1903 Wolseley 7½hp Twin-cylinder Rear-entrance Tonneau

• Rare early survivor of an historic British make
• Known ownership history
• Many-time London to Brighton Run participant
• Present family ownership since 1983

This 1.5-litre twin-cylinder Wolseley was ordered on 5th February 1903 for a Mr C H Whittington of Betchworth, Surrey but cancelled on 2nd October 1903 by agents J N C Ray in favour of Mr Michael Falcon of Norwich. The car was registered as 'AH 146' on 24th February 1904 and delivered to Mr Falcon on 28th March 1904.

In 1908 the Wolseley was sold to Soames & Co, agricultural engineers of Measham, Norfolk. This company manufactured a steam-powered vehicle in 1897 (registration 'AH 136'), which took part in London-Brighton Runs in the mid-1950s (see March 2004 edition of The Automobile). They converted the rear part of the Wolseley's body to a utility truck to accommodate 10 two-gallon fuel cans.

From 1916 onwards the car was stored until it was acquired by the Veteran Car Club of GB under their acquisitions scheme. In 1944 the Wolseley was sold to VCC member George Milligen of Norwich. This was recorded in the VCC Gazette (No.9, April 1944) and reprinted in the 75 years celebration book. The Wolseley was entered in the 1946 London-Brighton Run under the registration number 'FNG 444, which it kept until the original registration 'AH 146' was reissued.

In March 1975 Mr Milligen sold the car to Mr Leslie Goldsmith of Chichester, Sussex, a collector of Veteran cars. While in his ownership the rear-entrance tonneau bodywork was recreated, and a new aluminium sump cast. Dating Certificate No. 891 was issued by the VCC on 22nd April 1959 dating the car to 1903. The Wolseley was temporarily loaned to the Bicton Hall Museum of Transport in Devon for exhibition and in 1980 was photographed by Neill Bruce for the third edition of Nick Georgano's Encyclopedia. It participated in various London-Brighton Runs, including the 1972 event when it was driven by former Formula 1 World Champion Graham Hill with Dora Bryan, Penny Lane and Jonathan Goldsmith (Leslie's son) as passengers to raise money for Oxfam. The finish was covered by Movietone News.

The late Brian Middleton acquired the Wolseley in December 1983, following the death of Leslie Goldsmith, from Veteran/Vintage motorcycle dealer Brian Verrall, acting on behalf of his executors. Brian Middleton later got Dora Bryan to autograph a copy of the 1972 Run poster (with car). 'AH 146' has participated in almost every London-Brighton Run since then, successfully completing most of them. Offered or sale today by the Middleton family, the Wolseley comes with a file containing dating certificates, Brighton Run records, a current V5C document, and an account of its history.