The Colonel’s carrier

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Let’s keep things British when looking at Coys’ upcoming True Greats sale, on December 1st in London. This Bristol 406 may just be a nice slice of motoring heritage from The Sceptred Island. It needs thorough restoration, but will be worth it. As for a change this one does not use the known Bristol straight-six, but one from Armstrong Siddeley as it is believed to be a unique factory development car. Of complete different nature, but with a least as typical British ingenuity is this Lotus Elan. We particularly like its colours of orangey-red over white with golden stripe and black-center wheels.

But the non-plus-ultra automobile stiff-upper-lip-with-a-twist is this Bentley T2 shooting brake in pitch dark green. The car was commissioned by Panelcraft for the late Lieutenant-Colonel Stuart Townend who, after the War, founded Hill House School for boys in Knightsbridge, London - a 5-minute drive from the auction site - when there's no traffic. According to The Telegraph the Lt-Col. was ‘a man of extraordinarily robust health’. To quote them from Townend’s 2002 obituary: “He rose at four to take the first of 10 cups of tea, with eight lumps of sugar in each. He also drank 12 cups of Ovaltine a day, with five lumps of sugar in each. He had no teeth of his own, having many years ago told his dentist, ‘Knock out the whole shooting match’. He smoked 30 cigars a day.” The man never the less became 93 years old. His special Bentley hasn’t been driven much since, but is now completely recommisioned and ready for a new owner. Hopefully one of similar Anglo-Saxon kind.

(Words Jeroen Booij, pictures Coys auctions)

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