Uncle Sam's chauffeur: practical repairs for the average motorist

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In the earliest days of motoring, the automobile was destined for the wealthiest of adventurers only, but things would soon evolve. To purchase a motor vehicle you still needed to be well-off, but the whole infrastructure around them had become more amenable to mass motoring by the time this picture was taken, we believe. According to the number plate, the picture must date from 1911—still early days in the grand scheme of things.

To illustrate the social changes that were taking place, we present a chauffeur who, it seems, isn’t your typical well-groomed serving man named Jeeves or Parker, complete with a spotless suit and specialcap. We have a feeling that this man may just have been someone's uncle, or a gardener or other local handyman moonlighting as a chauffeur for the occasion. Still, he had to have the knowledge not only to drive the car but also to carry out the necessary repairs. Roads were rutted and rocky and punctures were never far away. Note how the car is jacked up with the wheel still in place. He must have done that a few times before. The ladies in the back seem very much at ease and look happy to remain in their comfortable seats.

Words: Jeroen Booij
Picture: State Historical Society of Iowa

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