Formerly the property of The Veteran Car Club of Great Britain 'The Wellingham De Dion'
1901 De Dion Bouton 4½hp Three-Seater Voiturette

• Supplied new in the UK
• Many-time London-Brighton Run participant
• Known ownership history
• Entered in the 2024 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, no. 222
• Present ownership since 2003

The names of Count Albert De Dion and engineer Georges Bouton are inextricably linked with the pioneering years of the motor car, initially in company with Charles Trépardoux in the building of light steam carriages, the first of which appeared in around 1883. In the early 1890s De Dion and Bouton turned their attention to the internal combustion engine, much to the annoyance of Trépardoux who quit in 1894, leaving his erstwhile partners to develop what was, in effect, the first high-speed internal combustion engine.

Engineer Bouton's power units developed significantly greater output than their contemporaries from Daimler and Benz yet matched them for reliability. Small wonder then that De Dion Bouton engines were adopted by many other manufacturers of tricycles, quadricycles and light cars, both in Europe and the United States, influenced no doubt by the success of the flying tricycles in such events as the Paris-Bordeaux and other endurance races. Early 137cc engines ran at speeds of up to 1,500rpm, and the first internal combustion-engined tricycles were built in 1895. The 250cc engine of 1896 developed approximately 1¾hp and made the contemporary Benz engines seem positively antiquated.

By 1899 the company was marketing a 3½hp Voiturette, an all-new four-wheel motor car with rear-mounted engine driving the rear wheels through a system of gears. With the new car came the renowned De Dion rear axle, then years ahead of its time. Early De Dions were rear-engined and of the vis-à-vis type – where the passengers sat facing the driver – but from 1902 onwards the firm began to adopt what would become accepted as the conventional layout for a motor car. By this time De Dion's fast revving, single-cylinder engines were offered in 4½hp, 6hp and 8hp variants. All featured mechanical inlet and atmospheric exhaust valves, and were noted for their reliability, which is borne out by the number surviving today. The larger 4½hp engine was offered in the vis-à-vis models from 1900, and with this power unit the car had a comfortable running speed of 25mph, although braking ability was a limiting factor.

This car was supplied new to Mrs Roland Ward of Neckton Hall, Swaffham in 1901 and bodied to a most distinctive design by H J Mulliner, the coachwork featuring two conventional seats with a spider rear seat and a mock bonnet at the front where a vis-à-vis type bench seat would normally have been placed.

The car later passed to its second owner, a Mr Thomas Matthews of The Priory, Sporle, Norfolk, and it was during his ownership that a teenage H J Wellingham first had the opportunity to drive the car on his private estate. Many years later Colonel Wellingham, as he had become, acquired the car from the Matthews' estate, affectionately calling it 'Martha'. From 1936 onwards the Colonel actively participated in London to Brighton Runs, continuing to use the car in appropriate events in post-war years.

Following the Colonel's death the De Dion was bequeathed to The Veteran Car Club but remained in the care of the Colonel's family for a number of years. While in the Club's possession the car was actively used by a Club member and was the subject of a major engine rebuild. Our vendor purchased the De Dion at Bonhams' Olympia auction in December 2003 (Lot 1037). Benefiting from general maintenance since then, the car has completed several London-Brighton Runs with various entrants including the vendor at least twice.

A most original example with exceptional provenance, having had essentially only five owners from new including the VCC, Martha is equipped with Deitz oil side lamps and two oil lamps at the rear. The car is presented in dark green livery with black and silver lining, has deep-buttoned black leather upholstery, and still carries the ivory plaques of coachbuilder H J Mulliner. Dashboard equipment is minimal but includes an angle-mounted 8-day clock.

This very special and well-known Veteran car comes with a nice history file, is VCC dated, and carries plate number '173'. This important motor car has been entered and accepted as a participant in this year's London-to-Brighton Run on Sunday 3 November.