Motor Cars

Many early 20th century photographs include motor cars and if you can identify the model or the registration number this can help dating the picture.

This Hertfordshire registered Peugeot car, AR 419, came from Beryl Grove (via Jim Mullary) and the driver could be Arthur John Reynolds, son of Jacob Reynolds of Heath Farm, or Beryl's father, Richard Thomas Grove.

The car almost certainly belonged to a member of the Reynolds Family of Heath Farm, St Albans, Herts.  --  Reg AR 419 would be Hertford County Council mid/late 1904. Levers by steering column say this is a c 1904 De Dion Bouton 6HP Two Seater. [Identification]

This Photograph was taken at Stagenhoe Park, St Pauls Walden, in August 1910. The registration letter CL was used in the Norwich area between January 1904 and August 1927. The car (bonnet mascot shown) appears to have both acetylene and electric lights.

The driver (and presumably owner) is Dudley George T Tacon (1886-1972), a regular visitor to Stangenhoe. Dudley was the son of the Rev. Richard John Tacon, Rector of Rollesby, Norfolk, and at the time of the 1911 census was a Cambridge student (at Eton in 1901). His passenger was Dorothy Mary Bailey Hawkins (1887-??) daughter of William Bailey & Emma Louisa Hawkins of Stagenhoe Park.

CL434 is Norwich 1908. Our Bryan Goodman is the only one who came up with an answer on the car which was a 1908 GC Light Car with Sultan 8HP engine made  by  Automobiles  G. C. , H. Guyot et Cie, Paris, - and only in 1908.  [Indentification]

The badge on the radiator is not recognisable but the car appears to be a Bullnose Morris. The RO number was issues in Hertfordshire between April 1925 and March 1928, and the low number would suggest it was one of the first to be registered in 1925.

Bullnose Morris indeed, Registered in Hertfordshire early 1925. Our Chas Moody advises small radiator, no front wheel brakes, flat sided rear bodywork : 1925  Morris Cowley  Two-Seater with Dickey.    [Indentification]