1933 Rolls - Royce 20/25 Windovers Sunroof Saloon

A spacious, particularly handsome D-back, of attractive proportions with an elegant sweep to the rear styling, fluted rear valance, cut away front wings & a subtle peak above the windscreen, adding to its appeal. The body structure is good & solid, with nicely fitting doors, closing with a pleasing ‘click’. The car benefits from a large sunroof, stainless steel headlights and Ace discs to all five wheels, as well as some nice, minor touches here and there. In good mechanical order, running sweetly, driving nicely and benefitting from a stainless-steel exhaust system. The interior is blue/grey leather throughout, which has seen better days but still useable, accompanied by an unusual, appealing black lacquer finish to dashboard, door cappings, and all interior wood components, complemented by recent blue carpets & grey headlining. Within the car’s history folder is a buff logbook from 1946, an early DVLA V5, some old MoT certificates, various invoices & a copy of an original sales brochure. A charming car, offered prepared, serviced, MoT tested, ready to go!

https://youtu.be/32psu3yxrng?si=ODRRqipoyTXalcxD

Chassis No.  GZU8                        Reg. No. JK 2864

Snippets:  Portmanteaus, English Ball Games & Funeral families

The chassis cards state that the Earl of Bradford ordered GZU8 but the 20/25 was actually delivered to Mrs Sybil Gertrude Harvey in Eastbourne.  Sybil’s grandfather, Sir John Pound Bt manufactured portmanteaus, bags & trunks for the discerning person – they are still producing these items today!  In 1916 Sybil married Charles Alexander Harvey (known as Alex) of Lloyds - his sister Ermyntrude (1895/1973) was an international Lawn Tennis player who had played at Wimbledon 22 times!  In 1927 she & her partner Kathleen Godfree won the Ladies Doubles at the US National Championship with Ermyntrude on the winning team in the Wightman Cup (1925 & 1930).  During WWI Ermyntrude & her mother Theodora Harvey volunteered at Frinton Military Hospital – Theodora was fondly known as “Lady Pork”, this was due to her husband Charles Harvey, a provision merchant being known as Lord Pork!  During WWII Michael A. Harvey (Sybil & Charles’s son) served with the Royal Horse Artillery & in November 1942 was captured at Sidi Rezegh, Libya & transferred to Camp 19, Bologna, Italy.  In 1943 whilst being transported in a “cattle truck” from Modena, Italy to Brenner in Germany he & another officer escaped & made their way back to Britain via the Gavia Pass & into Switzerland. After Theodora’s death in 1944 her estate of Frith Manor, including a Bentley Coupe & a Rolls-Royce 20/25 were auctioned by Payne & Co.

After just a year GZU8 was bought by Thomas Andrew Common, the son of an eye surgeon, Thomas became a distinguished engineer & he made lenses & telescopes.  In the 1930s he made the largest reflecting equatorial telescope for the Royal Astronomical Society (he was President) & he later gifted the Science Museum with several models of his lenses & telescopes.

From 1937 to 1946 the 3rd owner was George Reginald Taylor Thomas (1876/1965) who lived just 3 miles from Thomas, perhaps they knew each other!  George was a son of Thomas Albert Oaks Taylor of Clarence Iron Works who died in 1898.  George & his brother Tom Lancelot Thomas (1878/1960) were both under 20 years old at the time and after their father’s death they continued working for the family concern until it was nationalised in 1951.  George became director of London Midland & Scottish Railway, Deputy Chairman of Vickers, Taylor Bros & Co., International Combustion Ltd and Coal Extraction Ltd to mention a few!!  Tom was the sporting brother and during his spare time played cricket for Yorkshire (1899/1902), Lord Hawke’s team in New Zealand (1902/3) and hockey for England 1900/03!

From October 1946 to Jan 1955 GZU8 was owned by Harold Percy Lymn (1891/1976).  Harold & his father Arthur traded as furniture makers & in 1907 branched out into making coffins.  The family firm is still in existence and the stables now house the collection of funeral cars – Harold’s grandson has confirmed that GZU8 was probably a company car rather than Harold’s personal car.