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The Rushen Abbey mystery motor - part 2
Let’s go back to Rushen Abbey on the Isle of Man once again. We were there last week with a bit of a mystery (click here). That car was a Mors of around 1907, or so you told us, although we also came across a Delaunay-Belleville Tourer in the replies that we received.
But the location of Rushen Abbey itself gave room for speculation, too. Nick Simpson wrote: “Perhaps the rear body had been fitted for domestic use such as trips to the railway station to fetch Le Monsieur on a winter’s day? Just look at the mud all over the car and particularly the rear wheels…” David Green thought similarly: “I suggest the management kept the Mors, complete with chauffeuse, for running guests to Ballasalla station, or possibly Douglas (about 10km away).”
We also liked David Grimstead’s theory: “If perhaps this Mors model could have been on the IoM, in 1905, when reportedly 'the number of cars owned by islanders could be counted on the fingers of one hand', there can’t have been many local woman members of the Manx Automobile Club. However, that year saw an influx of private car drivers, including one well-known competitive chauffeuse: Miss Victoria Godwin…”
This week’s Rushen Abbey photograph is believed to have been shot in 1925 or 1926 by which time there must have been quite a lot more motor cars on the island. And again we see a lady behind the steering wheel! Other than the photographer, the names of the people seen in it are known and they all seem to have come from the island itself, with the driver being Mrs Alice Mylroie. Over to you for filling in the details of this lovely vehicle…
Words by Jeroen Booij. Picture courtesy of Manx National Heritage.
Published:
Monday October 11th, 2021
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Comments
David GREEN
11 October 2021, 19:42
Wonderful car, but note how small the brake drums are. It would have been a challenge to stop with five adults.
Jeroen Booij refers to the fact that the names of the occupants are known. What is not immediately obvious is that Alice Mylroie's maiden name was Corlett. So we have three generations of Corlett's since the boy is her son, and the women to the right of the boy is Mrs Corlett senior. The woman in the straw hat is also a Mrs Corlett, presumably the sister-in-law of Alice. The woman on the left may be another relation or just a friend. The only man is Harold Cowell, "driver for Mr Nelson of Ramsey". The obvious solution is that the car and driver were lent to the Corlett's for the day, and that Alice occupied the driver's seat for the photograph.
There is one other interesting detail: the number plate 489 sitting on the spare petrol tank on the running board. It might be that of the car, but its position suggests otherwise. The Abbey hotel was wildly popular in the 1920's and freelance photographers might well have plied their trade. Certainly, the clarity of the image suggests a tripod for the camera. The number may have been a discrete way of recording each image, so that, after a busy day, there was no confusion as to which photograph was which.
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Jeroen Booij refers to the fact that the names of the occupants are known. What is not immediately obvious is that Alice Mylroie's maiden name was Corlett. So we have three generations of Corlett's since the boy is her son, and the women to the right of the boy is Mrs Corlett senior. The woman in the straw hat is also a Mrs Corlett, presumably the sister-in-law of Alice. The woman on the left may be another relation or just a friend. The only man is Harold Cowell, "driver for Mr Nelson of Ramsey". The obvious solution is that the car and driver were lent to the Corlett's for the day, and that Alice occupied the driver's seat for the photograph.
There is one other interesting detail: the number plate 489 sitting on the spare petrol tank on the running board. It might be that of the car, but its position suggests otherwise. The Abbey hotel was wildly popular in the 1920's and freelance photographers might well have plied their trade. Certainly, the clarity of the image suggests a tripod for the camera. The number may have been a discrete way of recording each image, so that, after a busy day, there was no confusion as to which photograph was which.
Jeroen Booij
12 October 2021, 10:45
Thank you for your wonderful comment and sharp eye David. I think you are right on the number also. That is likely to have been placed there by the photographer.
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Frazer Sloan
11 October 2021, 11:57
This is an early 1920s 25/30 Model Crossley. Not the later 19.6/20-70 model as suggested elsewhere. The bell shaped headlamps were a 25/30 thing, the 19.6 having more 'modern' conical Rotax units. Photo to demonstrate via the Crossley Register.
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Christian Günzel
11 October 2021, 11:50
It's definitely Crossley - maybe the 25/30 HP tourer (built 1919-1925) with wire-spoke wheels.
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philip Cordery
11 October 2021, 11:14
Car appears to be a Crossley probably one of the left over staff cars from the first great war.
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Alex Brown
11 October 2021, 04:34
Would this be a Crossley 25/30 with ‘Manchester’ dual cowl touring coachwork?
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Peter Ransom
11 October 2021, 01:36
Crossley 25/30, a conventional Edwardian design revived after the war and in production 1919-1925. Four cylinders, 4.5 litres, 4 speeds and 3/4 elliptic rear springs.
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MN 9857 was owned by Mr W R trenman who was a coal merchant and Douglas Town Councillor in the Island. The colour was brown and champagne, first registered 1st December 1934. Last registered 29th October 1954. Photo is from Isle of Man Heritage Collection and also appeared in latest Newsletter of the Crossley Register.