Alan Cox

1929 Barker Limousine GVO74

GVO74 was originally bought by Mrs Wythes of The Copped Hall near Epping. In 2006 GVO74 was purchased by The Copped Hall Trust which is responsible for restoring the mansion in which the original owner lived in 1929.

In 1967 the car was owned by Michael Sapsford, he bought it from David Baldock. The chauffer who inherited it had used it as a taxi until it became too tatty when he abandoned it at the bottom of his garden. Children played in it, jumping on the bonnet making it concave. They smashed all the instruments, the fabric roof was porous and a rear door card was missing. Michael Sapsford bought a replacement set of instruments and had a new fabric roof fitted. The missing door card was found so with a complete interior it looked much better. Michael had to sell the car as he needed the money to build a body on a Silver Ghost. The new owners greatly improved the car including fixing the bonnet. 

The car has since undergone maintenance and restoration and is now officially owned by Alan Cox, Chairman of The Copped Hall Trust. It is now good to see the car which was in a really poor condition being looked after.

So now the car and mansion are re-united, the car being looked after and maintained by Roger Blake. The car is housed in an original 1906 motor home. The Hall is a popular venue for car club events. (Note:- Copped Hall is open to the public only for advertised pre-arranged events?