he was the inspiration for the cars that James Bond!  Ian Fleming wrote the following dedication into the flyleaf of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service “To Aubrey, who wrote some of it! From Ian.”  As Aubrey Forshaw was a keen motorist, he was Ian Fleming’s go-to expert for technical information concerning Bond’s cars hence the inscription.

Priced reduced by £10k. Cheerfully painted in red and cream to a high standard, with matching cream leather, and red carpets (in the boot as well) this car is a good example of the sought after ‘long wing’ design number 99, mounted on a ‘Big Bore’ 4½ litre chassis. The interior woodwork is particularly interesting, being quite plain in terms of the grain, but in three shades and with a tasteful satin finish. The car is very sound, with excellent door fits, etc, and is running well. We are currently preparing and servicing it, have fitted five new radial tyres, which suit the car very well, both visually and from a driving point of view, together with new tubes, ready for the road. We have also fitted a new stainless steel rear bumper and over riders, which are excellent! Invoices on file from earlier this year show remedial work, including a clutch overhaul, and together amount to over £10,000 having been spent. The original registration number, OTO 620, instantly gives the car a name! Offered MoT tested. 

Price £ 79,500 – now £69,500.

Snippets: Lace & Wimbledon & a Caravan

The first owner of B455NY was Stuart Kirkland Fletcher (1897/1963) who in 1915 aged just 18 joined the RAMC and was posted to Mesopotamia, he was the recipient of both the Victory & British Medal for his service during WWI. The Fletcher family fortune was founded in the machines that they produced for the lace mills and a descendant S.B. Fletcher has written a 250pg book on the Fletcher House of Lace. One of Stuart’s daughters, Helen Margaret, was an international tennis player and when she started playing the game in 1945 it was as a right-handed player but after falling off a horse in 1946 and breaking her wrist Helen switched to playing with her left and became on the top lefthanded players in the world! In 1950 she played her first game in Wimbledon and by 1953 she was ranked No. 9 in World Singles and No.2 in Great Britain, In 1953 & ’54 she beat the world’s No.3 Shirley Fry on grass at Manchester. By 1961 B455NY was with Major Anthony Richard Carr of Bladgen House in Keevil. In 1585 Roger Blagden a clothier from Keevil purchased land from Thomas Jones and after Roger Blagden’s death in 1603 his estate was inherited by his heir Roger and the estate remained in the Blagden family until 1807 when the last living relative a Miss Ann Dare left the estate to a John Chamberlaine who in turn left it to his married daughter a Mrs Pooke – in order to accept the bequest Mr. Pooke changed his name by deed poll to Chamberlaine!! Blagden House was built in the mid 1600s but there are parts of it which can be traced back to the 1400s when it was owned by the wealthy clothier Lawrence Stephens. From the 1980s to 2016 B455NY was with Robert Belli of Virsac who being a carpenter had restored his parent’s travelling caravan in which he along side his 14 siblings was raised!

Following a comprehensive, 1,200 hour body restoration and a superb, top quality re-paint, this is an extremely smart example of a sought after and desirable car. Beautifully finished coachwork, complemented by excellent chrome work, lovely refurbished interior, supple leather, and newly re-finished wood. New, fully lined hood also fitted, and the car looks wonderful in its tasteful colour scheme. The work is documented with invoices and a 15 minute video of stages of the restoration taking place. Drives very nicely indeed and all-in-all is as good as you could hope to find! In fact, perhaps unusually, the car looks even better ‘in the metal’ than maybe it comes across in the photos. Comes with a large history file, which includes, amongst many other things, a 1960s green logbook and the car is offered newly MoT tested.

Price £ 195,000

Snippets: G. E. M. S. Nobel.

George Ernest Michael Sinclair Noble was a secret agent, a journalist & a sculptor! Born in Durham in 1919 he joined up in 1939 and after Dunkirk he became an officer in the VIII army in Libya before he was posted to Italy. His task was to assist post-war relationships between Italy and Great Britian and alongside the writers Afeltra, Fini & Buzzati he founded the Gionale Lombardo. This in turn led him to meet Ida Borletti the daughter of the industrialist and politician Senator Borletti who owned the Corriere Della Sera newspaper. Ida was some 20 years older than Noble and sadly he felt that “one wife was not always enough” which led him to drink. Michael & Ida would attend the San Giacomo Hospital for his daily de-toxification meeting arriving, but of course, in their Rolls-Royce! As a consequence of this Michael volunteered at the Psychiatric Hospital in Verona alongside the sculptor Castagna which was where he met & encouraged the patient Carlo Zinelli whose talent in turn led to the formation of a gallery for the “in-patients” to display and sell their art in. It is not known if BC66XA spent much, if any time, in Italy as by 1967 the car was with Noreen, the Countess Raben whose parents were Colonel Sir Abe Bailey & his 2nd wife Hon. Mary Westenra both of South African descent. The Countess’s mother Mary Bailey was an Anglo-Irish aviator (she was the daughter of 5th Baron Rossmore) who during WWI volunteered as an aviation mechanic and in 1927 she gained her pilot’s licence. She became the 1st woman to fly across the Irish Sea and in 1927 she set a world height record in here de Havilland with her passenger being Louise de Havilland. Mary continued to set flying records & was one of the first people to use aerial photography in combination with archaeological surveys including the Kharga Oasis in Egypt.

A smart clean example in a lovely shade of deep metallic blue, with nicely matured beige leather interior. The car was recently driven here from Austria and back again without issues and is in fine condition throughout – ideal to jump in and use either for long distance touring or for regular local running around. Unusually, the car is fitted with a period steel electric slide and tilt sunroof, which we see as a very appealing feature, adding more to the car’s attractiveness. The car has been enthusiastically used and well cared-for, and work in 2022 included a brake overhaul, consisting of new shoes, new drums, wheel cylinders and hoses, and a service at the same time, costing about £7,000 altogether. Not a showpiece, but very presentable, ready to use, and offered newly MoT tested.

Price £85,000

Snippets: Construction & Wheeler Dealers

Morris Summers (1916/2001) took delivery of BC174XA at his home in Avenue Close, Avenue Road, London. He was a successful builder whose company of Waltham Cross Construction Co Ltd had its HQ in Finsbury Park which is noted for its early cinemas. Namely 1913 Rink Cinema (now Ten Pin Bowling) and the 1930 Astoria which was designated as being Grade II due to the Art Deco features that it boasted. Morris & his wife Hilda were parents to twin girls Evelyn & Charlotte (1946) and later a son John (1953). According to the chassis cards by 1971 BC174XA was with D. Wheeler of 20 Warren Street who is thought to be a second hand car dealer as this was predominantly the trade on Warren Street. The street is named after Anne Warren daughter of Sir Peter Warren and wife of Charles Fitzroy, 1st Baron of Southampton who owed and developed the area in the late 1700s.

Price reduced. A fabulous example of a desirable design and configuration of car, originally specified to be painted Circassian blue, and now beautifully finished to a very high standard in a gorgeous shade of very dark, inky blue, which may well be the original colour. Fine red pin striping, superb chrome work, and appealing, original blue leather interior, with attractive veneers add to the appealing nature of this car, which combines patina with high quality refurbishment in a way that works particularly effectively. It is very apparent in many ways that the car has undergone significant restoration work in recent times, particularly looking at the underside, which tells a story in itself, being remarkably fresh-looking, clean and well presented, as is the engine bay. Currently fitted with new whitewall crossply tyres, but these can be changed for new blackwall radials if you prefer at no extra cost. Needs to be seen to be fully appreciated. A superb car, offered fully prepared, serviced, UK registered for the first time in many years after time overseas, will be offered newly MoT tested.

Price reduced from £210,000 to £195,000.

Snippets: The Valentine Car

The first owner was Harold Watson Hall of Scorborough Hall, he came from an industrious Yorkshire family whose business dealings included land and sea with trawlers & farms. During WWII several of the trawlers were taken over by the Royal Navy to be used as mine-sweepers and convoy defence vessels. Harold Watson and his brother Donald both served during WWII with Donald joining the Territorial’s and Harold the Intelligence section of the RAF, their Uncle Nick had joined the East Riding Yeomanry and he was awarded a Military Cross for his actions. Donald was killed in action whilst trying to get to Dunkirk during the final retreat, he was just 29. It would appear that Harold was a fan of speed as in 1940 he, along with Christopher Danby Wright of The Grange, Nafferton was summoned for exceeding the speed limit – no escaping the speed police even during wartime! Harold’s wife was godmother to James Gavin Nicholson whose father Wing Commander James Bringley Nicholson was the sole airman to be awarded the Victoria Cross during WWII, for his single act of valour during the Battle of Britain in 1940. It is not known when Harold Watson Hall sold BC87CZ but by June 1986 it was purchased by James Kirby Dobbs III for his 40th birthday and duly shipped to Memphis where he kept the car for a mere 3 years before it was sold to Dr. Morris Gardner of Pennsylvania. The Dobbs family firm started by James Kirby Dobbs the 1st as a Ford dealer ship and since that time has been involved in airline food, haulage, leasing, distribution, finance, health and today the family firm has many, many, more strings to their bow. By 2000 BC87CZ was with Herbert Wetanson of restaurant and fast food fame, he lived 945 Fifth Avenue in New York which was built by the Rudin family & opened in 1948. The west facing apartments within the building have views over the iconic Central Park which dates from the mid 1800s.

Price £295,000

Snippets: Albert Parkinson – Engineer & Philanthropist

Price Reduced. To find an example of the extremely sought after Continental fastback in delightfully original condition is a dream to many, but this car is just that, having had just four owners and covered only 69,000 miles from new. Love and care lavished on the car by particularly considerate owners have resulted in an exceptional outcome. The coachwork is fabulously straight, sharp and precise, and the somewhat faded ‘Dragonfly blue’ paintwork only adds to its appeal. The interior is gorgeously undisturbed and in superb condition, with soft leather in beige, piped blue, lovely woodwork, etc, and even the original carpets are intact and in good condition. Add to the above the fact that this car is one of the very last, an ‘E’ series, with the 4.9 litre engine, and you have something very special! If you appreciate the significance and importance of delightful, matured originality, have always fancied an R Type Continental, and want an easy to drive automatic, with comfy seats, this may be the only one available to suit your needs! Amongst much other documentation, included in the history file is the original buff logbook from 1955, together with the sales invoice from when bought new by the first owner, who went on to keep the car for 26 years, and when the time came to sell, he was keen to find someone to care for the car appropriately, as the letter we have attests to. This he achieved, and the car was then with one family for another 27 years until 2008. Two more custodians complete the history of known ownership from new. Delightfully correct, undisturbed and having a tactile quality difficult to put into words, this truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity! Just re-commissioned, serviced and offered MoT tested. Driven recently on a 450 mile round trip without missing a beat and performing very nicely.

£475,000.

Snippets: Aubrey W Schuster – A Successful Stockbroker

The first owner of BC3E was Aubrey William Schuster (1906/1993) whose family can be traced back to Frankfurt in the 1600s with Abraham Ottingen-Schuster, the first record of the family being in England is with Aubrey’s grandfather Francis Joseph Schuster in the late 1800s. The Schuster family were involved in many fields including law, textiles, banking, science (Xrays) and the Stock market. During WWI the Schusters were subjected to anti German press and at one stage Sir Felix Schuster issued a press release stating that the 3 brothers all had sons serving in the British army with Aubrey Schuster earning the rank of Major in the Royal Army Service Corps. Aubrey & Joy Schuster’s home was on the Moor Park Estate in Rickmansworth which boasted a grand Golf Club and a hidden underground railway station! Hertfordshire’s county emblem is a hart’s head (from which the county takes its name) and members of Moor Park Golf Club were issued with metal car badges in order to show security their access status when they entered the park – this badge with a hart’s head and dagger is still mounted on the car! Joy’s family were based in Scotland with her family having their business roots in the Clydesdale Boot & Shoe Steam Factory which was founded in 1822, by 1872 the company had 10 branches in Glasgow plus the factory works in Elcho Street. The advert boasts that their boots and shoes are “suited for Town and Country wear”. When Aubrey Schuster took delivery of BC3E he was so delighted with the car that he took his neighbour and his neighbour’s sons for a ride. In 1981 when Aubrey’s health started to fail he sold the car to that same neighbour’s son who as a young man had been taken for a ride in the car.

Was £75,000, now £59,500.

Snippets: Two Coronations

The chassis cards of B192DG show that the retailer was none other than H M Bentley & Partner of Hanover Court – H. M. Bentley was Horace Millner Bentley the brother of Walter Owen Bentley – the Bentley brothers started their 1st business together in 1912 as “Bentley & Bentley” selling the French DFP cars (Doriot, Flandrin & Parant). W. O. Bentley improved the performance of these cars & as a result he won several races at Brooklands setting new records for Class B in 1912 (66.78mph over 10 laps), 1913 (75.12mph) & in 1914 he achieved a flying mile of 89.7mph in a 2ltr DFP – after which the sales of the DFPs rapidly increased. The first owner of B192DG was Massey Henry Edgcumbe Lopes (1903/1992) – in 1938 upon the death of his father (Sir Henry Lopes) Massey Lopes inherited the title of Lord Roborough, the 2nd Baron. The Lopes family tree can be traced back to Jamaica where in the 1700s Mordecai Lopes owned a sugar plantation from which he made his fortune; in the late 1700s the Lopes family settled in London & upon Mordecai’s death in 1796 his son Mannaseh Massey Lopes inherited substantial wealth with which he purchased the estate at Maristow, Devon. Mannaseh Lopes immersed himself in local & national politics as well as land management and upon his death in 1831 his estate was in excess of 30,000 acres. As Sir Mannaseh did not have a son his estate was inherited by his nephew (his sister’s son) Ralph Franco who upon his inheritance altered his name to that of Lopes. In 1925 Massey H. E. Lopes joined the Royal Scot Greys and whilst serving with them he played on the Polo team which won the Inter-Regimental cup both in 1933 & 1938. Prior to the death of his father in 1938 Massey Lopes was the aide-de-camp to G. Villiers (6th Earl of Clarendon) the Governor-General of S. Africa. When Sir Henry Lopes died Massey Lopes resigned from the regiment but upon the outbreak of WWII he rejoined and was twice wounded in service. Sir Massey Lopes’ son George rang us about the car & it has become clear that B192DG was “mothballed” during this period, in 1952 George can remember sitting in the passenger seat of B192DG whilst en-route to the Coronation with his father saying “you watch the speedo & I’ll watch the road” – the speed achieved that day was a grand 82mph!! In the 1960s B192DG was re-bodied by Vincents of Reading into a shooting brake which did not aesthetically appeal to Sir Massey and he sold the car in the 1970s to a Mr Bennett. After selling B192DG Sir Massey did not purchase another Bentley as the later models did not appeal “only two reasons to buy a Bentley – Speed & Fun” – You can’t argue with that statement. The Coronation link continues as in 2006 Sir Massey’s grandson Harry Lopes married Laura Parker-Bowles the daughter of Camilla & therefore step-daughter of His Majesty King Charles III. At the Coronation of King Charles two of Sir Massey’s great-grandsons Gus & his twin brother Louis were Pages of Honour to their grandmother Her Majesty Queen Camilla.

A good, sound and very useable example of an early MKVI finished in black with beige leather interior which – being an early car – is of the plain, non-pleated design, with two armrests to each front seat. This, together with inertia reel seatbelts to the front and a nicely-working sliding sunroof make the inside a very nice place to be! We have a file of maintenance and repair invoices totalling about £39,000 since the 1980s, and the car has covered about 2,300 miles in the hands of the last owner since he bought it from us in 2016. A comprehensive service was carried out in 2022 costing £2,600, since when just 100 miles have been covered. The car presents well, is correct and tidy, and importantly, the chassis, underbody and coachwork are all reassuringly sound. Running and driving nicely, equipped with a well-suited set of Avon Turbosteel tyres, correct headlights, centre spotlight, etc, and offered prepared and newly MoT tested.

Price £ 27,500

Snippets:

Sir Alfred Hammond Aykroyd 1894/1965 (AKA Flash Harry) was a scion of two industrious families – the Hammonds Bradford Brewery (his mother Emma was the granddaughter of James Hammond) and the Ffrith Carpet (Sir Alfred’s great uncle was Sir Algernon Ffirth). Hammonds Brewery was initially founded by Joseph Pullen who in 1860 sold his brewery to James Hammond. When James Hammond died in 1875 he owned a staggering 35 public houses! In 1919 Sir Alfred married Sylvia Thorne the widow of Lt. Col. Foster Newton Thorne whose family had owned Southover Grange in Lewes from 1572 to 1901. Lt. Thorne was killed during WWI whilst serving with the Sussex Regiment in Shatt al Adhaim, Mesopotamia, he left his wife Sylvia with their 11 month daughter Vivian. In 1947, the year that he bought B119BG Sir Alfred became Chairman of Ffirth & Sons, Director of Hammonds Brewery & was in receipt of the Baronetcy – a busy year by all Accounts – he was already a director of Martins Bank! After Sir Alfred’s death in 1965 the Bentley was acquired by Ralph Parker of Datchet, a lifelong bachelor he kept B119BG until his death in 1998 when the car was inherited by Roland Bryant. Sadly Roland & his wife didn’t have a garage in which to keep the car and it was sold to Mr W. F.Cooper of Southampton.

New price. A chance to own a unique Bentley with great history and provenance which we believe holds a very significant place in the history of Bentley and Rolls-Royce Motors. Used as a test bed during WWII on official business, with every journey logged, it enabled the all new MKVI to be launched in 1946 when most manufacturers were re-hashing pre-war designs. The MKVI was closely followed by the Silver Wraith in 1947 and the Silver Dawn in 1949. We had previously thought that the B60 engine was a post war development but 3B50 was fitted with B60 engine No.4 originally, later replaced with No.11 as per logbook entry which is still in place to this day. We have copies of the three very comprehensive logbooks which not only record every journey but also who was driving and every modification carried out. These logbooks run from 1939 to 1950 during which time the car covered almost 200,000 miles before escaping the fate of most experimental cars by being ‘passed to Rm’ – the Chief Engineer who took the car for his personal transport. The car’s life is well-documented, and included with it are copies of Ian Rimmer’s seminal work on the Experimental cars and ‘Silver Ghosts and Silver Dawn’ the fascinating autobiography of W. A. Robotham. Also various other interesting related articles, magazines and books. During our ownership 3B50 has had a brake overhaul, re-cored radiator and numerous other jobs. Now very sound, a bit scruffy, running well, very much on the road and MoT tested.. Can be used as an ‘oily rag’ as is or improved cosmetically to the new owner’s taste. A very important part of Bentley history, now even more attractive at the new price!

New Price £65,000

Snippets:

Rm was the code name for William Arthur Robotham (1899/1980) – after serving as an artillery officer during WWI he decided that he wouldn’t join his father’s legal firm but to apply for an apprenticeship with Rolls-Royce (family connections played a part) and he duly started with the company as a “Premium Apprentice”. In 1923 he became a junior technician under Ernest Hives (code name Hs) in the Experimental section where Rm worked on not just cars but also the aero section when needed. He was heavily involved in the road testing of the cars which meant that he travelled throughout Europe and whilst he was staying at the Hotel de France in Chateauroux he assisted Madame Olga Cousino Lyon whose Silver Ghost had “failed to proceed”, her family’s wealth came from silver mining & wine in Chile and home was a palace in Santiago! More local testing runs were held at Shotton Steel works in North Wales and he along with Geoffrey & Dick Summers would race their cars over a ½ mile standing start sprint with a ¼ of a mile pull up section – the cars varied from an Aston Martin, Lancia, Hispano Suiza, Bentley, Vauxhall, Chrysler, Rolls-Royce – all in the name of performance evaluation. Such fun. Rm married twice – firstly to Winifred Thompson whose father Henry was a pioneer farmer with estates in Lincolnshire, Norfolk & Scotland & the owner of a Rolls-Royce Phantom I (78DC). One of Henry’s Scottish crops was the Golden Wonder potato & as they were not available in the Midlands Rm’s father-in-law sent him some 6 tons which Rm managed to sell to the Rolls-Royce staff! His second wife was Jeanne Ekins who used to accompany the famous Italian Tenor Beniamino Gigli on piano! After Rm’s retirement he & Jeanne bought a farm in Kent and produced hops, potatoes, corn, plums, apples and pears.