1957 Bentley S1 with Radford modifications B650EG

Being a 1957 model, this car has power steering which is a very beneficial addition on these cars. Aside from that, the car is significant in that it was fitted when new with some adaptations by Harold Radford & Co, including folding seats & a removable division, as you will see in the photos. The car is finished in its original shade of Velvet green, with light beige leather interior, a colour scheme which we think suits the car very well. Although somewhat scruffy in certain respects, in other ways the car is very good with – for example – absolutely excellent bumpers front & rear, with no dents or marks to the over riders, which is unusual, and there are correct headlamps fitted, making all the difference to the frontal appearance. Following a period of idleness, (the car, not us!) we have completed considerable re-commissioning work, which included work to the braking system, power steering, various linkages, electricals, engine mounts, windscreen washers, etc, & we have also fitted a set of five new radial tyres, which suit it well.  The car is getting better by the day, running & driving very nicely. Offered newly MoT’d. 

Chassis No. B650EG.                    Reg No. 654 BLF.        
Snippets: Printing & Politics
The first owner of B650EG was Oliver Crosthwaite-Eyre a scion of the Spottiswoode Eyre family of printers & publishers who lived in the New Forest area.  When Oliver purchased the Bentley, he had a personalised number – OCE 444 - on the car which in 1960 he transferred to his new Bentley S2.  This new S2 was involved in an accident when a passing lorry shed its load of timber onto the new car – this resulted in the death of Mr. S. Mason, the Colonel’s chauffeur.  The family history can be traced back to the mid1700s when Charles Eyre was the King’s printer, his partner at the time was Andrew Straham who retired in 1819 and passed his mantle onto his nephews Andrew & Robert Spottiswoode.  Over the centuries the Eyre & Spottiswoode carried on as separate entities until they reunited in 1875 & in 1901 the firm was re-appointed as the King’s printer after King Edward VII ascended the throne.  John Crosthwaite & Dorothy (Dio) Eyre married in 1912 & in 1924 the family surname was changed to that of the hyphenated Crosthwaite-Eyre by Royal Licence.  In 1939 Colonel Oliver Crosthwaite-Eyre married Baroness Maria von Puthon whose father, Heinrich von Puthon is noted as being the longest serving President of the Salzburg Festival.  When Oliver turned 21 his parents entertained in excess of 100 employees, tenants & friends at the family resident of Warrens, Bramshaw.

The second owner of the S1 was Dr. John Roderick Graham George whose home of Hilton Lodge was once owned by Sir Oswald Mosely, 5th Bt who was born in Fryars, Anglesey which in the 1930s produced the Catalina Flying Boats.  Hilton Lodge was also owned (1931/1975) by the Manners family – William P. Manners (1846/1915) was chairman of Worthington Brewery & his son Arthur became chairman of Bass who in 1927 acquired Worthingtons to add to the Bass company holdings.  When Arthur died in 1968 his estate was in excess of £2million – his son Arthur Geoffrey Manners served as an executive director on the board of Bass, Ratcliff & Gretton Ltd & was part of the executives that managed the company in the mid-20th-century.

Dr George was a keen cricketer and not only played the sport but often acted as their medical representative during a match – it would appear that the teams he was most often associate were the nomadic teams of the Frogs (est1903) & the Friars (est1870s in Derbyshire).  We have found an amusing letter in Country Life 1946 which Dr George mentions that in 1946 he went to send a telegram “Love to play Frogs, cannot play Friars” – the post mistress was adamant that she could not send messages in code!!  In 1983 Dr George gave the car to his son Nicholas – we suspect this was a 21st birthday gift!