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First person in Birmingham to own a Rolls Royce, or a Ferrari?
- Thread starter tali
- Start date
B
badger
Guest
I had an A30 if it's any help.....
L
Langstraat
Guest
Thought I recognised the name and question. LOL
Welcome to the site.
You stand a better chance on here for answers than elsewhere B.O.L.
sylviasayers
master brummie
Would it have been the Lord Mayor? or perhaps one of the Chamberlains.
tali
master brummie
Yup certainly right there mate!
L
Langstraat
Guest
You wont need to go back to that bleak place now eh?
Try another question, there are several here who share your interest in auto knowledge.
Try another question, there are several here who share your interest in auto knowledge.
tali
master brummie
Doug Ellis has had 15 Rolls Royces.
First Ferrari i saw was a Dino owned by Wainwrights in 1977
W
Wakadowakado
Guest
Tommy Smart famous Villa full back used to ride his bike to the ground to play Division One matches Best wishes WAK
Old Brummy
master brummie
Hi all Dont know about 1 Rolls Royce but Singleton and Cole had a fleet of them to deliver tobbaco products etc from the city center. They disposed of them around 1956. I was on the verge of buying one of them along with a Mk 5 Jaguar for 450 Pounds . They were Vans called 40/50 Model . You got the van and the Jag so you had the petrol coupons for both. Any Pics anyone????????????// Cheers Old Brummy
Re: Singleton and Cole Rolls-Royce
That's interesting, old Brummy, and sparks off a memory of my own with all due apology to tali for veering off-topic.
We were very fortunate in having a source of holidays during the second half of the war. My mother's cousin Lilian, "Auntie Dickie," was married to "Uncle Ferdo", Ferdinand Cole, Managing Director of Singleton & Cole, a Birmingham wholesaler of tobacco, snuff and fancy goods. They had a weekend cottage in the middle of nowhere, tucked away down a lane, through two gates. The nearest village was Bredenbury in Worcestershire, not far from Bromyard. We had several visits there, probably in the summers of 1943 and 1944 when I was seven or eight.
My mother and I used to get to the cottage with the help of Singleton & Cole transport which would pick us up at the Coles' large house in the Bristol Road - no. 88 or 188, I think. On one occasion it was in a large Hillman or Humber convertible, with the hood up, to my extreme disappointment. The most memorable journey was however in one of the Company vans. This was a Rolls-Royce, I can only assume having been converted at an earlier stage to a van from a car. It seemed to be built like a large piece of expensive furniture and its engine ran like silk. Petrol rationing was at its height at that time, of course, and it was arranged that we should travel in the van which, by the happiest of coincidences (!), had to make an urgent delivery in the Bromyard area and had the package to prove it. It was fairly important therefore to conceal its main cargo from official view as it comprised Mother and Auntie Dickie huddled in the back with all the luggage, sitting on boxes in virtual darkness and being entertained by a large parrot and a white cockatoo in their cages. I sat up front with the driver, having been instructed to act as "the boy" in case of trouble. The journey was completed without incident except for passing one policeman on point duty who looked as though he was going to stop us but fortunately didn't. I remember our driver wafting air over his face with his hand in mock relief after we had gone by. I did not enjoy seeing this particular driver having any sudden surprises as I had been told previously that the reason why he, a youngish man, was not in the forces was that he had a weak heart. Even at that age I did not relish the combination of, on the one hand, his condition and on the other my personal well-being being in his hands.
I am interested to learn that there was a fleet of such vehicles. I had always assumed that ours was a one-off, perhaps a superannuated and converted family car. To my regret I have no photograph of it nor of our journey. I hope one exists somewhere else - it must do. But early as this vehicle was, it cannot have dated back further than the early to mid 1920s and there must have been many in Birmingham of far earlier date.
Chris
That's interesting, old Brummy, and sparks off a memory of my own with all due apology to tali for veering off-topic.
We were very fortunate in having a source of holidays during the second half of the war. My mother's cousin Lilian, "Auntie Dickie," was married to "Uncle Ferdo", Ferdinand Cole, Managing Director of Singleton & Cole, a Birmingham wholesaler of tobacco, snuff and fancy goods. They had a weekend cottage in the middle of nowhere, tucked away down a lane, through two gates. The nearest village was Bredenbury in Worcestershire, not far from Bromyard. We had several visits there, probably in the summers of 1943 and 1944 when I was seven or eight.
My mother and I used to get to the cottage with the help of Singleton & Cole transport which would pick us up at the Coles' large house in the Bristol Road - no. 88 or 188, I think. On one occasion it was in a large Hillman or Humber convertible, with the hood up, to my extreme disappointment. The most memorable journey was however in one of the Company vans. This was a Rolls-Royce, I can only assume having been converted at an earlier stage to a van from a car. It seemed to be built like a large piece of expensive furniture and its engine ran like silk. Petrol rationing was at its height at that time, of course, and it was arranged that we should travel in the van which, by the happiest of coincidences (!), had to make an urgent delivery in the Bromyard area and had the package to prove it. It was fairly important therefore to conceal its main cargo from official view as it comprised Mother and Auntie Dickie huddled in the back with all the luggage, sitting on boxes in virtual darkness and being entertained by a large parrot and a white cockatoo in their cages. I sat up front with the driver, having been instructed to act as "the boy" in case of trouble. The journey was completed without incident except for passing one policeman on point duty who looked as though he was going to stop us but fortunately didn't. I remember our driver wafting air over his face with his hand in mock relief after we had gone by. I did not enjoy seeing this particular driver having any sudden surprises as I had been told previously that the reason why he, a youngish man, was not in the forces was that he had a weak heart. Even at that age I did not relish the combination of, on the one hand, his condition and on the other my personal well-being being in his hands.
I am interested to learn that there was a fleet of such vehicles. I had always assumed that ours was a one-off, perhaps a superannuated and converted family car. To my regret I have no photograph of it nor of our journey. I hope one exists somewhere else - it must do. But early as this vehicle was, it cannot have dated back further than the early to mid 1920s and there must have been many in Birmingham of far earlier date.
Chris
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jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
I enjoyed reading your story ChrisM. It must have been an amazing ride
and with the two parrots as well. I expect you have seen this site.https://www.franklyncards.com/one/biostev.htm Bit of history of Singleton & Cole.
and with the two parrots as well. I expect you have seen this site.https://www.franklyncards.com/one/biostev.htm Bit of history of Singleton & Cole.
Eric Gibson
master brummie
Singleton and Cole had a lot of trouble with the Rolls Royce company who objected to the van bodies and tried to get them banned.
One of the vans was knocked on its side in an accident at the Villa Street and Wills Street crossroads in the late 50s. E.
Old Brummy
master brummie
Hi All I am not sure how many vans were in the fleet and indeed I am not at all sure how many there would have to be to call it a fleet. but I think there were at least 4 . The were oftn parked up in the same street or alleyway as the B,Ham mail vans, They had a fleet of Austin vans and the entrance to the garage was near the Singleton and Coles vans .
Lencops was right about the petrol coupons............ I was waiting to come out to Australia when the Suez crisis was on . I had sold my house ,car and roller skates ,just waiting or the call to ship. We were living with the wifes Mom and I used to walk down Stratford rd The Jag and the Rolls were in a car dealers fron window . Would not have been far from Warwick Rd turn off . I had a Jag 20Hp which I had sold and I would have loved the Mk 5 model but the wife said I may have lost money on it if I had to sell it quickly when the call came so I did not buy it and so missed out on the chance to own a Rolls Royce as well . A few of the lads in the Mosely MCC had Rolls and it was quite a joke to turn up to the start of a Trial on a Sunday morning in the Roller Cheers Old Brummy
Lencops was right about the petrol coupons............ I was waiting to come out to Australia when the Suez crisis was on . I had sold my house ,car and roller skates ,just waiting or the call to ship. We were living with the wifes Mom and I used to walk down Stratford rd The Jag and the Rolls were in a car dealers fron window . Would not have been far from Warwick Rd turn off . I had a Jag 20Hp which I had sold and I would have loved the Mk 5 model but the wife said I may have lost money on it if I had to sell it quickly when the call came so I did not buy it and so missed out on the chance to own a Rolls Royce as well . A few of the lads in the Mosely MCC had Rolls and it was quite a joke to turn up to the start of a Trial on a Sunday morning in the Roller Cheers Old Brummy
My Gt Aunt and Uncle lived on Gravelly Hill they were the Wareings they had a Roller before the War and a chauffeur as well. Gt Uncle was an architect/master builder all the sons except one who was killed in the war were in the legal profession founder of Gately Wareing.
Dyan in NZ
Dyan in NZ
My Dad had an A30 ! we used to go to Fisher and Ludlow's club in it on a Saturday night no heater !!!! the windows used to ice up on the inside.
John
pmcdermott
master brummie
i think h,samuels the jewellers used to have a rolls royce van that had a wooden framework like the morris traveller in the mid fifties
Old Brummy
master brummie
Dont know about a Rolls but I did have a Singer 9 4door saloon with Aluminim body . No rust. etc. Sunshine roof tarred up of course A1929 Model Cost at that time $7.00. Old brummie
E
eddiegolf
Guest
Birmingham Corporation owned a Rolls Royce with the reg.no. LOM 1. This was used by current Lord Mayors. As for an individual. It could be the Docker's.They had a gold plated Rolls Royce,but I dont know whether he came from Birmingham.
paul stacey
master brummie
hi all
sorry to change the subject slightly but to my mind the greatest most luxurious car for me was the Mk 9 Jaguar, old Alf from harborne who had a small transport business in 62/3 had one, red and white two tone with same leather interior and colome change auto gears I thought it fabulous.
paul
sorry to change the subject slightly but to my mind the greatest most luxurious car for me was the Mk 9 Jaguar, old Alf from harborne who had a small transport business in 62/3 had one, red and white two tone with same leather interior and colome change auto gears I thought it fabulous.
paul
Old Brummy
master brummie
Eddie Golf Re the Dockers . Never saw them in a Rolls but theydid have 2 nice Daimlers and used to arrive in them at the BSA factory. Lady Norah,s Daimler was reall a beautifull machins It was a light powder blue colour with little shamrocks abou 1 inch in size paiinted on ,all by hand , in dead straight line all over the car. .
The other was was a very large box like looking car with enough room in the back for seats facing rear ward behind the driver glass division .
I wonder where thos cars finished up Maybe I will Google and see what comes up Cheers Old Brummy
The other was was a very large box like looking car with enough room in the back for seats facing rear ward behind the driver glass division .
I wonder where thos cars finished up Maybe I will Google and see what comes up Cheers Old Brummy
E
eddiegolf
Guest
Hi. Yes. You are quite right. They were Daimlers. Thanks for putting me right.
Eddie
Eddie
W
Wendy
Guest
I may have mentioned this before apologies if I have. When I was an apprentice hairdresser in Four Oaks. Lady Bird would come to the shop in an array of different cars. This would be around 1968 she had a black Rolls Royce a Custard Yellow one and a custom built Pink one. I remember the pink one was larger than the other two it had the back seats built up so that her little dogs could see out of the windows. She lived in Horton manor now demolished I would love to see a photo of it. She was a lovely lady a little eccentric but I will never forget her kindness to me.