1904 Wolseley 12HP Twin Cylinder Rear Entrance Tonneau
Registration - ‘SE 22’
Engine No - 55
Chassis No - 704
‘The Ultimate British London to Brighton Car’
Originally an offshoot of the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Company, in 1901 the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company was formed. A creation made by the incredibly gifted Herbert Austin was born, a 1497cc 12HP transverse horizontal twin cylinder engine. This unique configuration saw forward facing cylinder heads beneath a bonnet for which sides were made up of a radiator cooling system. It operated on a cone clutch system with Chain driven 3 Speed and Reverse gearbox. The frame was the finest Vickers Pressed Steel and the car was lauded for its unique design and quality of workmanship.
Between 1901-1904, Wolseley would publish an advertisement in ‘The Autocar’ for the cars they had rolled off of the production line that week. On 28th May 1904, ‘SE22’ featured in this publication, alongside 7 others. (Copy of this image with the sale of the vehicle). The car was delivered to a J.R. Findlay In 1904, a man of public presence and politics.
The next recorded custodian of ‘SE22’ was a Mr H. Hamilton of Kirdford West Sussex. He remarkably found the car in the basement of an Edinburgh Garage in 1946, in a stunning piece of history he writes in a hand written original letter (available with the car) ‘They said if that’s any good to you, take it’ ‘So I did’ ‘I got it for nothing’. Later in the letter he goes on to explain how he got the car back to West Sussex on the train for £5 15 Shillings and ran it in the 1954 London to Brighton Run. Soon after he went broke and sold the car to Stephensons Garage of Tunbridge Wells. An incredible storyline which is documented in hand written letters for sale with the car.
The car was later purchased in 1961 by a Mr P Newington who owned the car until 2005.
Offered for sale for the first time since 2005, ‘SE22’ is undoubtably one of the most original London to Brighton cars left in the current day and is 1 of only 2 surviving 12HP Wolseley motor cars. It is also the most powerful engined London to Brighton Eligible Wolseley motor car. Famed for their quality of design, innovation and build, this was the iconic British Motor Car of its day.
‘SE22’ offers its new owner unparalleled character and a history file that simply does not exist with other examples of its time. The car presents in exceptional Original Condition and has been maintained by renown specialist Nigel Parrott of NP Veteran Engineering. The car currently starts at half a turn of the handle, a testimony to its incredible reliability all these years on. A difficult sale for its current custodian who has made connections around the world through this special vehicle.
Do not miss out on the rare opportunity to own a genuine piece of automotive history and fall in love with its incredible documentation spanning across 120 years.
For more information, or to purely open conversation, please contact Tom Parrott on 07572526196 or alternatively via Email at [email protected]
POA
