1900 Clément-Panhard 4/4½hp Dos-à-Dos Light Dog Cart

• Supplied new in Scotland
• Known ownership history
• Former London-Brighton Run competitor
• Present ownership since 2003

Manufactured late in 1899, this Clément-Panhard is fitted with a dog cart body by J & C Stirling Coachbuilders of Glasgow. Stirling had entered the motor industry in 1897, initially bodying Daimler-type cars with Stanhope, dog cart and wagonette coachwork. In 1900 John Stirling, founder of The Scottish Motor Trades Association, acquired the rights to supply Clément-Panhard cars, which were marketed by Stirling Motor Carriages Ltd of Charing Cross, Glasgow. Around 200 were imported into Scotland. The cars they supplied were variously described as the Stirling, Stirling-Panhard or Clément-Stirling. They were two-seater or three-seater vis-a-vis in configuration, but some were fitted by Stirling in their works at Hamilton, Lanarkshire with back-to-back (dos-à-dos) seating for four people, giving the appearance of a horse-drawn dog cart. Marketed as 'The Light Car De Luxe', they were priced at 165 guineas. The car offered here is of this type.

It is understood that the car was acquired directly from Stirling by first owner David Hunter of Lanark, an electrical engineer and partner in the Glasgow company 'Hunter and Jack'. In 1901 ownership was transferred to his nephew, John Tervit, who used it daily for the next seven years. When the Motor Car Act 1903 came into force on 1st January1904, the Clément-Panhard was allocated the registration number 'V46', indicating it was the 46th vehicle registered in the County of Lanark. On file is a photograph of John Tervit and his wife taken sometime between 1904 and 1906.

It is believed David Hunter repurchased the car circa 1907 and then sold it to John Bryce of Lanark, who used it extensively for the next 20 years. In October 1927, John entered 'V46' in the Daily Sketch Old Cars Competition to be held in London on Sunday 16th October and in the Old Crocks London to Brighton Emancipation Day Parade on 13th November. Of the 50 entrants, only 38 commenced the seven-mile journey to Olympia. The Clément-Panhard was the ninth competitor to leave and finished 4th; however, the judges decided to declare it 1st overall and winner of the £100 cash prize (see photograph taken at the finish). The car was then repainted by one of the event sponsors in time for the London to Brighton Run on 13th November (see photograph taken at the start).

The November 1927 Emancipation Parade commemorated the Emancipation Run of 14th November 1896. The original run had celebrated the coming into law of the Locomotives on Highways Act 1896, which removed the strict rules and speed limits restricting the use of motorised vehicles in the UK. A photograph on file shows the car making its way through London en route to Brighton. "Another Victory for Lanark's Old Crock" was the Daily Sketch's headline, as once again the car carried off the 1st prize of £100 in the competition for cars over 21 years old. Mr Bryce entered 'V46' in the 1929 London-Brighton Run and the car once again successfully completed the course within the specified time.

On 27th May 1931, to illustrate the progress made in transportation during the first 30 years of the 20th Century, 'V46' was exhibited on the Evening News stand at Glasgow's Civic Week Exhibition alongside the Blackburn Bluebird Aeroplane 'G-ABDS' in which the Hon. Mrs Victor Bruce had flown solo around the world. To publicise the event, the car would tow the aeroplane through the Glasgow streets to the Kelvin Hall (see photograph on file).

The car then took a leading role in Lanark Lanimer Day, an ancient celebration held annually on the Thursday between the 6th and 12th of June since the year 1140 within the Royal Burgh of Lanark. On file is a photograph of the 1932 event showing the car dressed up as a fire engine.

Following the earlier change from hot tube to trembler coil ignition, significant modifications were made to the car during Mr Boyce's 28 years of ownership, including fitting a hood, windscreen, windscreen wiper, rear view mirror, speedometer and sprag, the latter, when lowered, preventing the car from running backwards when stopped on hill.

In the mid-1930s 'V46' was sold to an American couple, its whereabouts remaining unknown thereafter until an internet search in October 2002 when Roger Noble of Connecticut confirmed that his family had owned it since 1950. The car has been in the current family ownership since they purchased it at a US auction in June 2003. Since acquisition the Clément-Panhard has been preserved within their private collection - which includes two four-cylinder 'Brighton' cars - being exercised occasionally on their property but not driven on the road. Recommissioning will be required before extended use. On file, an illustrated history of 'V46', written in 2012 by the original owner's grandson, is essential reading.