1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Barker Sedanca de Ville

A very fine example of a highly specified car, with some lovely features including magnificent ‘sideboard-like’ cabinetry in the rear, which incorporates fold-out tables, slide-away carpeted footrests, a single occasional seat and two cocktail cabinets with a decanter and two types of glasses. All nicely veneered and satin finished. Exhibited at the 1937 Earls Court Motor Show, it was apparently the most expensive car there, at just over £3,000. Excellent condition throughout, very nicely finished in tasteful black and beige, with excellent chrome plating, including a superb set of correct R100 headlights, centre spot light and twin Lucas long trumpet horns. With the car is a fabulous history file, including a great deal of maintenance invoices, correspondence between earlier owners, a complete ownership record, and sufficient for us to be totally comfortable that the mileage showing of 65,000 is genuine. There is also an old buff logbook. Another very impressive aspect of the car is the wonderful fitted toolkit in the boot, which attests to the care received during the life so far of this gorgeous car. Running nicely, serviced, and offered newly MoT tested.

Price £ 78,500

Snippets:

The first owner of 3CP186 was Fred Smith who was the MD of British Ropes Ltd – his 3 brothers were also keen motorists and each had a PIII – Harry with 3BU156, Herbert had 3CM131 & the youngest brother Enos owned 3CP150. The company of British Ropes was formed in 1924 with the merger of 6 wire and 1 fibre rope companies including Bullivant, Craddock, Craven, Haggie, Newall, Tyne & Smith, the oldest of which dates back to the early 1800s. Fred’s family home was Pollard Hall, Gomersal in Yorkshire which was built circa 1659 by Tempest Pollard for his wife Mary. In May 1940 Fred died unexpectedly whilst staying at the Clifton Arms Hotel in Lytham & it is thought that the PIII was laid up during WWII until it was bought by Major Frederick Leslie Laurence of St. Ives – he had recently sold Round Island in Poole Harbour which was owned by his wife Kathleen Iliffe as scion of the newspaper Iliffe family – she had commissioned Sir Edward Maufe to design the modern art deco home on the island. After a short ownership 3CP186 it was next with Captain Arthur Thomas Filmer Wilson-Filmer (a scion of the Ellman-Wilson shipping family), he acquired the 2nd Filmer when his maternal uncle Sir R.M. Filmer died in 1916 and Captain Arthur changed his name by deed-poll in order to inherit the estate of East Sutton Park. In 1927 Captain Filmer and his wife Olivia Paget (sister of Dorothy Paget) purchased Leeds Castle which remained with Olivia when they divorced in 1931. Captain Filmer remarried in 1934 to Lettice Ward, a grand-daughter of the 1st Earl of Dudley, there was a considerable age gap between the pair and the marriage ran its course in 1947 when Captain Filmer applied for a divorce on the grounds of Lettice’s adultery with their race-horse trainer – Captain Alvery Hall-Watt. During WWII the army took over East Sutton Park for war use, it was sold in 1948 and Captain Filmer purchased Rowley Manor in Little Weighton where he remained until his death in 1968. During the 1960s the PIII was owned (privately) by 3 future Lord Mayors of London! Sir Jonathan Denny MC 1965/6, Sir Robert Bellinger 1966/7 and Sir Gilbert Inglefield 1967/8. Sir Denny was awarded the Military Cross for his actions in 1918 during the “Third Battle of Albert” on the Somme during which he captured two machine guns and 10 prisoners as well as obtaining useful information.