Historic Period Photos
A collection of period photo's of Australian M.G.s on the road
Archivist; Matthew Magilton
In the back yard of his parents Adelaide home is our own Registrar Tony Sloan. Tony was still a student when he sold his Singer 9 to purchase TA 2956 from Brian Silcock for 250 pounds in 1958. Over the next 12 months Tony brought the car back to top condition before selling it for a tidy profit to purchase a Sunbeam-Talbot 90. Now half a century later (sorry Tony) he would love to know what has become of TA 2956. Does anyone recall this red car after 1959?
Funny how you don’t see K3s parked in the streets these days! This is K3 chassis # K3752 which was used to reconnoitre the course of the 1933 Italian Mille Miglia for the MG team. She came to Australia in 1949 and was bought by young John Sawyer in 1952. John was apprenticed to Otto Stone (K3016) and after fitting a drivers door, used the car on a daily basis. Now owned by Jim Nilsson. Registration numbers include: JB.1269 (UK), BJ.371 ’49 and GJP.820 ’55. For a detailed history of all the Australian K3s as well as other notable MGs, see ‘Historic Racing Cars in Australia’ By John Blanden. – John Passmore Collection
It is now 1940 and Jimmy Lord and Bob Hollingshead are enjoying the company of their girlfriends knowing that these salad days will not last much longer. 276.460 is Lord’s Aspinall bodied P type, possibly PA0490. 193.219 is a J3, J3756 owned by Hollingshead who was a mechanic with Kellow-Fawkner. This car has a history which includes the LeMans 24 Hour race and record breaking at Montlhery. The J3 is now owned by Walter Magilton.
Magilton Collection.
This is NA chassis # 0550 which was imported by Lanes Motors and sold to J.Clarke in November 1934 with a local copy of an English Magnette body. Past owners include Bill Lockington, Walter Magilton (1964) and Brian Jennings. Brian is the son of Les Jennings who competed in four Australian Grands Prix in the early 1930s often driving an Aspinal bodiel L type. When Brian restored the NA he had a new ‘Aspinal style’ body based on his fathers car fitted. Now 0550 is actively raced by Peter Kerr. Previous rego numbers include 185.664 (1934), YW.547 (1952) and HYC.387 (1964). – Magilton Collection.
This is Syd Wansey’s SA photographed in 1939, registration NSW HA.356. Syd was the owner of the Newcastle Morning Herald. Does anybody know if this car survived?
Jeff Newey Collection.
Here is Alan Male at the wheel of his PA chassis 0484 in about 1944. This car was imported by Lanes Motors and fitted with an Aspinal body for R.J.Randell in 1935. At some time the car moved to Tasmania before returning to Victoria in 1942 to be registered DP.648, in 1943 FD.849 and in 1959 HBY.740. Later doors were fitted, as was the case with many Aspinal bodies. She is now owned by Ken Catlow. I wonder if 0484 has an early competition history? – Male Family Collection.
Here is a very smartly turned out NA Magnette, chassis 0445. This appears to be a four seater and may be an Australian body. She was imported by Lanes Motors and sold to Noel Taylor in 1934. Noel competed in at least one trial (C.O.R. Trial 1935) before the car moved on to Don Gorringe of Hobart. At some time the chassis retuned to Melbourne before being sold to Alan Herring in W.A. Any more info on this one would be much appreciated. – Magilton Collection.
Here is Wally Johnston’s J2 #4211 in 1950, still with its Aspinal body, including the rather heavy windscreen that Charlie Aspinal fitted to his J types. This car was imported by Lanes Motors and sold through Britannia Motors to Jim Skinner whose record of competition included; the Phillip Island “Winter 100” 1934 (4th); the LCCA Mountain Trial 1934 (Team prize); the A.G.P. Phillip Island 1935 (DNF). Rego numbers include: 130.582 (’34), 221.245 (’36), BN.254 (’40), GX.571 (’45), and GTR.384 (’57) . Now owned by Geoff Broadhead of N.Z.
Morrie Chambers collection.
Barrie Robertson’s NA Magnette at his home in Brighton in 1959. Chassis number 0391 has a body made by Waddington of Parramatta, NSW. Early history is unknown but by 1947 it had the Victorian registration JW.994. Following owners included Alan Giratty and Col Brown who sold the car in 1972 as a dismantled project to Ed Ison. She now resides with Robert Smith who looks forward to completeing the restoration.
Barrie Robertson collection.
What an original K3 dash should look like: This is Lyster Jackson’s K3016 in the 1930’s, possibly the 1936 AGP at Victor Harbour. In the centre is a St Christopher badge (patron saint of travellers) and mounted at the top left is a lap counter under a pit signal chart.
Collection of Alan Griffin who was a friend of the late Lyster Jackson
Here is a J2 chassis J4417 which was imported by Lanes Motors in December 1933 and bodied with this unusual little salonette body, possibly by Martin and King of Malvern, Melbourne. Nothing is known of the early history of this car until it was purchased by Alan Bail in 1952. It is now owned by Don Smyth but the body has been lost. Registration numbers include: 75.869 (1934), ED.132 (’42), YO.712 (’52), and GFT.780 (’54).
Alan Bail Collection.
This photo turned up in an opportunity shop and was forwarded to me by Tony Sloan, which is uncanny because there is a connection with his car. The car shown is P0989 and judging by the wide running boards, may have an Australian body. The early history is unknown, but may have been imported to Australia with P0990 belonging to John Byrne in Qld. By 1956 P0989 was in Victoria registered GOC.152 and after engine 1315 was replaced with a Wolseley unit, re-registered HKB.990 in 1961. In 1971 Wes Southgate had an accident in his P type P1299 and acquired P0989 as a parts car to replace most of the rolling chassis in his rebuild. The chassis (P1299) and other parts were sold to Tony to become the foundations of his car.
Here is the ‘office’ of the second K3 prototype, K3752. This was used as a practice car for the 1933 Mille Miglia and went on to compete at such venues as Brooklands, Prescott Hill Climb and the Brighton Speed Trials before coming to Australia in 1949. This photo was taken in the early 1950’s when it was registered BJ.371 and probably when owned by John Sawyer in Melbourne. Now owned by Jim Nilsson.
John Passmore collection.
In 1933 and 1934 Lanes Motors imported nine L types into Melbourne. Britannia Motors who sponsored their own MG race teams sold seven of these cars including the car above. Although little early history is known, L0640 was registered CG.995 in about 1941 and her owners include: P.J.Gamble, C.J.Bayliss, John and Doug Hotten, D.F.Haynes and W.R.Short. Jim Pelacchi has owned this car for the past 40 years.
Morrie Chambers collection.
I am unsure if this an MG or something similar such as a Wolseley. I would not want to be cornering very hard with that rather top-heavy body. Tim Shellshear informs me that the location is near the conservatorium, outside the gates to Government House, Sydney, but does anybody know the car?
Here is Alan Griffin sitting in his recently acquired PA, chassis 1425 which has the rather unique feature of having a “suicide” drivers door and a non-suicide passenger door. This car was imported by Lanes Motors of Melbourne in October 1935 but the Australian body may have been made in NSW. The first owner was P.R. Black who I have not come across before and Alan is the only other known owner. Registration numbers include: 224.207 ’35, 33.018 ’37, BP.040 ’40, ZT.175 ’52 and GAU.694 in 1953. PA1425 is not known to have survived and the engine now resides in Ray Skewes P type.
Alan Griffin collection
L type 0595 was imported by Lanes Motors in 1933 before being sold to Britannia Motors in November along with L 0594 (James Earle’s). Early history is unknown. The red painted aluminium body may be from Charlie Aspinall’s workshop. This registration number dates back to December 1937 when owned by a Mr Nodrum. In about 1960 Otto Stone purchased the car in derelict condition to use the engine block (900A97C) in his K3 and sold the chassis to John Vickers. The chassis made its way to NSW where Stuart Schofield bought it off Tony Edwards in 1972 and is now fully rebuilt.
Alan Bail collection.
I believe we are now standing in Swanston St in 1944. Alan Male ran an engineering business also trading MG’s and often bought them from servicemen heading north. I am not sure if these are TA’s or TB’s but note the front and rear bumpers on both cars. There is also a photo of Alan in his P type.
Male family collection.
Here is another picture of L 0640, registered CG.995 in 1940. I do not normally consider colour photos for Archives, but here I am prepared to make an exception. This photo was taken in 1955 by Doug Hotton and shows his brother John and their Mother heading off for a drive.
Doug Hotton collection.
This photo appeared on the cover of CAR magazine in March 1934 with the sub heading: “The latest M.G. Magna, as supplied by Britannia Motors”. Britannia in Melbourne purchased seven L types from the importers, Lanes Motors and had local bodies fitted. This example painted in a two-tone colour scheme could be L 0640. Compare this to the photo of CG.995.
Tim Jackson collection.
Sitting outside Bill Fock’s home in Caufield is NA0677. This car was imported by Lanes Motors as a rolling chassis and sold to car dealer Stanley Edwards of Malvern who had Martin & King fit a copy of the English roadster body. Then sold to Jack Leith of the Toorak Hotel and registered 12.450. By 1948 she was being raced at Albury by Philip Catlin who was later killed in a Bugatti at Albert Park. In 1956 she was owned by Bill Fock, father of Andrew who owns NA0279 and two years later sold to K.Hall. After a head on collision she was broken up by 1962 and the engine passed through the hands of John Vickers to Bill Lockington for his NE restoration in 1965. Other registration numbers include: ED.978 in ’46, KE.396 in ’47 and NO.311 in ’49.
Andrew Fock collection.
Note: Originally printed on textured paper, hence the grain.
Charles Frederick Cheetham sits at the wheel of his English bodied NA Magnette during the Queensland Strathpine Sprint meeting 27/8/38 where he was timed at 11.06 seconds over the flying quarter mile (equal to 81 MPH). This car has NSW registration BA.117 but its identity is a mystery to me (possibly NA 0541??). Seven months later Charles passed away suddenly when on a ship bound for England and was cremated in Melbourne. The next owner was Miles Earl Hunter who returned to Strathpine in 1939 and set a time of 8.46 seconds over the flying quarter mile which equates to 106 MPH! This is the first car to exceed 100 MPH in Queensland.
Researched from The Telegraph newspaper by Malcolm Spiden.
Out for a weekend drive with his family is Hans Werner who owned SA 1879. This car is understood to have been imported for the personal use of Lord Nuffield during his tour of Australia in the late 1930’s. In January 1940 it was sold by Lanes to Dr Reginald Ellery who had a practice in Collins St. Dr Ellery was an official with the LCCA and also owned NA 0550 and TB 0373. Following owners include: Gordon Castles Vic, Hans Werner Vic, John Drew Vic, Bill Greble WA, Headley Horwood Vic, Gerald Seymour Qld, Max Mulligan NSW and currently Murray Arundell of Qld who has recently purchased this car and would be happy to hear from past owners.
Murray Arundell collection.
In about 1951 Eric Hayes, member of the MGCC of NSW owned this attractive but well used black Aspinall bodied P type registered AGB.389. This car may have started out with cycle guards and a competition history as many of the Aspinall P types did. Does anybody recognise this car, particularly the distinctive ‘speed stripes’ on the sides?
Here is young Roy Bulcock sitting in his pretty English bodied J2 registered Q178.887. Roy from Queensland won the Mytletown Sprints in 1934 and is thought to have owned the car until WWII, but what became of the J2 after that? During WWII he joined the RAF and became a Flight Lieutenant before being captured by the Japanese in Java when trying to put a Spitfire back together. He was very lucky to survive and later wrote a book “Of Death But Once”.
From the Bulcock family collection via Richard Croston of the MGCC Qld.
Taking off with a mighty roar (from those unmuffled exhausts) is John Barraclough. He competed in NE 0516 at the 12th Rob Roy held on the 20th April 1947 achieving a time of 36.95 seconds. Later that same year Derry George added a Spitfire blower to supercharge the engine and painted the car blue for John.
Awaiting their turn at the Rob Roy start line are John Barraclough and his mechanic ‘Bib’ Stilwell. John was a regular competitor at Rob Roy after the war in this NE 0516 as well as the K3 3030 (Bradey). In their quest for greater speed John and Bib removed the streamlined aluminium Ulster TT body at the 14th Rob Roy on 2nd November 1947 to achieve a time of 33.37 which was a 3.6 second improvement on last time. After competing in a TC and a L type special, Bib went on to become one of the legends of Australian motor sport. Research from Leon Sim’s book “A History of Rob Roy Hillclimb”
Magilton collection.
Sitting in a Sydney back street in the early ’70’s is Robert Clarke’s K1 Magnette chassis 0420. This one and sister car 0421 were imported bodyless by Lanes Motors of Melbourne in 1934. 0420 recieved this rare coupe body possibly by Martin and King and was later owned by Otto Stone who campaigned K3 3016. I would not be suprised if the K1 was raided for the occasional Magnette part just before one of Otto’s races. The sister car 0421 was sold to Brittania Motors and had a nice tourer body. This car is believed to have been driven Norman Putt in the 1934 AGP at Philip Island. Norman was a director of Brittania Motors. Both cars will be wearing K3 look-a-like bodies the next time we see them.
Jeff Newey collection.
Here is a car that is well known to me for I used to ride to kindergarten in this one. Dropping down through the esses at Templestowe Hillclimb in 1972 is my late Mother, Alison Magilton. TA 2581 is one of twelve complete TA’s imported by Lanes Motors and the last one sold as war loomed. The first owner was W.B.Carter, followed by J.A.Ophear, D.W.Hayes, Greg Rowlands and Alison in 1967. She competed at both Templestowe and Lakelands hillclimbs, Sandown and numerous other club events before selling the car to Tony Yencken in 1980. Following owners are Kevin Armstong and now Graeme Steinfort who keeps the TA in top shape and very active. Registration numbers include: 155.984 ’39, GLU.179 ’56, JDS.926 ’65, LBZ.508 ’72, BEL.259 ’81 and TA.1938 ’83. And what was I doing when this photo was taken? Probably looking for frogs down by the creek!
Magilton collection.