KNAC members' parking only...

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‘Prohibited for bicycles and motor vehicles’, says the sign in the foreground of the second photograph. At first glance, the decree seems to be terribly abused, given the abundancy of cars parked right behind it on the square, but there was a special occasion giving Dutch motorists the right to park their vehicles there on April 3rd 1936. On that day, the annual meeting of the KNAC (Royal Dutch Automobile Club) took place and it seems its members came out in force.

Where exactly were the pictures taken? Presumably at de Grote Markt (Main Square), but there are many of those in the Netherlands. It’s likely to be the city of 's-Hertogenbosch, although one news report named the location of that year’s annual meeting as The Hague, where chairman J. Linthorst Homan ‘gave an explanation of the position of automobilism in our country’, mostly addressing the transformation from old to new traffic conditions. If it really was taken at the Grote Markt there, the square is virtually unrecognizable these days, with no way to even get close to it by car. When the season is right, it becomes a grand terrace full of tables and chairs for visitors in search of refreshment.

The beauty of these pictures is in the sheer number of vehicles, which give a good idea of the motoring tastes of the nation at the time. There are saloons, coupés, convertibles and roadsters, but most are saloons, many of which are equipped with luggage racks at the back. Maybe there aren’t too many peculiarities, but we have spotted a few distinctive motors. What interesting cars or details have you found?

Words by Jeroen Booij, pictures via Gert Te Lintelo
 

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