James Coward

1928 Originally a Windovers Brougham but later re-bodied as Gurney Nutting Weyman Saloon GBM60

 

This Rolls Royce 20hp chassis originally sold to Mr H. M. Lingford (1891-1950) Nr Barnard Castle, Co Durham, who sent the chassis to Windovers Ltd to be fitted with a Brougham body.

He was a baking powder manufacturer and was known as "329" and even signed documents with this number. He was also a coin collector and his collection was recognised as one of the finest in the country with James 1 Crowns and 136 coins of Henry V11.

His son, Kenneth Lingford sold the car in 1937 in exchange for a Wolseley to pull a glider on a trailer (the Wolseley probably had synchromesh gears). David Bainbridge, the son of William Bainbridge - the chauffeur -bought the 20hp for £50 from a garage owner. David Bainbridge ran the local village shop and post office and as the Second World War loomed the Rolls Royce became the local taxi, ambulance and funeral car.

After the war the Rolls Royce went to Carlisle and was used as a hearse although there is no evidence of this. In 1979 GBM60 went to America with its original body, reported in Fasal's book to be a shooting brake in the USA.

Around 1998 Brian Bergman-Field acquired GBM60 and bought the Gurney Nutting Weyman saloon body separately, originally fitted to a 4 1/2 litre Bentley Registration KL3579, he married the two together.

In 2007 Len Meads (Rolls Royce Enthusiasts Club Member) undertook a major chassis re-build. The work took some 9 months to complete. On a trip in October 2008 he drove 700 miles with few adjustments. In 2009 he toured some 3500 miles commenting "She drives like a Rolls Royce".

The car was subsequently acquired by the current owner James Coward.