Rolls-Royce 20/25 (1930)

SALE AGREED

A particularly handsome limousine, incorporating various features of a vintage nature, which add charm and character to these early 20/25s, in a way that is sometimes difficult to express. These include short radiator, nickel fittings, early type instruments and riveted bonnet. In fact, the car was built in 1930, so probably qualifies as vintage, even though registered early in 1931. The previous owner bought the car in 1991 and kept it for 26 years. Some of the paintwork would benefit from minor attention, but overall, the car is sound & smart, and has very good blue leather upholstery front and rear, is light and spacious inside, including a relatively generous driving position. Running sweetly and driving well, particularly as it is fitted with overdrive, relaxing the engine nicely at touring speeds, has a stainless steel exhaust system, and is offered serviced, prepared and newly MoT tested.


Chassis No. GSR68 Reg. No. VY2497 £37,500

Snippets: Waddilove and Woodhead
After being used by Messrs Myers & Burnell Ltd in York as a demonstrator car (during WWII John H Kaye stored Rolls-Royce cars at his home in Haxby to protect them from the bombing, he later became Mayor of York). The 1st private owner of GSR68 was Percy Waddilove a grandson of Sir Joshua Waddilove – the founder of Provident Finance; In the 1880s Joshua Waddilove s provided a “Buy now, pay later” voucher system for life’s essentials (coal, milk, bread etc) which families could pay back over time. This was a valued service especially during world wars and the stock market crashes that occurred; by the 1920s when Joshua Waddilove died his estate amounted to some £1,250,000. From the 1920s the Waddilove family became prolific Rolls-Royce & Bentley owners with Lady Alice (Sir Joshua’s widow) owning a 20hp, 20/25, PI and a PII, the grandchildren followed in her footsteps and between them from the 1930s to the 1960s some 40 cars went through the family’s ownership . Percy Waddilove (son of Arthur Waddilove, one of Sir Joshua’s 8 children) only kept GSR68 for a few years before it was acquired by William Henry Woodward of nearby Leeds. W. H. Woodhead was one of 7 children of Jonas Woodhead whose company started in 1850 making ironwork, axles and springs for horse-drawn carriages, by 1920 the firm was part of the French firm of A Darracq Ltd (Motors), with Jonas Woodhead Ltd now producing springs, axles & shock absorbers for the motor trade, the company continued in this line of work until the 20th Century. William Woodhead died in 1934 and GSR68 was moved on to her 3rd owner.

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