New V.C.C. President

After prolonged ill health, Mr. G. James Allday, M.B.E., has resigned the presidency of the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain. At the recent annual general meeting of the club a resolution was carried unanimously that he should be asked to become Life Patron to the club for which he has done so much.

Mr. Allday, who is at present in America, became first chairman of committees when the formation of the Veteran Car Club followed shortly upon the first R.A.C. Commemoration Run to Brighton in 1930. In 1946 he was also elected to the presidency, retaining the chairmanship over an unbroken period of 19 years until 1949, and continuing as president of the club from 1950.

The new president is Mr. F. (Fred) S. Bennett whose long record of achievement in the annals of motoring is well known. He introduced the Cadillac cars into England and, in 1903, drove the first car brought over from America in the A.C.G.B. and I. 1,000 miles trial, securing top marks in his class. He successfully repeated the performance under R.A.C. observation in 1913. In 1953, his eightieth year, using the same car and this time observed by the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain he put up a faultless performance for the third time over the same route and distance. Mr. Bennett served on the council of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders from 1906 onwards and was vice-president of the society in 1928/29 and 1933/34. He was vice-chairman of the R.A.C. 1947/48/49 and Master of the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers 1950/51. He has served the Veteran Car Club front its early days and became vice-president in 1950.

The club has well over 1,000 members who between them have collected and restored more than 800 cars.