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Details
The Property of the late Moorton Fisher
1907 WOLSELEY-SIDDELEY 18HP ROI-DES-BELGES TOURER
Registration No. DW 174
Car No. 2061
Engine No. 375/18
Yellow with black coach lining, maroon wings with yellow coach lining, burgundy upholstery.
Engine: vertical bi-bloc, side valve, 4 x 4½ ins bore and stroke, 3,705cc; Gearbox: three speed with reverse, cone clutch; Suspension: front, semi-elliptic leaf-spring, rear, three-quarter elliptic leaf-spring; Brakes: footbrake to transmission, handbrake to rear two wheels. Right hand drive.
In the early 1900s, John D. Siddeley had a growing reputation in the motor industry. Since 1902 he had been building excellent small cars with vertical rather than horizontal engines at the Siddeley Autocar Company at Parkside, Coventry. These were proving to be such good passenger cars that demand became greater than his resources could supply. By 1904 the armaments firm Vickers, Sons and Maxim had bought the Wolseley Motor Car business, set up the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Co., acquired and re-equipped the Adderley Park works to the east of Birmingham City centre for car production, and had a factory in Crayford, Kent.
In around 1904 the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company took on John Siddeley, together with his designs, and commenced production of the vertical-engined cars alongside the horizontal engined cars, the latter of which gradually went out of production. Initially Siddeley was taken on as Sales Manager for the Wolseley factory in Crayford, but in 1905, when Herbert Austin left the company (quite possibly due to a clash between their two forceful personalities), Siddeley became General Manager of Wolseley's motor car activities. The vertical-engined cars built under his direction in the Birmingham and Crayford works were generally listed at the time as Siddeleys. It was only in 1910 (the year after Siddeley himself had left the firm) that the cars were listed by the Company as Wolseley-Siddeleys. Retrospectively, the name came to be applied to all the Siddeley-inspired cars made by the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Co. up until 1911.
For the 1907 season Wolseley-Siddeley produced 7 models ranging from a 10hp twin to a 45hp six-cylinder. Whilst final drive by chains was still offered, usually on the larger models including the 18hp, the majority of production was by now of smaller shaft-driven cars.
As confirmed by the Wolseley records lodged at the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, the car with engine number 375/18 which was car number 2061, left the factory on 6th June 1907. Its original owner is not recorded, however from its registration as the 174th car in Newport, Monmouthshire, and its DW prefix, we can be relatively certain that the car was originally sold to South Wales.
Further details of its early history remain to be discovered. However, it was photographically recorded in Wales, in 1948, in the possession of a Mr Samuelson (thought to be the brother of Sir Francis Samuelson). Mr Samuelson gave it to Reed Bros. of Breckanborough Hall Farm near Thirsk, who then used this magnificent tourer on the farm for hay sweeping until the magneto failed!
The car was formally dated by the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain Dating Committee in 1950, and in 1951 Mr Alan Skerman, of Bedale, Yorkshire acquired it for £6 10/- 0d. Fortunately the car, and most importantly its bodywork, had survived intact, and Mr Skerman started its sympathetic restoration. Moorton Fisher purchased the car from Mr Skerman for £175 and drove it home to Hertfordshire with his wife in February 1953, by which time it was in running order with the bodywork as yet untouched. Mr Fisher completed the restoration, and the car has remained in his care and ownership for over 50 years.
Moorton Fisher was an enthusiastic and active Veteran Car Club member, and his first rally, the AA Golden Jubilee, Guards to Hastings, was on 19th March 1955 - 210 miles, recorded in notebook and on both still and cine film! There were four more rallies that year, including the first P.A.C. in Holland. As an avid campaigner with the car throughout his 5 decades of ownership, events were regularly attended and enjoyed, in England and abroad, including a whole host of VCC rallies; the P.A.C.s in Holland (12 years); Hamburg - Travemunde in 1957; Brussels World Exhibition in 1958; Beaulieu and Amsterdam-Paris-Amsterdam in 1968; Jersey, Belgium, France, Italy, Corsica, Austria, the Post Olympic rally in Norway, and Denmark in 1994. The car took several prizes, both first and/or second, for Class, Distance, and Concours d'Elegance. Other prizes included overall rally winner at Harrogate in 1971, where he received La Casse Rickard Trophy, awarded for the first time, and 1st Prize for the whole rally again more recently, in the 1991 FIVA rally in Italy.
On the entertainment side, it featured as a typical period car in the film Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, and over the last decade has been used regularly for family occasions, parades, weddings and charity work. It is currently MoT'd.
Throughout this ownership the car was regularly maintained to a high standard, and was eminently reliable while covering several thousand miles.
The present condition of the car reflects its careful but extensive use. The leather might in part be considered original, but the rear seating and backboard upholstery certainly date from the 1950 restoration, while the oiler unit has been replaced with an exact copy of the correct unit and there are old repair plates to the water jackets. The chassis plate has long since vanished, probably in the 1940s, although establishment of its identity from registration and components is very straightforward.
The Wolseley-Siddeley is fully equipped with a plethora of accessories, including Lucas 'King of the Road - Duplex' self-generating headlights (No.794) in nickel finish, Palmer's Garage Side-lights, also in nickel finish, and a Stepney spare wheel. It also benefits from a full-height windscreen and full-length hood, separately fitted front and rear tonneau covers, and fitted spare wheel cover. Testament to its long eventing career is the wealth of tools and touring provisions, along with meticulous lists, that are stored within the car. These include a purposeful set of brass containers for petrol, grease, carbide, paraffin, etc, tailored to fit into the running board tool boxes - the sort of accessory that would be the envy of most regular rallying enthusiasts. V5 document, old buff log book and a copy of the original instruction manual for these cars accompany the car.
Just two 18hp cars survive from the Wolseley-Siddeley chapter in the British Wolseley marque's history, making this car extremely rare. The long and proven history of rallying and touring supports the practicality and usability of the car as a good Edwardian with solid performance. With the attractive 'tulip' style original coachwork, long term ownership, and rarity of this car, we feel it can be highly recommended.
1907 WOLSELEY-SIDDELEY 18HP ROI-DES-BELGES TOURER
Registration No. DW 174
Car No. 2061
Engine No. 375/18
Yellow with black coach lining, maroon wings with yellow coach lining, burgundy upholstery.
Engine: vertical bi-bloc, side valve, 4 x 4½ ins bore and stroke, 3,705cc; Gearbox: three speed with reverse, cone clutch; Suspension: front, semi-elliptic leaf-spring, rear, three-quarter elliptic leaf-spring; Brakes: footbrake to transmission, handbrake to rear two wheels. Right hand drive.
In the early 1900s, John D. Siddeley had a growing reputation in the motor industry. Since 1902 he had been building excellent small cars with vertical rather than horizontal engines at the Siddeley Autocar Company at Parkside, Coventry. These were proving to be such good passenger cars that demand became greater than his resources could supply. By 1904 the armaments firm Vickers, Sons and Maxim had bought the Wolseley Motor Car business, set up the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Co., acquired and re-equipped the Adderley Park works to the east of Birmingham City centre for car production, and had a factory in Crayford, Kent.
In around 1904 the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company took on John Siddeley, together with his designs, and commenced production of the vertical-engined cars alongside the horizontal engined cars, the latter of which gradually went out of production. Initially Siddeley was taken on as Sales Manager for the Wolseley factory in Crayford, but in 1905, when Herbert Austin left the company (quite possibly due to a clash between their two forceful personalities), Siddeley became General Manager of Wolseley's motor car activities. The vertical-engined cars built under his direction in the Birmingham and Crayford works were generally listed at the time as Siddeleys. It was only in 1910 (the year after Siddeley himself had left the firm) that the cars were listed by the Company as Wolseley-Siddeleys. Retrospectively, the name came to be applied to all the Siddeley-inspired cars made by the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Co. up until 1911.
For the 1907 season Wolseley-Siddeley produced 7 models ranging from a 10hp twin to a 45hp six-cylinder. Whilst final drive by chains was still offered, usually on the larger models including the 18hp, the majority of production was by now of smaller shaft-driven cars.
As confirmed by the Wolseley records lodged at the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, the car with engine number 375/18 which was car number 2061, left the factory on 6th June 1907. Its original owner is not recorded, however from its registration as the 174th car in Newport, Monmouthshire, and its DW prefix, we can be relatively certain that the car was originally sold to South Wales.
Further details of its early history remain to be discovered. However, it was photographically recorded in Wales, in 1948, in the possession of a Mr Samuelson (thought to be the brother of Sir Francis Samuelson). Mr Samuelson gave it to Reed Bros. of Breckanborough Hall Farm near Thirsk, who then used this magnificent tourer on the farm for hay sweeping until the magneto failed!
The car was formally dated by the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain Dating Committee in 1950, and in 1951 Mr Alan Skerman, of Bedale, Yorkshire acquired it for £6 10/- 0d. Fortunately the car, and most importantly its bodywork, had survived intact, and Mr Skerman started its sympathetic restoration. Moorton Fisher purchased the car from Mr Skerman for £175 and drove it home to Hertfordshire with his wife in February 1953, by which time it was in running order with the bodywork as yet untouched. Mr Fisher completed the restoration, and the car has remained in his care and ownership for over 50 years.
Moorton Fisher was an enthusiastic and active Veteran Car Club member, and his first rally, the AA Golden Jubilee, Guards to Hastings, was on 19th March 1955 - 210 miles, recorded in notebook and on both still and cine film! There were four more rallies that year, including the first P.A.C. in Holland. As an avid campaigner with the car throughout his 5 decades of ownership, events were regularly attended and enjoyed, in England and abroad, including a whole host of VCC rallies; the P.A.C.s in Holland (12 years); Hamburg - Travemunde in 1957; Brussels World Exhibition in 1958; Beaulieu and Amsterdam-Paris-Amsterdam in 1968; Jersey, Belgium, France, Italy, Corsica, Austria, the Post Olympic rally in Norway, and Denmark in 1994. The car took several prizes, both first and/or second, for Class, Distance, and Concours d'Elegance. Other prizes included overall rally winner at Harrogate in 1971, where he received La Casse Rickard Trophy, awarded for the first time, and 1st Prize for the whole rally again more recently, in the 1991 FIVA rally in Italy.
On the entertainment side, it featured as a typical period car in the film Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, and over the last decade has been used regularly for family occasions, parades, weddings and charity work. It is currently MoT'd.
Throughout this ownership the car was regularly maintained to a high standard, and was eminently reliable while covering several thousand miles.
The present condition of the car reflects its careful but extensive use. The leather might in part be considered original, but the rear seating and backboard upholstery certainly date from the 1950 restoration, while the oiler unit has been replaced with an exact copy of the correct unit and there are old repair plates to the water jackets. The chassis plate has long since vanished, probably in the 1940s, although establishment of its identity from registration and components is very straightforward.
The Wolseley-Siddeley is fully equipped with a plethora of accessories, including Lucas 'King of the Road - Duplex' self-generating headlights (No.794) in nickel finish, Palmer's Garage Side-lights, also in nickel finish, and a Stepney spare wheel. It also benefits from a full-height windscreen and full-length hood, separately fitted front and rear tonneau covers, and fitted spare wheel cover. Testament to its long eventing career is the wealth of tools and touring provisions, along with meticulous lists, that are stored within the car. These include a purposeful set of brass containers for petrol, grease, carbide, paraffin, etc, tailored to fit into the running board tool boxes - the sort of accessory that would be the envy of most regular rallying enthusiasts. V5 document, old buff log book and a copy of the original instruction manual for these cars accompany the car.
Just two 18hp cars survive from the Wolseley-Siddeley chapter in the British Wolseley marque's history, making this car extremely rare. The long and proven history of rallying and touring supports the practicality and usability of the car as a good Edwardian with solid performance. With the attractive 'tulip' style original coachwork, long term ownership, and rarity of this car, we feel it can be highly recommended.
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.