Price £42,500.

Snippets:  Sailing Tragedy & Too Much Gin

B176HK was ordered by W. E. Corlett (1867/1960) his father was an established builder but William Corlett became a solicitor, initially with Bremner & Co (he married the boss’ daughter)! William was an astute businessman & became involved with the Higson Brewery concern to the degree that in 1920 he bought the company! The Corlett family, being based in the Wirral were keen sailors but tragedy struck in 1946 when his son Norman, alongside Laurence McAllester died when their yacht capsized – Joan Corlett (Norman’s wife) held on to her husband for several hours in an effort to save his life.  That year the Bentley was sold to another solicitor – George L. McAllester, Laurence’s brother. 

In the 1950s the car was with Dennis Brabner, who was, guess what – a solicitor!

The 60s & 70s saw the car with Norman Dyson Innes Rycroft, a stockbroker who gave the car to his son Robin for use whilst he was at University and later Richard, the younger son, took over the car of the car. 

During the 70s B176HK was with James Vernon who lived at the Hall in Lygan y Wern – parts of the house can be traced back to the 1600s when it was a Welsh Longhouse – later additions were made in the 1700s by Evan Lloyd – The Hall was leased for 99 years to George Wynne & in 1764 it was sold to the Grosvenor Estate.

In the history file of the car is an amusing note written by James when sold he the car “I regret to say I cannot remember the name of the man who bought the car from me, he was charming ……….  We all drank rather too much of my father’s gin & the new owner recklessly said would I like to drive the car one last time!  This ended up with my hitting a tree & damaging the near side front wing. The new owner’s bad luck continued as after having the car repaired he failed to make the turn into his drive hitting (so I recall) the offside front wing, to add insult to injury he had the up & over garage door fall on the roof of the car!  He gave up and sold the car “

A really lovely example of a desirable and stylish car, which has benefitted from a great deal of love and attention in recent times, and expenditure of £65,000 some years ago. This has included an extensive body rebuild to a high standard, repaint, lots of new chrome, a full engine overhaul, re-cored radiator, new road springs, and much more besides, all documented in the history file, which also includes an original sales brochure, a workshop manual, and a good deal more besides. This example will take some beating!

Price £27,500.

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Snippets: Sangster’s the Motoring Family.

 1950 to 1977 unknown

 In 1977 Grant Sangster paid Harry Sibley of Bude the princely sum of £2,100 for the RMC which was then shown as being painted in red – in 1954, according to Autocar which carried out a road test of this very car (we have the issue) the car was finished in light metallic green with Vynide hood & tonneau & a mileometer reading of 43,216 miles! 

The Sangster family have been connected with wheeled vehicles since the late 1800s with Charles Thomas Brooks Sangster (1872/1935) he was brother to David Orr Grant Sangster who was Grant’s grand-father!  Charles Sangster was a prolific inventor & between 1893/1908 he registered some 145 patents – including one for an “improved shirt & shirt front”!  One his most unusual designs was the Ariel Quintuplet which was built in 1899 & with 5 riders reached 60mph – terrifying.  Charles had 3 sons Frederick who was killed in 1916 during WWI, John (Jack) (1896/1977) who became the MD of Ariel Motors & in 1936 he bought out Triumph Motorcycles, he later sold both companies to BSA – in 1956 Jack Sangster became Chairman of BSA.  Charles’ 3^rd son was Harvey who raced Ariels & was the company’s Overseas Manager – one of Ariel’s great claims to fame was that in 1928 Jeff Monro completed a lap of Australia on an Ariel Sports Model ‘E which took 6 months with many mishaps & adventures along the way. 

 Thomas Alfred Sangster (1903/1988) son of David Sangster (brother of Charles) started his career with the Swift Company and in 1930 joined Riley initially as their test driver & was later the sales manager of both MG and Riley cars.  In 1934 he took part in the Monte Carlo Rally in a Riley with Eddie Mayer – designer & engineer of Cooper Engines – as his co-driver. During the event they became so embedded in a snowdrift that they were pulled out by a horse & hearse!!  By 1959 Tom Sangster had become the Deputy Director of Home Sales for the British Motor Corporation, he was also involved in the Wolseley & Morris companies.

A very well-specified example, with a plethora of extra instrumentation and switches on the dashboard, twin fuel fillers, twin side-mounted spare wheels, and various other deviations from ‘standard’.Originally built for Geoffrey Smith, managing editor of ‘The Autocar’ magazine, and specified with many extras and deviations, well documented in various publications, including mentions in four different editions of ‘On The Road’, the contemporary magazine produced by Bentley in the thirties. The history file with the car has copies of some of these, together with other documentation, handbook, etc. The car is in good all-round condition, and has a very impressive frontal appearance, with its selection of lamps and horns. Driving well, sounding good, and looking very handsome in two shades of cream, with red double pinstripe and red leather interior. Offered MoT tested.

Price £47,500.

Snippets: Autocar & A Double Royal Connection

George Geoffrey Smith (1885/1951) was best known for his involvement with the Autocar & Motorcycle publications however it should also be noted that during WWI he was the Inspecting Officer of the Motor Machine Gun Service of the Royal Artillery.  During this period, he recruited over 10,000 despatch riders, mobile machine gunners & armoured car drivers – in 1919 in acknowledgment of this remarkable achievement he was awarded and MBE.  In 1917 Geoffrey Smith transferred from the army to serve with the Royal Flying Corp.  After war ended he returned to work for the Iliffe company and in 1923 he became a director of the firm.  In 1927 his wife Margaret died leaving Geoffrey with two sons to bring up and this he did with the help of a governess Joan Arnull who he married in 1935. G. Smith also wrote several books with subjects being: Frederick Royce, Aeronautical Theory & practice, Modern Diesel engines & also Gas Turbines.

By 1937 B100GA was with the Hon. John H. Hare the 1^st Viscount Blakenham, his wife was the Hon Nancy Pearson daughter of 2^nd Viscount Cowdray and grand-daughter of Lord Edward Spencer Churchill with infinite connections to the Spencer Churchill family tree and of course our current Royal heirs via the Spencer family.  During WWII John Hare served with in Italy with the Suffolk Yeomanry, as a result of his war actions he was awarded the Legion of Honour. 

Just after the end of WWII the Bentley was acquired by Major Hubert Melville Martineau of Philberds, Holyport. The Martineau family came to the UK in the 1700s, family members included master surgeons, politicians, bankers, sugar refiners, political reformists and shippers.  Francis Martineau Lupton was the great-great-grandfather of Catherine, the current Princess of Wales.  Hubert Martineau (1891/1976) was a keen sportsman and hosted matches against New Zealand, Australia, West Indies & India teams at his own private cricket field at Philberds, Holyport.  His other great love was that of the winter sports including sking, skating & bobsledding!  He was the president of the St Mortiz Bob Club.  His private life was also fascinating & complicated – his first wife was Maud Morris Schwab, daughter of Nelson Morris and the ex-wife of Henry Schwab, and when Maud died in 1966 he received the majority of her estate which was in the region of £6m!  In 1969 he remarried a “very pretty young widow” but she has yet to be identified! 

From 1949 to 1963 the car was with John Robert Ferguson (1914/1963) who was a pupil & later a governor of Rydal School which is in North Wales, after his death the car, via various dealers, found its way to Canada with Donald Spiers who owned it  from 1971 until 2001.

A lovely example of a ‘special edition’ ‘R’ Mulliner version of the Brooklands, number 88 of just 100 built. Very attractively finished in ‘Black Emerald’, which is a delightful, metallic green, so dark that it almost looks black under certain lighting conditions, complemented by duo-tone tan interior, green top dash roll, dark green carpets, piped tan, with dark green lambswool over rugs. The woodwork is dark burr walnut. The car has significant service history in the stamped service book, as well as invoices and a long run of MoT certificates, which together confirm the mileage as 84,500 from new. Also with the car are the original correct handbook, a supplement specific to the individuaul car, numered 88/100, all tools, correctly housed, and various fitments in the boot storage compartments, all looking untouched and spotless. We also have 97 pages of factory order information, detailing the exact specification when built, and just as it remains today.  Much admired, excellent condition, in a fabulous colour scheme, and offering a rare opportunity. MoT tested. As well as the video below, you can see a walkround here: https://youtu.be/5W5qIRsdHEc?si=QeeSN31F9Q9Zg9du

Price £22,500.

A smart and sound car, looking particularly attractive in very dark green with lovely tan leather interior, a colour scheme which we feel suits the car really well. The leather, carpets, headlining and woodwork are all fresh, correct and gorgeous. There are even colour-coded, inertia reel seatbelts, front and rear. Various correct tools, large and small, are included. The history file with the car confirms expenditure of about £53,000 on repairs and maintenance over the last couple of decades, all documented, several Jack Barclay invoices from the 1950s, and there is also written history from an earlier owner, MoT certificates, a buff logbook from 1960, and various other documentation, even including instructions for the HMV radio! As well as the original trafficator arms, still working properly, the car has been upgraded to flashing indicators, neatly incorporated into the existing side and tail lights, all working from the same switch. Driving nicely, performing well, and offered with a new set of radial tyres (not shown in the photos), serviced and MoT tested.

Price £29,500.

Snippets: Kilted

Major Donald Callander (1918/92) served during WWII with the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders and was one of the last British Army Officers to go into battle wearing a kilt, he was awarded the Military Cross in 1940 this was in acknowledgement of the fact that his platoon of antitank guns put 21 enemy tanks out of action & in 1945 he received his second Military Cross (the Bar) for his actions in the Battle of the Reichswald.  The Major is mentioned in the book Monty’s Highlanders – the story is that whilst enroute to an officers’ party they were questioned by American sentries as to who won the World Series – surprisingly the correct answer of St Louis Cardinals was given!

Donald’s wife Margaret was the daughter of Andrew Geddie (1886/1976) who from 1931/39 was chairman of the Royal West India Turf Club and director of the Bank of India as well as the co-founder of Geoffrey Manners Ltd a leading pharmaceutical company. When Donald met up with Andrew and Margaret in 1943 at Poona Race Course he was, of course, kilted.  During his ownership of B356FV (1949/1955) he covered some 65,767 miles which is confirmed on the 1955 Jack Barclay’s invoice.

From 1961 / 2001 the Bentley was registered with the firm of Foster Yeoman of Dulcote Quarry in Somerset.  John Foster Yeoman inherited his first quarry in 1950 on the death of his father, John was just 21 at the time.  By the mid-1960s the company had grown to such a degree that he was able to get British Rail to re-open the branch line from Torr to Westbury in order for him to deliver his stone.  One of his most unusual land acquisitions was a granite mountain in Scotland – namely a 2,000ft mountain at Glensanda which provided crushed rock for the Channel Tunnel.  Robin Thornes wrote a biography of John Foster Yeoman which we have managed to obtain and which will be with the car.

Sale Agreed. A very stylish, low-slung and sporting design gives this car appeal over and above that of a typical sports saloon. in sound, sharp and smart condition. Low roof line, narrow windscreen & side windows, stylish wings, P100 headlights, PLG40 centre light, scuttle-mounted spot lamp, twin side-mounted spare wheels, polished aluminium Ace wheel discs, ‘trouser crease’ wings, three fitted suitcases (in pale blue leather, as original), and some lovely art deco styling touches, such as attractive, ebony inlays to the door cappings, period door handle design, and piping to seat backrest, all give the car an extra level of desirability. The interior is in very good order, including the relatively recent pale blue leather. The design is particularly sleek and low, as well as being very nicely proportioned, looking good from any angle. Some say that the car has the appearance of a smaller version of a typical Phantom II Continental. You will see in the photos that there is also some interesting, hallmarked silverware, custom fitted in the seat backs, alongside the picnic tables. Gorgeous design, in lovely condition, driving well, and much admired. Since 1995, the car has benefitted from huge expenditure, totalling over £140,000, all documented in the history file, which also includes various other paperwork, as well as an original handbook. The cherry on the cake is that the car is fitted with overdrive, nicely aiding relaxed cruising. We last sold this car four years ago, and it is now available at a figure even more appealing than it was then, and offering tremendous value for money.

Price £36,500.

Snippets: Welsh Steel King, African Sugar Baron & Indian Curries

GNC68 was bought by Sir William Firth as a gift for his wife Lady Helena Adelaide however the ownership was only to be short lived as in April 1935 whilst they were being chauffeured home to Hatchford Park they were involved in a head-on collision with a pair of motorcycles which resulted in the death of two of the riders and injuries to their pillions.   It was reported the Lady Firth suffered concussion and several cracked ribs but Sir William, who was dozing in the back at the time, was unharmed.  The Rolls-Royce (maybe GNC68 or 100Sk or GBJ55) suffered extensive damaged including a broken steering wheel, their chauffeur Francis Edward Jarvis (aged 54) had been employed by the Firths for some 22 years and was unhurt.  Sir William Firth was one of the leading figures in the steel industry & within the business was known as the Steel King.  In 1947 he & Lady Firth joined their sons Kenneth & John in South Africa, the Firth’s bought the home of the Hulett sugar barons renaming it Crowhurst after their old home in Surrey.

From 1935/36 the Rolls-Royce was registered at Bush House in Aldwych, this iconic building is named after the American businessman Irving T Bush whose vision was to create a significant new trade centre. The design of the building was created by American architect Harvey Wiley Corbett, (he also designed Bush Tower in Manhattan) with the opening taking place on the 4^th of July, 1925.  At the opening ceremony the pair of male statues was revealed with the inscription “To the friendship of English-speaking peoples”, today we perhaps best know Bush House has having been home to the BBC from the early 1940s to 2012.

In 1936 GNC68 was with Humphry Richard Pelly of Lyndsays Farm, Ingatestone whose wife Barbara (nee Scrutton) bred pedigree Dexter cattle with names such as Lyndsay’s Cherry Pie & Lyndsay’s Lavender.  When Barbara’s father Frederick Scrutton died in 1937 his estate was in excess of £1.8m, his business was that of stevedoring.  It would appear that one of Barbara’s brother’s, Philip Furse Scrutton was a professional golf player & the owner of B495CD, a MK VI of a somewhat unusual  design.

Just 12 months later and GNC68 was acquired by Messrs J. Halford & Son of London producers of curry powder & paste, their adverts stating that if you added a dash of powder or paste to your dish it would be “just as they are prepared in India”.

A smart and sound example, well cared-for, and complete with a printed record of expenditure on maintenance and repairs, covering the period 1989 to 2025. This amounts to just over £50,000, and includes some significant attention. The car is nicely finished in Shell grey and Tudor grey, with just a few blemishes, and has a delightful, original, mellowed, deep red leather interior. The car comes with an impressive set of original tools, large ones in the correct clips in the boot, and the small ones in the tray underneath the driver’s seat. We have carried out an engine refurbishment with new pistons, etc, along with much other attention, and the car is offered prepared, serviced and newly MoT tested.

Price £32,500.

Snippets: Secrets of Knockholt & Bury

There is little information to be found about the owners of B31Ul so instead here are a few fascinating details about the villages of Knockholt & Bury were the car resided.

 B31UL was resident in Knockholt during the 1970s / 1990s where in 1841 the artist Henry John Boddington had painted “A Lane at Knockholt” and the village was home to the famous watercolourist William Frederick Wells 1732-1836 whose friend J. Turner was a frequent visitor.  In 1876 the railway station arrived at Knockholt and in 1906 was the setting for E. S. Nesbitt’s The Railway Children, during WWII Major Alexander Malins Lafone was awarded the Victoria Cross and Major Norman Smithers the Military Cross.  

 From 1989 until now B31UL was based in Bury which is named after Adam de Bury who held the manor from 1193 to 1219 as “one knight’s fee of ancient tenure”. In the 14th century, Alice De Bury married Roger Pilkington, and the manor remained with the Pilkington’s until 1485 when the lands of Sir Thomas Pilkington were forfeited because of his allegiance to King Richard III. The new King, Henry, granted them to his step-father Thomas, Lord Stanley, the Stanley family have been Lords of the Manor ever since.

 At the start of 18th century, John Kay, born at Walmersley, Bury, invented his famous “picking peg” in 1733, which made the shuttle in his hand loom move more quickly. It became known as the “Flying Shuttle” and revolutionised cotton weaving making Bury a centre for fabric production.

An essentially correct, undisturbed and sound example, needing attention, particularly cosmetically. The paint is old and shows its age, and there is a repair to the offside front wing (nicely executed), which is still in bare aluminium. However, the underlying structure is very sound, and the car is an ideal candidate for a gentle refurbishment, having already been partly recommissioned mechanically. Running well, but needing attention to electrics, steering and a few other bits & pieces, as well as a new set of tyres. The car has been with one owner for the last thirty years, a good deal of it in storage, hence the need for some attention. Handled suitably, this could be a very worthwhile project, both financially and from a personal satisfaction point of view.

Price £140,000.

Snippets:

A very fine example of a late Silver Shadow, in lovely condition throughout, very attractive in Willow gold and Dark Olive, contrasting nicely with the brightwork, and beige leather in excellent condition, as are the carpets, headlining (also leather) and woodwork. The car is nicely sound and sharp, is all correct, as specified when new. This really is a well cared-for example, which still smells as it should inside, and even the boot is spotlessly clean, and includes a full toolkit. There is also a set of lambswool over rugs. Just 76,000 genuine miles from new, confirmed by stamped service book, MoTs, etc, and various invoices in the file. Also comes with handbook, and various booklets, all in the original wallet as delivered. The car was driven a couple of hundred miles to us, and is MoT’d, ready to be driven away again! 

Sold.

A delightfully correct and handsome car, with some appealing touches and an interesting background. Bought in 1964 by John Fasal, author of “The Rolls-Royce Twenty”, this car ‘changed his life’ he says, and was the inspiration for his love of the marque and his future research into Rolls-Royce history, ownership, etc, and indeed his writing of the book itself. John restored the car in the 1960s, and following several years use by the subsequent owner, it was put into storage in the early 1990s. Now re-commissioned, looking lovely, and delightfully matured sixty years after the restoration, the car is now ready for it next life chapter. Features such as divided, opening windscreen, rear-mounted trunk with fitted suitcases, chauffeur communication device, etc, all add to the attraction. The car is equipped with correct, 21” wheels and all nickel brightwork, including the Lucas lamp set, in very good condition. Offered newly MoT tested, ready to go.

Price £32,500.

Snippets: An Actress, a Countess, a Vet’s wife & a Circuit Judge’s mother

Handwritten on the chassis cards for GBM38 is that it was sold to the actress Miss Maxine Elliott of St John’s Lodge, Abbey Road for Brenda, the Countess of Wilton of Milton Hall, Cambridgeshire. An unusual situation as we haven’t, yet, found any direct links between Maxine & Brenda but perhaps that will come to light.  Miss Elliott 1868/1940 was an American by birth who moved across the Atlantic to England and later settled in France.  Her niece Diana Forbes-Robertson (1915-1987) wrote Maxine’s biography which portrays her as being a great beauty & actress whose social life included George Keppel, JP Morgan & the Churchills, with a personal life that was both scandalous and tragic.  The 2nd lady on the chassis cards being Brenda, Countess of Wilton was a twin daughter of Sir William Petersen (shipping entrepreneur) & in 1929 was the widow of Seymour Edward Frederic Egerton, the 6th Earl of Wilton, he died in 1927 aged just 31.  Three years later in 1930 the Countess herself died (after an operation), she was only 35 and left behind two children – a 9-year-old son Seymour (7th Earl) and a daughter of 11 years old. It would appear that the 6th Earl was noted as being a philanderer – in 1920 he was cited in the divorce of Col & Mrs Ross Hume but as the 7th Earl was born 10 months after this event the Countess must have forgiven him! However, this was neither the first nor last of the 6th Earl’s liaisons – the Countess later sued for divorce – but at the time of his death in 1927 a decree absolute had not been issued. In June 1930 Christie’s Auction house held a major jewellery sale the majority of the items were from the estate of the late Countess.   The Wilton family are direct descendants of the Norman lord Gilbert le Grosveneur (1139/99) and share a bloodline with the families of the Greys, Egerton’s & the Grosvenor’s (Duke of Westminster).  The 3rd named lady on the chassis cards is Mrs. J.G. Runciman of Cambridge – this is is Edith May White a pork butcher’s daughter and wife of James Graeme Runciman a vet and breeder of Bower Winalot, the champion stallion Shire of the 1939 London Show.  The 4th lady shown on the chassis cards is that of Mrs Dulcie Marian Bevington of Gallowbrook House in St. Neots.  Dulcie was originally from Rhyl as was her husband Michael whose father Ernest had an established dental practice on St Asaph Road in Rhyl.  Dulcie & Michael’s daughter Christian Veronica became a lawyer (like Michael) and was appointed a Circuit Judge in 1998.

Sale Agreed. A smart example, in Shell grey and Tudor grey, with excellent re-upholstered interior in blue/grey with blue piping. The car spent the first twenty plus years in the dry climate of Kenya. There has been a great deal of good quality expenditure on the car in recent times, including stainless steel exhaust, new fuel tank, brake drums, radiator, tyres, etc, etc, as well as the previously mentioned upholstery, all documented, and amounts to £48,000 spent over the last five years. Also in the history file are a green logbook from the seventies, a great deal of correspondence over several decades, photos of restoration work, a handbook, manuals, etc, etc. The car featured in “Original Rolls-Royce & Bentley” by James Taylor, as shown in the photos below. Driving very well, and offered newly serviced, prepared and freshly MoT tested.

Price £35,000.

Snippets: The Almost Royal Car.

During the Silver Dawn’s time in Kenya it was an almost Royal car, it was available for use by Princess Elizabeth & Prince Philip whilst they were on tour in Kenya but the Royal couple had to cut short their visit due to the death of her father.  The other members of the royal family that almost sat in the car included Princess Margaret & the Queen Mother but we do have a video in which SDB134 can be seen in the background when Prince Philip visited on his own, on this occasion he used a Phantom II (82OR) as the royal car!  Other dignitaries who, we are told, used the car include Jomo Kenyatta & Haile Selassie!

The first owner of SDB134 was Francis D H Welldon who was born in Sri Lanka and was first noted as being in Kenya in 1925 where his profession was given as a coffee planter in the Thika area.  Later owners included W. H. Martin a successful business man and chairman of Raleigh Industries, he was well known in Nairobi and was regularly seen as at the New Stanley Hotel where he was known as “Martini”!  He also, according to his niece, owned a parrot who could imitate the sound of the soda syphon which Martini used to calm his sundowner!!

In 1970 SDB134 was bought by Dermot Kydd, who was awarded an OBE for his services to agriculture in Kenya, he used his knowledge of East Africa write The Konisgberg Assignment which is set in the Rufiji delta on the Tanzania coastline.  We have managed to find a copy of this rare book and it will be with the car.

A delightful car, sound, nicely proportioned and all correct, with excellent door fits – closing with a satisfying ‘clunk’. It has been with the last owner for 36 years since 1988 when he bought it from us – a significant proportion of its life so far! It has been well cared for and retains gorgeous, original, soft brown leather upholstery, complemented by excellent headlining and carpets, and a large sliding sunroof to the front. Although built as a six light saloon, at some point a division has been fitted, making it more like a limousine, but done in such a way that it can be relatively easily removed if desired. Unlike some limousines, the driving position is quite generous, rather than being tight as some are. Comes with an excellent tool kit, including jack, wheel spanner, hammer, etc in their clips in the engine bay, some extra spares, a large history file, which includes early buff and green logbooks, lots of invoices, various books, and is all-in-all a lovely car, with early characteristics adding to its appeal. Running and driving well, very nicely re-wired in correct, cotton-covered cable, fitted with a stainless steel exhaust system, and offered serviced and newly MoT tested. Nicely rounded off with a wicker basket on the rear! With the significant price reduction, the car now represents particularly good value.

Price £25,000

Snippets: An Accountant & an Average Adjuster

James Barclay Peat (1880/1965) took delivery of GFT22 at Park End Ormsby and a few months later registered the car at Wykeham Place in Totteridge. J. B. Peat was a son of Sir William Barclay Peat (the Barclay was the maiden name of Sir William’s mother Margeret) and his siblings included Harry (accountant & also for the Ministry of Food in WWI & WII), Charles (MP, accountant, cricketer and recipient of the M.C.), Roderick (accountant & recipient in WWI of French Legion d’Honneur, Belgium Order of the Crown & Luxemburg Order of the Oak Crown, Margaret (married to the artist H. A. Olivier – the uncle of Lawrence Olivier) and Edith who died in 1899 aged just 24. James B. Peat himself was also an accountant and in 1905 he wed Lucy Birds Slater whose father – the timber importer John Slater – at the time he owned Ty Craig in Llantysilio (a previous owner – Exuperius Pickering – built a canal wharf by the house). When Lucy & James married the house was “profusely decorated” & cannons were “fired at intervals” prior to them going to Germany for their honeymoon. By 1935 GFT22 was back on the market & acquired by Charles Barry Cooper of Darley Dene in Addlestone. This magnificent house, originally called “Tudor House”, was built circa 1855 & demolished in 1960. C. B Cooper (1887/1949) was an “Average Adjuster”, which is a specialist in marine & engineering insurance claims (as was his father Charles Cooper (1856/1940). In 1933 the family firm of Charles Cooper & Sons became members of the Baltic Exchange and in 1944 CB Cooper was elected Chairman of the Ass. of Average Adjusters. After his death in 1949 the Rolls-Royce was bought by Godwin Southon who regularly entered the Ripley Run – he was a known & respected collector of cycling machines & his museum included items such an 1810 invalid chair, 1886 Humber and an 1877 Salvo Quadricycle which was patented by the Englishman Starley in September 1877. Godwin owned GFT22 until his death in 1965 when it was inherited and sold on by Mrs. J. Richardson.

Sale Agreed. An early 20/25, with a slightly later body, handsome and well-balanced in design. Although running well, and benefitting from recent attention, the car will need re-commissioning and repair work before being used, including attention to the cylinder head, some electrical work, and various other items attending to. Work already carried out includes refurbished wheels, new tyres, stainless steel exhaust system, some new upholstery, etc, and we understand that the engine has received some attention. Work to do, but priced accordingly.

Price £15,500.

Snippets: F. J. Steel 

Frederick James Steel of the Kestrels in Stroud took delivery of GTR12 in April 1931 and in 1938 he traded it & his 20/25 Drophead Coupe GNC31 for a new Barker bodied 20/25, namely GZR18.  During WWI Frederick & Mary’s only son Norman served with the 1/5^th Gloucester Regt in the rank of 2^nd Lieutenant and was killed whilst leading his platoon into battle at Passchendaele. In honour of Norman his parents later erected a memorial window in the Lady Chapel at Rodborough Church.  In 1926 Frederick’s brother Harry (a garage proprietor) provided the limousine for Edward, the dashing young Prince of Wales (Duke of Windsor) on his visit to Cheltenham when he inspected a schools cadet camp!  Frederick Steel was noted as being the director of the firm Frederick Steel & Co with premises at Lightpill Mills of Stroud & also Ebley Mills.  The firm had a reputation for being fine colour & general printers and their products included accounting books and stationery.  Like his brother, Frederick was a keen motorist and there is a record from 1921 of him being fined for leaving a motor-car on the highway without any lights and again in 1924 for dangerous driving!  1938 saw GTR12 being acquired by Messrs Slaters (Wigan) Ltd who were specialists in supplying tailor made surgical belts & trusses.  The company was stated by Thomas Slater in the later 1800s & in 1908 he was joined by his son Frank soon after he passed his final pharmaceutical exam in Edinburgh.  Their adverts boasted that the company was “devoted exclusively to the Accurate Fitting of all kinds of Surgical Appliances, thus assuring the utmost privacy and efficiency”. 

Sale Agreed. A very smart limousine, ideally suited to wedding hire use, and at the same time better than many others on offer, but also a good, spacious clean and tidy car for family fun. The car is sound in wind and limb, and the doors fit well, with no sign of ‘drop’, or movement. Paintwork is very presentable, with a deep shine, accompanied by impressive chrome plating, including the correct and attractive array of Lucas lamps (including rare and desirable QK596 headlights) and long-trumpet horns. The interior is also lovely, particularly the rear compartment of soft, high quality beige leather, excellent carpets, etc, all being fresh, correct and smart. Light and spacious inside. Mechanically, the car is all good, the engine has correct, even compressions, driving nicely, and offered MoT tested.

Price £29,500.

Snippets: Mysterious Mrs Clark

Mrs Clark registered GRM2 at Heath Bank on South Downs Road in Ashley Heath.  There has been a building on this site since the late 1900s which is when the building of grand detached villa houses started to take place primarily for the wealthy mill and mine owners of the area.  Very little has been found regarding Mrs Clark – but we do know that in 1958 the Clark family advertised for a gardener!  During the 1980s GRM2 was with James P. Moran (1934/2023) of Youngstown, New York who was a “Forms Control Manager” for Moore Business Forms & Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel. His wife Pat coached the youth ice hockey team for the Wheeling Amateur Hockey Association.  In 1989 Pat & James retired and relocated to Carolina Beach which necessitated them selling GRM2 which was acquired by ourselves! After re-importation the 25/30 was acquired by E. H. Whitfield (minerals for pottery) of Crewe so the car ended up just 27 miles from its first British location – a small world indeed.

Sale Agreed. An exceptionally sound example, just out of long-term storage of something like 30 years. Prior to that, in 1984, the car underwent a full engine overhaul and much more besides at the Aston Martin factory, all documented with invoices in the large file which accompanies the car. It would seem that only about 1,000 miles have been covered since!  The aforementioned file also includes a great deal of correspondence, invoices, a magazine feature on the car from the 1980s, a handbook and much more. The car is to factory specification, including ‘Coolaire’ air conditioning, power steering, chrome wire wheels and heated rear screen, all confirmed by the factory build sheet. Although paintwork and cosmetics generally could do with attention, the car is remarkably correct, very sound structurally both in terms of body and the underside, with none of the rust issues that can affect these cars. Having been asleep for a long period, a good deal of recommissioning work was required. This we have carried out, work which included a decoke, cleaning of the fuel tank, fuel lines and rebuilding of the carburettors, attention to the braking system, five new tyres and tubes, new battery, as well as a full service and more besides. The car is now running and driving very nicely, and is MoT tested until April 2026.

Price £155,000.

Snippets:

Gerry Marshall – Racing Driver.

The first owner of this DB6 was the mysterious Mrs Rose Hill who appeared to have kept the car until the 1980s when it is next registered with Gerry Marshall (1941/2005) of Tring – a British racing driver.  His first victory was in 1963 driving a Mini and his last (600^th race win) was in 2000 at Snetterton driving an Aston Martin DB4!  In 1978 Gerry published his first biography “Only here for the beer” – he used to write about club events for Autosport using his name and his wife’s maiden name of Maynard! 
He kept the original registration number of 666 DTV as he used to race for the Dealer Team Vauxhall driving the Firenzas known as “Old Nail”, “Baby Bertha” & the Ventora “Big Bertha”.  In 1982 the car was MoT’d at the Tourist Trophy Garage which was owned by the Mike Hawthorn family.  In 1983 whilst owned by John “Ian” MacLaren whose family originated from Auchterarder in Scotland the Aston was featured in the Automobile Quarterly prior to it being shipped to Japan with Dr. Katirai a Homeopathic doctor who was fluent in 5 languages.

Sale Agreed. A very well built special, with an all aluminium body, 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. The automatic transmission makes the car easy to drive without taking away the performance and fun aspect. Nicely finished in British Racing Green with green leather, and equipped with a hood, tonneau cover, 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.

If you watch the video below to the end, you will see links to two more: One ‘walkaround’, and one of the engine. Worth seeing!

Price £47,500.

Snippets:

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

SALE AGREED. An extremely stylish and smart car, well-proportioned and good-looking from any angle. Particularly attractively finished in two shades of green, one of them very dark, with harmonising pale green leather, which we think suits the car very nicely, and it seems that many share this view, based upon the number of admiring comments that we have heard. The car is excellent structurally and mechanically, and drives very well, having been well-cared for over the years, as evidenced by invoices on file for maintenance and repair totalling over £50,000 since 1999, which included an engine overhaul, new cylinder head, re-wiring in correct, cotton-covered cabling, stainless steel exhaust system, and a good deal more besides. Very recently, the clutch has been overhauled. The car is fitted with overdrive for relaxed cruising, which really does make a significant difference to the usability of the car. Well-presented, clean, eye-catching and adorned with features such as an impressive array of correct lamps and horns, including twin pillar-mounted spotlights, louvred bonnet and scuttle, an external sun visor, rear-mounted spare wheel with ‘clam shell’ cover, and other stylish touches. Serviced, MoT tested and ready to go. Lovely!

Price £68,500.

Snippets:

Property & Yachts

In the early 1920s Leo H. P. Meyer (1903/61) alongside Thomas Blackwell founded the building firm Blackwell & Meyer, in 1929 he set up his own company “New Ideal Homestead” & during the 1930s he was acknowledged as being the country’s largest private housebuilder.  In 1933 he & his partner P. Shephard built & sold in excess of 4,000 houses in & around London, this led to their company being floated on the stock exchange & to it being renamed as Ideal Building & Land Development.  Leo was an early car owner and in 1929 he was stopped whilst driving in Kelvedon & upon failing to produce his licence was fined 10/-!  It would appear that he only kept GLZ59 for a few years as by 1935 the car was registered with J. A. Ellert a stockbroker – by 1938 it had been sold to Mrs. Gladys Margaret “Mollie” Reynolds.  Mollie & her husband had several properties – Nr 27 Grosvenor Street in London where in 1925 Mollie was the victim of a daring robbery – she was fast asleep in the ground-floor flat wearing, as was her custom, a pearl & diamond necklace worth (in 1925) some £3,000 when a thief broke in and snatched the necklace from her neck!  The Reynolds’ other property was The Towers in Yarmouth, Isle of Wight which, being a keen sailor and lady commodore, she allowed the West Wight Saling Club to use with “no question of payment arising”.  According to local lore being a keen sailor she had the sides of her dragon painted in different colours so to confuse the opposition, her husband Herbert Reynolds is acknowledged as helping to save the Scows in the 1920s with the design of the West Wight Scow which still exist some 100 years later.  In the 1970s GLZ59 was with Wallace F Smith of Holbury Mill in Romsey which was a water-powered corn mill.

Sale Agreed. This car is a really lovely example, very handsome and well proportioned, being designed by H. R. Owen, through whom the car was sold when new. The same design was also used by Gurney Nutting at the time. Wonderfully sound and very smart cosmetically, with excellent paint, chrome work and appealing brown leather interior. The dashboard, instruments and switching are lovely, as well as the impressive set of lamps, including P100 Lucas headlights. Driving very nicely indeed, with a particularly smooth and quiet engine, following an overhaul in recent years. In addition, a few years ago, a new cylinder head was fitted and the car was re-wired. An overdrive unit is fitted, which is of great benefit for long distance touring, for which the sizeable fitted rear trunk and twin side-mounted spare wheels are also very useful! Complete with a buff logbook from the 1950s, a sales invoice from 1966 and various other documentation, including a sales invoice from 1966, when the car sold for £795! An excellent car, which has been through our hands before, now ready for its next adventure! As well as the main video below, you can see a walk round of the car here; https://youtu.be/AwXceMLB3uk?si=AVJqli5HuaRXzJMI

Price £49,500.

Snippets: Cecil Rhodes Dormer