A very well built special, with an all aluminium body, with excellent panel work and high quality paintwork. Stylish  and sporty in design, with a purposeful look! Excitingly, the car is fitted with a 6250cc V8 engine from a Bentley S2 which – combined with the lightweight body, make for exhilarating performance. Nicely finished in British Racing Green with green leather, and equipped with a hood, tonneau cover, side screens and aero screens. Wolfrace wheels and radial tyres make for better handling that cross plies as originally fitted to R Types, but then again, it is not like a standard car at all! Looks, fun and usability in a compact package. 

Price £47,500.

Snippets:

Not much information on this one, can anyone help Sue to fill this space? 

A complete, correct restoration project last used in the 1960s, and in storage since then. There is still a tax disc on the windscreen from 1969!. The car is a mixture of very rough in terms of body condition, and in more recent years has been attended to mechanically. The engine benefitted from a thorough refurbishment by Bentley specialist Tony Fabian, and runs very well, road springs have been attended to, as has the one shot system, wheels are fresh, tyres are recent, the car has been partially rewired, and a good deal more more besides has been completed over the last few years. The car is drivable, sounds good, performs well,  and is overall very promising mechanically, but will certainly need attention before being put into use. The history file includes many invoices, totalling over £20,000, a summary of the work done and parts supplied, together with a logbook from the 1960s. Although the Interior is perhaps better than might be expected, the original leather being surprisingly good, with correct instrumentation, etc, the steel body is very poor, significantly rusty, and needing lots of attention.  Under the bonnet, the engine bay is correct, the engine itself being the original fitted by the factory, and still retains twin original ignition coils, two-piece starting handle, and Dunlop jack in their clips. If restoring the body proves to be unjustified, then the future of this car may well be a re-bodying project, and we feel that the chassis is likely to be an excellent basis for this. Either way, a fascinating proposition, already nicely started, ready for a new owner to provide a new lease of life.

Price £32,500.

Snippets:

Worsted Mills & Shipyards

Joseph Hartley Robinson (1877/1947) was the MD of C. Robinson & Co Ltd, worsted & woollen manufacturers Batley. The company was started by his father Charles circa 1880 alongside James Ingham Nussey & Josias Hancock.  The partnership was dissolved in 1892 but the firm continued with Charles Robinson & James Nussey taking over Victoria Mills & Park Lane Mills.  When Joseph died in 1947 he left an estate of some £136,000 but he had omitted to leave a will!  The chassis cards show that in 1951 B153HM was with Richard Dunston (There are two Richard Dunston but we think this was Snr) who was Chairman of the shipbuilders Richard Dunston (Hessle) Ltd which was started by his grandfather after whom he was named.  Thomas Dunston took over the shipyard in 1902 but he died just 8 years later which is when Richard Jr took over the concern, he was just 20 years old and it must have been quite a challenge.  In 1958 Richard died whilst out walking on Manton Common and his son Richard (known as Michael) took over the company.  The vessels produced by Dunston’s included tugs, barges, Nile steamers, MoD craft and in 1966 the training ship SS Winston Churchill.  During WWII Dunston’s tugs were used to tow the Mulberry Harbours into place on the Normandy beaches, the company laid claim to employing the first women welders!!  

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, and it is now MoT tested until November 2025, and comes with paperwork confirming collector car status for registration purposes in the EU. A lovely example.

Price £43,500

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 project with a difference. Work was started on a renovation of this car, but it came to a halt for reasons unknown. Since then, the car has been put back on its wheels in a temporary fashion, and is in running order. Although the engine runs well and sounds good (apart from an exhaust manifold leak) the braking system is dismantled and the car therefore cannot be driven. The coachwork is sound and the leather has a lovely maturity to it, as does the car as a whole. The brakes, dampers and various chassis-related components have been removed, cleaned, partially prepared for restoration, and are with the car, as per the photos. We have invoices for £41,000 spent so far, all of which will assist with the further work now required. Overall, a correct, original car with a lot going for it.

Price £32,500

Snippets: Rear Admiral of the Fleet

Captain Edward Neville Syfret (1889/1972) took delivery of B133LE (he part exchanged a Humber Snipe) whilst he was in command of HMS Ramillies a Revenge-class super-dreadnought battleship in the Home Fleet. Capt. Syfret joined the Royal Navy in 1904, he specialised in gunnery & spent the majority of WWI in the North Sea on the light cruisers Aurora, Centaur & Curacoa. It was noted that prior to WWI he had a reputation as a cricketer and played at Lords on the Navy team for several years against the Army. In Nov 1939 Syfret was made Naval Secretary to the 1st Lord of Admiralty (Winston Churchill) and promoted to Rear-Admiral just two months later. Whilst he was Naval Secretary Syfret was not allowed to hold a sea command, but when Arthur Peters took over the role in June 1941 Syfret immediately returned to sea. His various postings included the Mediterranean, North Russia, Freetown, Capetown, Madagascar & of course the Irish Sea, it has been rumoured he took the car with him on some of his post-war postings, that would have been quite a sight. His WWII actions are recorded by Cmdr K. Edwards in his book “Seven Sailors” which we are fortunate to have a copy of. When he retired in 1948 from being in charge of the home fleet the newspaper cutting of the time shows him being pulled by the staff officers of in B133LE before he left under his own horsepower. He kept B133LE for some 32 years & sold the car in 1970 to J D Sharpe who drove the Bentley in several VSCC driving events held at Enstone Aerodrome in the 1970s – Motorsport reported that in the 1979 event “Sharpe slotted the wrong gear for reverse in Test 1” whoops.

A particularly sound and correct example of a desirable & rare drophead, restored in the 1970s to an award winning standard. In fact, amongst other prizes, B4HR won several awards at Pebble Beach, including 1st place in class in 1978. When new, the car was displayed at the Earls Court Motor Show, before being delivered to its first owner in Gibraltar, later going to the USA and later still to France. Forty six years after the restoration, thirty two of which were with one owner, the car is still in very good order, running and driving very pleasantly, excellent structurally, including doors which close with a satisfying ‘click’ with no up & down movement and a rust-free chassis and underside, due no doubt to the warm dry climates the car has lived in at various stages of its life. Cosmetically, the paint is showing its age and lifting in places, but still mostly presentable, the leather is original, in very good condition with no rips or tears, the woodwork is attractive and the hood & lining are excellent. Looking very handsome in two shades of green with tan leather and a beige power hood. The car is fitted both with original trafficators and flashing indicators, which are incorporated into the existing side and tail lights – very neat. There are even colour co-ordinated inertia reel seat belts fitted, and radial ply tyres to which the car is well suited. Wholesome and appealing, a desirable car and good value for money, offered serviced, performing very nicely, and MoT tested until November 2025

Price £79,500

Snippets: Cars & Owners with Awards

The first owner of B4HR was Douglas Lee Hunter MC OBE, he was awarded the Military Cross in July 1944 in recognition of “his gallant & distinguished services in Burma” and in 1945 he was awarded a 2nd Military Cross as a Bar – in February 1945 Hunter had been dropped by parachute into Perak, Malaysia from where he gathered intelligence on behalf of Army Command, Hunter was, according to Boris Hembry author of “Malayan Spymaster” “ruthless, cold & calculating”.

During the late 1950s / late 1960s B4HR was with the 16th Earl of Winchelsea – his relations include the Drexels (US Banking), Vanderbilts (Railroads & Banking) and his uncle Denys Finch-Hatton – the inspiration for the film “Out of Africa” starring Robert Redford & Meryl Streep. In 1964 B4HR was registered to Bernard Hatfield who was the Earl’s father-in-law.

By the 1980s B4HR was in America with Robert Emery Wanless – in 1954 Capt R. E. Wanless was the Chief Pilot on the inaugural flight of the new PanAm “Stratocruiser” which flew for 4 hours over the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley before returning to New York over Washington and Baltimore. After retirement Robert Wanless indulged in his passion for classic cars and he entered B4HR 4 times into the Pebble Beach Concours, in 1978 his efforts were rewarded with 1st place. The car had previously been placed 2nd & 3rd in this event. Robert’s father was Sir William James Wanless who became a surgeon and in 1889 he emigrated to India where he remained for 40 years. His patients included commoners, princes, rajahs and Mahatma Ghandi – today there is a modern teaching hospital in Miraj named the Wanless Hospital.

A very smart example which, according to the factory records, was painted in ‘Gulf blue’ and ‘Grecian grey’, and seemingly still the case – a combination which, with the light blue leather and dark blue carpets – suits the car very well in our opinion. Paintwork, chrome plating, leather, headlining and interior veneers are all excellent, and the engine bay is spotless, virtually to show standards! The boot still has its original black matting, in good condition, which helps to tell a story of the life the car has led. The underside is clean and sound. History file includes various invoices, receipts, etc, dating from the 1970s to 2024, a green logbook, and an MoT certificate from 1974. The car is well presented, running and driving nicely, is fitted with seat belts to the front, and is to be offered fully serviced and newly MoT tested. A good-looking car, in a tasteful colour scheme.

Price £37,500

Snippets: Textiles

Norman Illingworth, a scion of the Holden & Illingworth mill owning families of Bradford took delivery of B122CK shortly before his 50th birthday, perhaps the S1 was an early gift to himself? In the mid 1800s 2 of the Holden sons and 1 Holden daughter married into the Illingworth family creating a unique bond that continued in business until the mid-1900s.

When Marion Holden the matriarch of the family died in 1847 her widower remarried, this time into the Sugden family who also owned a mill in nearby Keighley. The Holden / Illingworth families had factories in France (St. Dennis, Reims & Croix) and England (Penny Oaks, Bradford) – with their business partner Samuel Lister they developed a square motion combing machine (Lister held the patent) which ensured that they dominated the market in the production of combed wool to the extent that by 1867 they were largest wool combers in the world! The wealth generated by the production of this wool enabled the extended families to buy, build & renovate grand houses such as Lady Royd Hall, Oakworth House, Daisy Bank & Nun Appleton Hall.

In the 1930s Norman Illingworth joined the family concern which by now formed part of the Tootal Broadhurst & Lee consortium & in 1957 he was on the board of the parent company and the lesser known Aerlan Ltd. & Lantor Ltd – in 1958 he sailed from Southampton to Cape Town to inspect the firm’s overseas operations and the following year he sailed to New York. The chassis cards show that in 1962 the Bentley was no longer used by Norman and was with a Mr. Moody of Vernons Pools in Aintree

Price £77,500 

Snippets: A pair of RAMC Doctors

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 £95,000

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.

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.

Price £39,500

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! We have also been informed that, according to car-lore, the extra leg-room in the back of B106EF was done to accommodate Eva Antweiler’s famously long legs! 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!

An unusual and very interesting, attractive, practical four door open cabriolet configuration make this a particularly desirable car, 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 MoT tested until October 2025, 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

Price £125,000

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).

A sound and smart example of the characterful H.J.Mulliner design, which was in many ways ahead of its time, having an appearance more akin to the late fifties, yet with features such as the divided front screen, reminiscent of a slightly earlier period, giving the car a delightful quirkiness! Structurally good, cosmetically smart and mechanically good, running and driving nicely. Finished in an unusual and attractive deep shade of blueish green, with very appealing, original brown leather interior, and nice matching carpets (in the boot too), and very good headlining. Plenty of interior woodwork, which features elegant crossbanding veneers. Driving very well, fitted with flashing indicators (important in modern traffic conditions), Michelin radial tyres, and offered MoT tested until February 2025.

Price £ 32,500

Snippets: Lime Sand Mortar & Thomas Tilling

The first owner of B22WH was Colin Percival Clarke (1911/88) who alongside Sir Albert Braithwaite and Vernon Wilson became a director of Lime-Sand Mortar Co which was formed in 1939 by Richard Ollendorf & Dr. Ernst Schweitzer. These gentlemen were forced to sell their German companies (Lime and cement) by Nazi decree and as a result emigrated together with their families and set up a ready-mix plant in the UK. The Home Office offered them the option of settling in Wales or on the North East coast which they chose due to the suitable sand. The team of Clarke, Braithwaite & Wilson owed Burnhills Sand & Gravel Company and they leased land to Ollendorf & Schweitzer for their plant. In 1942 the German firm was absorbed by Burnhills & traded under the name of A. Braithwaite & Co Ltd. Many years later the firm is now part of the Thomas Tilling Group which during the 1970s had 70 ready mixed concrete plants in the UK plus others in Europe and South Africa. The Tilling Group can be traced back to 1846 when he started offering a horse bus service, by 1856 this had expanded to bus and general carriage work and in 1860 he supplied and trained horses to haul fire engines in the Peckham area! In 1904 they had 3 Milnes-Daimler 24hp buses and in 1905 they had 20 buses and some 7,000 horses! The 2nd owner of B22WH was John Buckle whose family had interests in dyeworks in Bradford

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. Has been with one family for 44 years, is all correct, driving very nicely and is in excellent condition throughout. Offered, prepared, serviced and MoT tested until August 2025.

Price £ 550,000

Snippets: Screen, Speed & 007

Samuel John Harris of Cinema Press Ltd registered BC38D at both his home of 92 Cheyne Walk and his business “The Cinema” 93 Wardour Street both in London’s West End. Sam Harris came from a family with many noteworthy & notorious individuals whose wealth originated from William & Elizabeth Levy. In 1817 their “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 and is a must for the next owner of the Bentley. In 1954 whilst dining with his family at Cheyne Walk thieves entered the upper storey of the property and stole furs and jewellery amounting to some £1,300 without disturbing the diners. After a few year BC38D was with Guy Howard Martineau of French ancestry whose family were involved in banking, brewing, textiles and politics. In 1930 Howard Martineau and 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 and often competed against each other and Malcolm Campbell). The Salmson Motor company initial 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 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 and legend would have it the inspiration for the cars that James Bond, 007 drove! 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 was a keen motorist he was Ian Fleming’s expert for technical information concerned Bond’s cars hence the inscription.

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!

Price £ 79,500

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 MoT tested until June 2025.

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.

Price £39,500.

Snippets:

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 MoT tested until September 2024.

Price £99,500

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.

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 £ 255,000

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 £ 395,000

Snippets: Albert Parkinson – Engineer & Philanthropist

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, MoT tested until June 2024, and driven by us to the RREC Annual Rally and back, about 450 miles, without missing a beat and performing very nicely.

Price £ 675,000

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.

New Price £75,000

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. We feel that the car would benefit from a certain amount of cleaning and cosmetic improvement, but this is by no means urgent, and more 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 £ 29,500

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.

Price reduced! A very fine example of the desirable and sought-after ‘M series’ cars, which has been prepared and maintained at great expense over the period 2016 to 2022. In total, £117,000 has been spent over that time, and as a result the car is running and driving extremely well. It has been used for long distance touring, performing very well indeed and is in ideal condition to continue use of this kind, being mechanically excellent, very sound structurally, and cosmetically at just the right level to use and enjoy, being smart but not so pristine that you are afraid to drive it! The paintwork is generally good, but in places is losing adhesion and cracking. The leather is in good condition, the seats are nice and plump, but the pale colour is fading and looks grubby. Perhaps a gentle colour of an appropriate type would be a good idea. What’s ‘under the skin’ matters most in a car that is to be actively used, and this one really is in that category. The engine is smooth and quiet, with a willing, ‘pulling at the leash’ quality, being very lively. Couple this with the high ratio gearing, and you have a very usable car, ready to enjoy. All the aforementioned work is documented, with invoices and photos, in a file which also includes copies of the old logbook, various other papers and a VSCC eligibility certificate. The ‘time trial’ meters fitted to the dashboard are included with the car, but we would be happy to remove them if preferred without. Serviced & MoT tested.

New Price £78,000

Snippets: OCS, RAF & JDL

Alan Dudley Goodliffe took delivery of B67MX just months before the outbreak of WWII with the address given as C/o Chartered Bank of India, Australia & China – this bank was founded in 1853 & had been granted a Royal Charter by Queen Victoria. By 1940 Alan Goodliffe had joined the RAF and by 1942 he had been posted to No. 34 OTU in Pennfield Ridge, Canada to be in charge of the Accounts Section. He ended the war having attained the rank of Squadron Leader – No. 34 OTU was actually a unit of 2 Group of the RAF 2nd Tactical Air Force. Complete crews were trained at Pennfield on the Lockheed, or Vega Ventura, which was then in use by the RAF in England as a daylight tactical bomber by medium bomber squadrons of 2 Group. Little is known as to what Alan did after WWII but he certainly travelled with records of him visiting Manila, Canada, USA & Hong Kong. Alan was a direct descendant of F. W. Goodliffe (1875/1947) who started the family cleaning firm in 1900 and in 1930 his 3 sons formed the sub-division of OCS Ltd which is still a family concern albeit an international one with some 89,000 employees in 50 countries! The chassis cards of B67MX show that from 1952 / 1970 the car was with the engineering firm of John Dale Ltd which was initially established as Carr & Son in 1837 by John Smith Carr as a manufacturer of blacking. By 1890 his grandsons, John Dale Carr & Ralph Charles Carr had, set up John Dale Ltd to make tin containers & this developed into a separate business supplying tins, collapsible tubes and later aluminium castings. In 1972 Robert Carr was Home Secretary under the Conservative Government of Edward Heath. From 1973 until 2016 B67MX had 3 Italian owners of Italian – Pasquale Bertinetti (1973/88) who lived in Dorset but was from Turin then Roberto Rosso Snr (1988/2006) and upon his death the car was inherited by his son also Roberto Rosso.

Price now reduced. Unusually, this car was originally finished in silver, and still is, now enhanced with deep red waistline and matching leather, all in good order, and the dashboard and door cappings are finished in black lacquer. The car has benefitted hugely from major restoration work by the last two owners, including an engine overhaul (aluminium head), installation of a fully rebuilt ‘MX’ series overdrive gearbox, rear axle overhaul, radiator rebuild, and a great deal of other mechanical work, including to brakes and chassis generally, much of it carried out by Fiennes Restorations. A new mohair hood was fitted in 2009. Altogether, something in the region of £200,000 has been spent, all documented with detailed invoices in the fat folder that is with the car. There is too much to list here, but all of the invoices are available for inspection. As you can perhaps imagine, the car runs very well! Desirable, attractive, ‘well sorted’ and now representing very good value for money. Offered serviced and can be sold with a new MoT test.

New Price £89,500

Snippets:

WWI Chauffeuse & lover of Speed & Style – Miss Nora Hardy MacCaw.Nora Hardy MacCaw (1893/1971) was a lover of both Speed & Style – her cars included a Bentley 8 Litre, several 4 ½ Ltrs, 3 Derby Bentleys and a PIII to mention a few!! Nora & her siblings were born in India and she was the youngest child of William & Eleanor MacCaw; he had qualified as a solicitor but he & his wife moved to Calcutta where he joined the firm of Kettlewell, Bullen & Co (est 1853), managing agents for jute & cotton mills, tea, railways. By 1895 William MacCaw was a partner and in 1895 he was elected President of Kettlewell & Bulen. Upon his return to the UK he became involved in politics & stood as Unionist MP for West Down. Nora’s 3 siblings were Sir Vivian (1883/1936) who in 1932 became Sheriff of Calcutta & was knighted shortly before his death; Guy (1886/1952) who during WWI learnt Russian and served with the 17th Lancers – he was awarded the Military Cross, Vera MacCaw was educated in England alongside Guy, during their educational years they stayed with Hubert Hind (Vicar of Stoke) & his family. Nora was a keen motorist and during WWI she joined the Red Cross traveller and was stationed at Salonika in Greece as a chauffeur. After the war she remained in Europe and spent her summers in Biarritz with her companion Mrs. Lillian A Jupp; Nora later became a resident of Monte Carlo and in the 1950s she owned Villa Sauber – now part of the Monaco Museum complex. By 1941 B45KU was with another keen automobilist Hermon Bradley of Bilston – his wife Eleanor Bird was a member of the Bird’s Custard family who were well known for their Yellow cars! The Bradley family firm was started by Walter Bradley with the production of frying pans and buckets, it soon evolved into kettles, cake stands, ironing boards and history has it that the company name of “Beldray” came about when Walter asked his sons Hermon & Hector to spell their surname with their wooden alphabet bricks and they got it wrong & the Beldray brand was born! Later fascinating British owners include Ronald Olaf Hambro (Banker, tragically widowed when his wife drowned in Loch Ness; Fred Parsons (printing & press), E. Deshaw (Ismay lamps), John W. S. Utley (Cotton Mills & rally driver), John S. Batchelor (Orthopaedic Surgeon & Rugby player), Dr. L. E. Ridge (3rd generation medical man)

Price reduced. 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 £75,000

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.

Price Reduced! A very striking car which incorporates various unusual and very appealing design features. Sporty in appearance, sharp and lovely in condition and running very well. One of the very first Derby Bentleys built, originally bodied by Park Ward, the current Barker body was built for a slightly later 3½ Litre in 1935, but transferred to this car in the 1950s. The car features very sleek wing design, shallow windscreen, some very attractive body mouldings and swage lines to the scuttle and bonnet (which are also louvred), the rear quarters and the doors, too have sweeping, curved lines, enhanced by colour division. Early photos of the body when mounted on B178DG, although black & white, suggest a very similar colour scheme to that still on the car. These photos, together with shots of various documentation, an old logbook, etc, can be seen on the ‘More Photos’ page. The paintwork, chrome plating, upholstery, woodwork and cosmetics generally are all excellent, and the fitment of a full set of ‘Ace’ wheel discs and a ‘clam shell’ spare wheel cover, correct P100 headlights,the facility for mounting luggage on the lid of the already quite spacious boot, all add to the car’s practicality. Excellent, probably unique and a very rare opportunity to acquire such a special specimen. The car has a recent aluminium cylinder head and we have just fitted five new tyres and heavy duty tubes. Serviced, prepared and offered MoT tested. As well as the video below, you can see a walk round here:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyf4PrPVLlY

New Price £110,000

Snippets: The Embiricos & Lady Dorothy Roll

The first owner of B17AE was A H Embiricos, he was a scion of the Greek shipping & finance family whose brother Andre M. Embiricos commissioned and raced the Paulin designed & Pourtout built Bentley; the love of cars ran in the family as their cousin Nicholas raced an ERA alongside a Bugatti Type 57S! B17AE was only with A. H. Embiricos for a short time before it acquired by L. F. Stone who registered the car at his club – The Guards on Brook Street so little is known about L. F. Stone. During WWII the body on B17AE had been converted to a that of a Utility Van and was used by Messrs Mash & Austin Ltd of Covent Garden – the earliest reference found to this company is from the early 1800s when an Admiral in Lord Nelson’s fleet owed the sum of £3/7/6d to Mr. Joseph Mash!

The firm’s name was change in August 1873 when Henry John Mash (then living in Beaulieu) married the wealthy Miss Lucy Austin of Beaconsfield enabling them to acquire two farms where they grew their own produce enabling them to widen their customer base to include hotels and restaurants. In 1947 Hugh Curtis, a vet from Hungerford, acquired B17AE and in 1958 the car (with the Utility body) was used by Mr Curtis at the Police Motor Driving School in Hendon – this was an annual event & comprised of concours events and driving ability competitions in which B17AE took place as participant No. 20!

The current bodywork on B17AE was originally on B178DG which Mr. Curtis also owned – B178DG had been built to the exacting specifications of Lady Dorothy Roll & by coincidence her stepson (Jack Roll) owned B101MX which we also have here! Lady Dorothy was the widow of Howell Thomas Ball – he was killed during WWI in 1915 – Dorothy married Sir Cecil Roll in 1927 but by June 1932 Sir Cecil had placed a notice in The Times that he would not be responsible for any contracts & expenditure entered to his accounts by her – this did not appear to stop her buying B178DG in 1935 and a photo of the car is shown in the Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News. When Sir Cecil died in 1938 his estate amounted to some £460,000 and the majority of it was divided between his 3 sons and not his extravagant widow…… prior to Sir Cecil’s death she had ordered a Rolls-Royce 25/30 – GAR22 & shortly after his death a Wraith – WLB2!