Footnotes

• Although long since departed, Wolseley was one of Britain's foremost makes throughout the Edwardian period and into the 1920s. The company had been founded by Irish-born Frederick York Wolseley in Sydney, Australia in 1887 to manufacture sheep-shearing equipment. Two years later a subsidiary was set up in Birmingham, England where works manager Herbert Austin would be responsible for the first Wolseley motor car, a three-wheeler built on Léon Bollée lines, in 1896.
  Early Wolseleys featured horizontal engines, but it was with the arrival of vertical-engined multi-cylinder cars in the Edwardian era that Wolseley earned its reputation for finely engineered, smooth and powerful transport. By this time Herbert Austin had left, his place being taken by John D Siddeley whose company - taken over by Wolseley in 1904 - had been making vertical-engined cars based on the French Peugeot. Siddeley forged ahead with an ever-expanding range of vertical-engined models, which for the next few years were marketed under the 'Wolseley-Siddeley' name, reverting to plain 'Wolseley' after Siddeley's departure in 1909.
  The car offered here is an example of Wolseley's 4,961cc, six-cylinder, sidevalve-engined 24/30hp, an up-market model produced between 1911 and 1915. 'J 1296' was sold new to Mr Cecil J Sadler, of Durham via agents George & Jobling
  of Newcastle-upon-Tyne fitted with factory two-seater coachwork. This was removed and returned to Wolseley (£15 credited) and a five-seater body fitted. The car remained in the same ownership until purchased by Mr Max De Redder in the early 1960s. Mr De Redder did little in way of restoration but did research the car's history and secure its original registration.
  The current vendor purchased 'J 1296' in 1999 and set about its restoration. There was no bodywork on the car at this time and so it was re-bodied with the two-seater coachwork currently fitted. Following restoration the car took part in several VCC rallies without problems but has seen little use in the last few years, hence the reason for the sale.
  On a recent test run the Wolseley performed well but it was noted there was an occasional steering wobble at slow speeds, albeit for no apparent reason. The air starting was operational but the compressor requires new piston rings, which may have been attended to by sale time. (The modern electric starter is working). Described as in generally good condition, this rare Edwardian Wolseley is offered with current MoT/tax and Swansea V5.
  

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Category: Motoring / Motor Cars

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