Cars in Books, May 1969

Nothing this month, except the unexpected reference to old cars in “Atlanta My Seal” by H. G. Hurrell (William Kimber, 1963). This book, about keeping a young Atlantic seal, injured in a storm, as a pet, refers to a journey made when the author was a schoolboy, from Plymouth to Tintagel, in the family’s first car; “The year we first had this car is easily remembered because of the car’s registration number: CO 1912. It was a Bedford and today would be coveted as a vintage car. I do not remember what happened to it-I suppose it was broken up when it was superseded by a Belsize; but I do know that we kept our carriage and pair for reliability!”

So, you see, I never manage to escape from cars and although he means Edwardian and a Bedford-Buick, it is another interesting snippet.—W. B.