John and Liz Field

1923 Claud Hamilton Saloon 68H3

John and Liz Field bought 68 H3 (March 1923) in 1983 and retained the nickname given to it by a line of previous owners: “The Duchess”. The car has its original registration number RS 5436. It has the round edge radiator which, together with external steel shutters, was standard until September 1923. The saloon body is by Claud Hamilton of Aberdeen; it has no division and the front bench seats are adjustable. It is noted that the external steel shutters are no longer on the car, see photos 1 & 3.

John put me in touch with a previous owner, Tony Barfield, who has collected much of the car’s early history. On 13th June 1923 a local coach builder, Claud Hamilton, delivered the new car to Sir John Irvin in Aberdeen. Tony obtained the photograph from Sir John’s son, who assured Tony that it was taken on the actual delivery day. The car looked handsome, with fawn coachwork and wings (only the wheels, radiator shutters, headlamps and side lights were black), polished aluminium bonnet and tan hide upholstery. In 1964 Tony Barfield, a young postman in Stourport-on-Severn, purchased the car for £125. This caused quite a stir in the national newspapers: the postal workers had just been on strike, and here was a young up-start owning a real Rolls-Royce!

Tony and his car were featured in the Sunday Times Colour Magazine in April 1967.