Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Richard H · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2150 Location: Lincolnshire, UK

My black A35 was registered in Kent in November 1957, and I am wondering who the supplying dealer could have been. The car has HILLS plates in this quite distinctive square font shown below, which might give a clue I suppose. I KNOW I could buy a "Heritage Certificate" but £50 odd quid is not really justified tbh, not yet anyway.

Bit of a long shot, but maybe someone remembers which dealership(s) used these plates?

The car was first registered in Kent, it was in Brighton in the 60's according to a sticker in the windscreen, then spent the next 30-40 years in Welling, SE London. Moved to Hertfordshire in 2009, then to South Essex, about an hour away from where it has spent most of its life.
_________________
Richard Hughes

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22778 Location: UK

This last week I received details of my Austin 7's registration, it too was registered in Kent (1949) and the County Hall in Maidstone still have all - or certainly a lot of - the old records as far as I know. I paid a tenner, and they send a letter with whatever details they have on record. In my case it was first owners name, chassis no., reg. no., and there is an entry titled "Agent". Mine was blank for this entry, but I wonder if that would be the supplying dealer/agent??

My car was re-registered when it was built into a special after the war, hence there was no agent as it wasn't a brand new car at the time.

RJ
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

Ray the rocker · Joined: 01 Aug 2008 Posts: 187 Location: south wales

Hi Richard,I seem to remember the HILL digit was the name of the press used as print out for the letters and numerals when ordered from our local edmunds walker motor factors.

Cheers---Ray the Rocker...

Richard H · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2150 Location: Lincolnshire, UK

Thanks everyone, I'll give Kent CC a ring Rick, see what they can come up with.

Smile

_________________
Richard Hughes

RotaryBri · Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 465 Location: Warwick

Hills were owned at that time by 3M and the correct name is Hills Patents Ltd and located in Staines, Middlesex. The company still exists and is the biggest supplier of numberplates. It is located now in Birmingham.

Surely Brian M's registration info will tell you which part of Kent used 'KN' amongst all the other letters? Perhaps then you can find the Austin Dealer for that part of Kent.
_________________
Keep Torqueing,

RotaryBri

1976 NSU Ro80

Richard H · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2150 Location: Lincolnshire, UK

Brian M · Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 8:13 am Post subject:

Rich

I lived in Bromley from 1952-1970.

In 1954 my Dad bought a black 2 door A30 (Reg no WKT 774) from Bromley Motor Works who were on Masons Hill in Bromley. Long gone, the site is now a Waitrose!

But there were several Austin dealers in that part of Kent, but I can't recall any names except "Sergeant and Collins" who I recall were BMC dealers but may have only supplied Morrises. I remember them as I used to get bits for my Frogeye Sprite from them.

Your problem will be that the K* registration numbers were issued all over Kent except the East Kent area around Canterbury where FN were the last two letters.
_________________
Brian
1970 Volvo Amazon and 1978 Safari 15-4 Caravan
Classic Safari Forum: www.classicsafaris.co.uk