1922-1924 Vauxhall.
Old photos can really capture the era in which they were taken perfectly. The two images shown below are perfect examples of this. They capture a moment in time in the early 1930s as a family heads out, perhaps on holiday, with a fine wooden boat in tow behind their vintage Vauxhall. The car's registration is KK 8894. As this Kent series ran from 1922 to 1924 only, it's a safe bet that the car dates to early 1924. The car looks to be a Vauxhall 23/60HP OD Kington Tourer.
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The four-cylinder 23/60 was introduced in 1922, and continued until 1925 - the year that General Motors took the business over. In July 1924, front brakes would become a standard fitment, improvements that aren't fitted to this example. The first photograph shows the family sat on a rug at the side of a quiet leafy lane, tucking into a picnic carefully stashed away in a wicker hand basket. Does a vintage motoring scene of the 1920s/1930s get any better than this? The Vauxhall's roof is folded, due to the clement weather. Rear-seat passengers are shielded from any breeze that might occur while driving along, thanks to the Auster screen fitted to the rear of the front seats.
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The wooden boat is securely attached to a purpose-built trailer, fitted with three-stud artillery wheels, probably of a type also fitted to contemporary Morris Cowleys. Coincidentally, a flat-nose Cowley saloon can be seen parked in the background. Its registration is RP 7237. The RP registrations ran until March 1931, but in this case they relate to the Northamptonshire area. Therefore, as the Morris was registered late in 1930 most likely, the scene dates to some point shortly afterwards. The chimney of a building in the background can be seen emitting smoke. The letters "HO" can be discerned, painted onto its roof, so it was probably a hotel.
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Although the term is often over-used, I'm sure that many enthusiasts of the vintage era would class this scene as pretty close to idyllic. All it needs is a wind-up gramophone to be nearby, delivering the latest recordings. Note the Red Ensign flag fitted to the boat.
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Photograph number two is of the same scene but from a different angle. The rear of the Vauxhall, its passenger door still open, can be seen. Close to the door, mounted on the nearside running board, is a two-gallon Shell Motor Spirit fuel can, one of two that are fitted. The boat's interior is well laden with luggage, including a small wheeled box stored in the bow end.
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The distinctive shape of the rear springs suggest that the trailer's chassis, may have started out life underneath a bullnose Cowley, before being cut down and converted into a boat trailer.
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More vintage photographs.
Return to Page 18 in the photographic archive.
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A number of early photos featuring Vauxhalls may be found, including the following:
Anyone with an interest in vintage trailers may well find this section of the site interesting.
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