Period motoring

[worms]

It also shows the cars being lifted on and off ships, long before roll-on roll-off ferries.

The one you show appears to be from the South Eastern & Chatham Railway. Perhaps some Kent posters could recognise the backdrop?

My childhood holidays to the Hebrides in the 60s involved a similar means of getting the car on and off the boat!

 

[TheForge]

You might like to try the Surrey Vintage Vehicle Society. They have a 'help' section on their website where they attempt to identify photos sent to them by the public. http://www.svvs.org/help20.shtml

The car on the 'crane' (and in the street with 'Auto' on a building in the back ground) could be a Clement/Talbot but I'm no expert. (Could easily be many others too!)

 

[Feltwell]

Well, it appears at least one of the cars still survives - DU 541 is currently taxed according to the DVLA. The only other trace of it online is this picture on a personalised registration website, 3rd down on the left:-

http://www.numberplates.com/pr-number-plate-gallery.asp?page=2&carmake=Daimler

I would imagine the owner would be rather interested (!) to find that a picture of their car from the year in which it was built, 1906, survives. I shall send an email to the Daimler and Lanchester Owners Club and see what I get......

 

[Bayliss]

I strongly agree with Keith, the place for this piece of important social history is the VSCC, YOU WILL THEN BE ASSURED THAT THE BOOK WILL REMAIN IN THEIR LIBRARY and be a huge benefit to veteran motoring enthusiasts for decades to come.

 

[Keith Bowman]

I strongly agree with Keith, the place for this piece of important social history is the VSCC, YOU WILL THEN BE ASSURED THAT THE BOOK WILL REMAIN IN THEIR LIBRARY and be a huge benefit to veteran motoring enthusiasts for decades to come.

Thank you for the support. I didn't like to be too dogmatic as a new boy!

 

[Feltwell]

Well, ultimately that's down to my "favourite mother-in-law", but it sounds like a good option. She's no more keen on seeing it just gathering dust for no purpose than we are.

 

[Feltwell]

Thanks Graham. I've sent the picture of his handwriting off to the Palace of Westminster archives - as the Philip Dawson who I think it may be was an MP from 1921 to 1938, I reckon there's a good chance they'll have a document on record showing his handwriting to compare it to.

Well, it looks like it was him. The Palace of Westminster archives have replied to say that whilst they lay no claim to be handwriting experts, they have several letters signed by Philip Dawson MP in the early 1930's and the signature looks to be very similar.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Cool.

 

[skier-hughes]

excellent news.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Dawson

An interesting chap.

Described as "right centre" of the Conservative Party at the time, and simultaneously as "an admirer of the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini" !

 

[JoceAndChris]

Fascinating thread, and a lovely find.

 

[Feltwell]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Dawson

An interesting chap.

Described as "right centre" of the Conservative Party at the time, and simultaneously as "an admirer of the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini" !

See, some things don't change! That's just to the left of current admirers of Tebbit and Thatcher isn't it :wink:

Only (probably unwisely!) teasing.

He was obviously nice to his chauffeur though - taking the time to put together a photo album as a Christmas present for him of their European travels.

 

[Feltwell]

Well.....

It turns out that DU541 is alive & well and in a good home, with the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, which looks to be funded in part at least by Jaguar themselves. Their museum is not too far from where I work - I'll contact them and see if they're interested, I wouldn't think it would be that often that someone finds a picture of one of their 100+ year old cars when it was new - Should get me free entry to the museum if nothing else!

 

[Feltwell]

Their archivist wants to digitally copy the whole album, so it is safe for future posterity! Mrs F wants to keep the original album.

 

[Flyfisher]

I'm not surprised they would like to copy the album, it sounds like a wonderful addition to their collection. Seems like a good deal for everyone.

Just make sure you charge accordingly.

30-ish years ago, I was visiting an old country house in Suffolk (that belonged to the founder of Husky quilted clothing, but that's another story) with my Father-in-Law and we noticed what we thought to be an old iron smelting furnace. The owner said it had been dug up during some garden works and said we could have it if we wished.

I subsequently researched the find and, after much correspondence with (as it turned out) one of the most eminent historical metallurgists in the country, we concluded it was a Roman shaft furnace originally used for smelting iron. Anyway, we decided to donate it to the Ironbridge Gorge museum for which my FiL negotiated the exhorbitant price of free admission and a pot of tea whenever we visited.

I recommend you negotiate a similar arrangement for your album.

 

[Feltwell]

Sounds like a good deal, but a long way to go from Norfolk for a free cup of tea.......

 

[Flyfisher]

Indeed . . . . which is probably why I've never taken up the option. Still, it's the thought that counts. :wink: