Rolls-Royce 20 hp Barker Doctors Coupe 1924
General description :
1924 Rolls-Royce 20hp Barker Dr's Coupe
Chassis number GMK76
Registration number: XU5999
A charming & very original car bodied in 1924 by Barker as a Doctors Coupe. This car comes to us with a massive set of bills for a full mechanical overhaul performed by marque expert Mr Graham Ashley Carter whilst the proprietor of Hofmann's of Henley. Some £38,000 worth of Hofmann's bills come with the car. As a result the engine is running as sweetly as only a properly set up 20hp can. The previous owner has just completed a final jaunt through France venturing as far as Santander putting over 2000 trouble free miles on the car.
The car is finished in a putty colour with black wings. The paint is heavily patinated in some areas giving the car a very period appearance & none the worse for it. To the interior is pale grey leather in superb order extending also to the dickey seat in the rear. The hood is of Japanned black leather & is fitted with a miniscule oval rear window typical of these barker convertibles. Tidy under the bonnet; the car is fitted with a nickel bulkhead mounted Klaxon horn. The wood dash contains a full complement of instruments. The wood extends to the door tops & rear quarters in typical barker style with raised relief.
I have to stress how beautifully period looking this car is & how well it drives. The car is an absolutle delight & trots willingly along at 50MPH all day long. We are performing a full service to the car prior to sale & also touching up one or two areas on the paint. The cars history is well known over the years & reads as follows:
The first lady owner of GMK76 was Mrs Thomas Harrison Hughes (nee Bradley), her husband was a scion of the T & J Harrison Shipping Line which dates back to 1853 – their original trade was the importation of brandy from the Charente region of France.
By 1924 T&J Harrison had taken over the fleets of John T Rennie (7 ships & passenger line to Natal), Rankin-Gilmour, the Crown Line of Prentice Service & Henderson and also the fleet of Scrutton Sons & Co. In WWII Mr Harrison Hughes was knighted for his services as Director of Liner Division for the Ministry of War. The Hughes family bought their home of 34 Queen Anne’s Gate in 1920 after the death of Sir Edward Glenconner (Scottish industrialist) whose grandson Colin Tennant developed the Isle of Mustique, favoured by Princess Margaret, the Glenconner’s London home of 34 Queen Anne’s Gate housed their extensive art collection which included works by Reynolds, Gainsborough, Ramsay, Hoppner & Fragonard.
Mrs Harrison Hughes only kept GMK76 for a few years and by 1928 the car was with Mrs Phyllis Cantrell-Hubbersty of Ragdale Hall in Leicestershire. In 1894 Queen Victoria granted Albert Cantrell Hubbersty Royal Licence to “use the name of Cantrell in addition to and before that of Hubbersty & to bear the arms of Cantrell with their own arms”. In 1923 Albert’s son William Phillip married Phyllis Mary Hermoine Bethell – she was the grand-daughter of H. Willoughby the 8th Baron Middleton & her father’s family owned Rise Park in Hull (once owned by Richard Plantagenet the Duke of Gloucester better known as Richard III.) The Cantrell-Hubbersty family were a fervent hunting family & the mainstay of the Quorn Hunt with Major Cantrell-Hubbersty being acting Master from 1940 until his death in1947 and Phyllis Cantrell-Hubbersty from 1948/51.
In 1946 the chassis cards show that GMK76 is with Frederick Alfred Gatty of Overwater Hall, Carlisle (GMK76 was not the first 20hp that Alfred had owned as in 1937 he purchased GFN10); Alfred made his fortune through the development of Khaki dye which the Army had adopted during WWI. Alfred was a great collector and upon his death in 1951 the estate & contents were auctioned off – amongst the 2,000 lots were 2 canons, 12 bottles of 1878 vintage cognac and a chair carved from the timbers of Nelson’s flagship “Foudroyant”.
http://www.vintagerollsroycecars.com/sales/1398/1924-rolls-royce-20hp-barker-dr-s-coupe/
1924 Rolls-Royce 20 hp Barker Doctors Coupe is listed sold on ClassicDigest in Grays by Vintage Prestige for £78000.
Car Facts
Car type : Car Make : Rolls-Royce Model : 20 hp Model Version : Barker Doctors Coupe Engine size : 0.0 Model Year : 1924 Sub type : Coupé Location : Essex
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About Rolls-Royce
Well, ladies and gentlemen, today we're diving into the illustrious history of a brand that has always embodied the very essence of British luxury and craftsmanship - Rolls-Royce.Our story begins at the turn of the 20th century when two visionaries, Charles Rolls and Henry Royce, decided to join forces. In 1904, the very first Rolls-Royce was born, the Rolls-Royce 10 hp. It was a modest start for a company that would go on to redefine automotive excellence.
But it wasn't until 1907 that Rolls-Royce truly made its mark with the introduction of the Silver Ghost. It was hailed as the "Best Car in the World" and set the gold standard for luxury motoring. With its whisper-quiet engine and exquisite craftsmanship, it was a statement of opulence and refinement.
The 1920s brought us the Rolls-Royce Phantom I, an icon of its time. It was the first Rolls-Royce to feature a 6-cylinder engine and set the stage for the legendary Phantom line. This was the era when the Maharajas of India commissioned custom-bodied Rolls-Royces that were nothing short of automotive palaces.
Fast forward to the post-war years, and we have the Silver Cloud, a symbol of post-war British optimism. The Silver Cloud was elegance personified, with its flowing lines and handcrafted interiors. It was the choice of royalty, celebrities, and captains of industry.
But if we're talking about the epitome of Rolls-Royce luxury, it's the Rolls-Royce Phantom VI, which graced us with its presence from 1968 to 1991. This was a car that made the statement that "if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it." Customization was the name of the game, and the Phantom VI was a canvas for the world's wealthiest to express their unique tastes.
Now, it's impossible to discuss Rolls-Royce without mentioning the Rolls-Royce Corniche. Produced from 1971 to 1995, it was a convertible and coupe version of the Silver Shadow. The Corniche was the quintessential grand tourer, a car for those who wished to traverse continents in absolute luxury.
But, alas, even the mightiest must face their decline, and Rolls-Royce was no exception. The company went through financial turmoil in the 1970s and 80s, leading to the takeover by Vickers plc. Then came the controversial BMW and Volkswagen ownership period, which divided enthusiasts.
Rolls-Royce regained its footing under BMW ownership, and the new millennium brought us the Rolls-Royce Phantom VII, a return to the company's roots of uncompromising luxury. The Phantom VII was a testament to British engineering and craftsmanship.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, brings us to today. Rolls-Royce continues to produce some of the most opulent, bespoke vehicles on the planet, a symbol of British imperiousness that has not waned with time. The spirit of Sir Henry Royce and Charles Rolls lives on in every car that bears the Spirit of Ecstasy, a testament to the enduring legacy of British automotive excellence.