I recently read "Making Cars at Longbridge" and was interested in the photo on the front cover. The caption inside the front cover says:

An Austin Seven competes in the Spreadeagle Hill Climb for the Gordon England Cup in 1924.



I have my doubts about the accuracy of this caption, can anyone confirm any more details please


Many Thanks

Marcus

Location: Auckland

Looks like a GE Brooklands to me....

Yes, I'd agree with that. Does anyone know the location, which event and any details of the driver or passenger.

Interestingly the Registration is listed on the surviving chassis register as a GE Brooklands but presumably not the original car.

Marcus

Location: Auckland

DVLA database have it as "Not Taxed For On Road Use" - this presumably means it's been off the road and not taxed since before the introduction of SORN on 31st January 1998. Date of first registration is given as 1st May 1924 and its colour Red.

Jeff.

Location: Almost but not quite, the far North East of England

I have a copy of this photo sent to me by Beatrice. Her notes say: "Spread Eagle Hill 28 June 1924 Gordon Hendy at the start."

Must have been almost? the last meeting there.

Regards,
Stuart

Thanks Stuart, you're a star.

In that case the event would have been the Hampshire Automobile Club annual hill climb which was held at Spread Eagle that day. According to the surviving chassis register CR8953 was first registered on 1st May 1924, so the car would have been almost new.

I believe the Southampton and District Motor Cycle and Light Car Club held their annual event there on 12th July.

Cheers

Marcus

Location: Auckland

There is a Spreadeagle Hill between Shaftsbury and Blandford with houses that look like that in the village of Compton Abbas which is at the bottom of the hill.

That's the one - famous in the 1920's for hill climbs

Marcus, I think the chap pushing the car in your photo may be Sammy Mellish, Gordon Hendy's mechanic.

Regards,
Stuart

Are these the buildings you're referring to immediately at the bottom of Spread Eagle Hill, Shaftesbury, Nigel ?



Jeff.

Location: Almost but not quite, the far North East of England

Yes they are ,you are of course right ,its Melbury Abbas , Compton Abbas is at the top of the hill.

Stuart is quite right, the last event on Spread Eagle was on 28th June 1924. Approaching the hill through Melbury Abbas, the road plunges down through a narrow gorge and into the village. The buildings crowd close to the road (as in the photo)and it feels very closed in. The Hill climb seems to have started right at the edge of the village.

Location: South-East Surrey

Here's the view looking both down and up Spread Eagle Hill, the buildings above can be seen in the left distance on the sharp right hand bend on the journey down the hill into Melbury Abbas.





Jeff.

Location: Almost but not quite, the far North East of England

In bottom photo you can see the sensors in the road for the traffic lights , the banks beside the road have suffered land slips over the last couple of years and have concrete barriers stopping it going further. It did not seem like a speed trial when I came up the hill last Sunday in my RN ,in first gear !