One man and his Motor: An Austin 7 Ulster Story - Owner Number One
Updated: Oct 9
I am used to having requests to research individuals, families, and the places that connect them. However, I recently had an unusual request to research the owners of an Austin Ulster sports car that I simply couldn't resist. Here is what I discovered.
The 1930s was a time of economic depression and unemployment, with one-fifth of the British male workforce out of work[1]. For the vast majority, the purchase of a new Austin Ulster was a luxury. In 1930, an Austin Landaulette 20.h.p 6-cylinder vehicle cost £620, roughly around £45,000 in today’s money[2]. Even, an Austin 2-seater Sports Mulliner with 7 h.p commanded a price of £140 around £10,000 today[3],.
It was a decade of change on the roads with the removal of the 20-mph speed limit, which had been introduced in 1903[4] Another change in 1934 saw the introduction of an official driving test[5]. It was against this backdrop, in July 1930, that Mr. Norman Ashwood Letts purchased a new cream and green Austin Ulster, with the registration plate PL 1629[6].
Uncovering the Paper Trail
Sadly, the original Logbook is long gone, removed from the car to make effective use of the limited storage space available. However, thanks to the car’s most recent owner, there is a relatively complete lineage of drivers who owned this car. My task was to research the drivers who owned the car to build on its history.
The owner’s records detail that the first purchase of the car was made on 26th July 1930, though no primary sources survive to confirm this. Mr Ashwood Letts is referenced in an application by the owner to the Austin Seven Register made on 5th November 1966, which confirms that the Austin Ulster was first taxed on 28th July 1930 [7].
The registration PL 1629 indicates that the code 'PL' is associated with the area of Surrey, with the use of the combination PL running from May 1930 to August 1931[8].
The Dealership: Wimbledon Motor Works
According to records, the Austin Ulster was purchased from Wimbledon Motors[9], known as Wimbledon Motor Works Ltd, whose head office was located at 29 High Street, Wimbledon Common, London, SW19. The dealership was managed by the Oates brothers, who were the main district agents for Austin[10]. The Oates brothers were well known for introducing motor cabs in the Wimbledon area back in 1908[11]. They were the premier agents for Austin, trading at 29 High Street, Wimbledon, between 1929 and 1937.
Who was Norman Letts?
Research confirmed that ‘Ashwood’ was Norman’s middle name rather than part of a double-barrelled surname and that Norman came from a distinguished lineage with links to stationary.
Born in early 1870 to Charles John Letts and Sarah Letts, maiden name Ashworth in Lewisham, London[12],. Norman’s childhood saw both privilege and tragedy when his mother, Sarah, died in 1876 at Brook House in Clapton[13]. His father remarried in 1878[14], and by the age of 21, Norman was living in Selhurst Road, Croydon and listed as a Stationer in the family business[15].
If the name Letts sounds familiar, it should. Norman’s grandfather, James Letts, created the world’s first commercial diary for merchants and businessmen operating around the Royal Exchange in London[16] His father, Charles John Letts, was well-known for publishing diaries and broke away to establish his own company, Charles Letts & Co, in 1880. The iconic company continued under the Letts family, celebrating its 200th anniversary in 1996[17]
When Norman A Letts married Evelyn Mather in 1899 at the Holy Innocents Church in South Norwood, his marriage certificate proudly listed his occupation as a Publisher.[18]
A description of the wedding with accompanying photograph of Mr Letts and Miss. Mather is in The Gentlewoman Magazine of 7th October 1899[19].
The Need for Speed
Norman clearly had a passion for horsepower, where his run-ins with traffic laws and speeding began before he purchased the Austin Ulster. On 11th August 1905, Norman was fined £3 (including costs) for travelling at 27 mph in a 20 mph area the month before[20]. By 1911, Norman and his family were living at Stambourne, Cheam Road, Sutton, Surrey, employing a house parlour maid, a cook, a children’s nurse, and a chauffeur. By 1921, Norman and his family had moved to Friars Gate, Cheam Road, Sutton[21]. It wasn’t until 1930 that Norman purchased the Austin Ulster.
Sadly, Norman wouldn’t enjoy the sports car for long. The National Probate Index confirmed that Norman Letts of Postern Court, Holmwood, Surrey, died on 1st April 1935, five years after purchasing the Austin.
What Happened to the Austin Ulster?
In Norman’s Will previosuly dated 22nd August 1925, he bequeathed his “motor cars, motorcycle and motor accessories of every description” to his wife, Evelyn Jessie Letts[22]. Clearly Norman has a collection of cars and it would be interesting to find futher information about any cars in his possession. Interestingly, the Austin Ulster was not purchased by its second owner until 27th July 1937. This leaves a two-year gap. Did the car stay with the family?
A fascinating newspaper article detailing the Fareham Petty Sessions in 1937 suggests exactly that. A Donald Norman Letts was caught flying down Gosport Road in Fareham at a whopping 58 mph, well over the 30 mph speed limit for a built-up area in Fareham in 1937[23]. It is not known if Donald was in the Ausin Ulster but he was fined £1 and had his license endorsed.
The Next Chapter
The Austin Ulster’s next owner, Mr Frank Barrington Paul Rambridge was residing in the flat above the Esher Garage in 1936 at the time of the change in ownership[24]. It is easy to picture Donald Letts taking a 36-minute drive to the garage in Esther on Portsmouth Road to hand over the keys for the sale. The garage was owned by James and Alfred Hinton at the time. Perhaps Frank Rambridge looked out of the window of his flat onto the forecourt below and knew he would be the next owner of the Austin Ulster.
Follow the blog for Part 2, where we dive into the life of Frank Rambridge as the second owner of the Austin Ulster.
References:
[1] Smith, A & Bertram, N. (2021). Tracing Your Ancestors Using the UK Historical Timeline: A Guide for Family Historians. Pen & Sword: 1930: Page 123.
[2] Austin Cars: Western Morning News and Mercury, 24th May 1930, Motor Cars for Sale. Page 3. Digital Copy. Original data: The British Library. Available to view at findmypast.co.uk. Date accessed 21 October 2022.
[3] Ibid 2.
[4] Lambert, T. (14 March 2021) Local Histories: Tim’s History of British Towns, Cities and So Much More: Life in Britain in 1930s: Society in 1930s Britain. Available to view at Life in Britain in the 1930s - Local Histories. Date accessed 21 October 2022.
[5] Ibid 4
[6] Wilson, A (date unknown) Timeline of Austin Ulster Owners. Paper Copy. Authors Private
[7] Austin Severn Register, (1966). Registration form completed and Signed by A Wilson and sent to Mr John Thorne. W Wilson’s Private Collection.
[8] Jones, R (2022). Old Classic Cars; Pre-1973 Registration Numbers, PL. Website. Available to view at Surrey car registration letter code PL (oldclassiccar.co.uk). Accessed 26 8 2022.
[9] Wilson A (Date unknown), List of Austin Ulster’s Owners, Paper Copy. Authors Private Collection.
[10] Unknown Author (11 April 2018), Pre War Dealerships. Available to view at Wimbledon Motor Works Ltd. – Pre War Dealerships (wordpress.com). Accessed 25.08.2022.
[11] Toase, C (March 2016). Horse cabs, taxis and the Obelisk in The Broadway. The Wimbledon Society Newsletter. Page 6. Digital PDF. Available to view at 1603_WS_Newsletter.pdf (wimbledonsociety.org.uk). Accessed 25 August 2022.
[12] Norman Letts 1870 Birth, England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915. Transcription from FreeBMD. Original Data: General Registration Office, England, UK. Available to view at www.ancestry.co.uk. Date accessed 25 August 2022.
[13] Susan Letts 1876, Probate, England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1858-2019. Digital copy. Available to view at Record Transcription: England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1858-2019 | findmypast.co.uk. Accessed 26 August 2022.
[14]Charles John Letts 1878 Marriage.FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915, Rochdale, LancashireVol: 8e, Page 88. Transwcription. Original Data: The General Register Office, England, UK. Availble to view at www.freebmd.org.uk. Accessed 26 August 2022.
[15] Norman Letts 1891 Census, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 593; Folio122, Page: 9, GSU roll: 6095703. Digital Image. Original Data: The National Archives, Kew, Surrey, England, UK. Available to view at www.ancestry.co.uk. Accessed 25 August 2022.
[16] Graces’ Guide to Industrial History, 6 October 2021, Charles Letts & Co. Available to view at Charles Letts and Co - Graces Guide
[17] Griffin, B. The Norwood Review, Edition 187, The Norwood Society, Articles from The Norwood Review, Charles John Letts 1836-1912. Available to view at Charles John Letts 1836-1912 (norwoodsociety.co.uk). Accessed 22 August 2022.
[18] Norma Letts & Evelyn Mather, Marriage 1899, England, Church of England Maraiges and Banns, 1754-1937 Surrey Church of England Parish Registers; 23rd September 1899, Page: 5, Entry No: 9. Digital Image. Orginald Data: Surrrey HistoryCentre, Woking, Surrey, England. Ref No: 8220/1/7. Availbleto to view at www.ancestry.co.uk. Accessed 28 August 2022.
[19] Norman Letts & Evelyn Mather 1899, The Gentlewoman: An Illustrated Weekly Journal for Gentlewomen, Gentlewoman, London, UK, 7th October 1899, Mr. Norman Ashwood Letts to Miss Evelyn J. Mather, Page: 39. Digital Copy, Original Data: The British Library. Available to view at www.findmypast.co.uk. Date accessed 20 October 2022.
[20] Norman Letts 1905, Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 11th August 1905, Major Laycock Fined, Page 3: Digital Image, Original Data: The British Library, Available to view at www.findmypast.co.uk. Accessed 20 October 2022.
[21] Norman Letts 1921 Census. Census Returns of England and Wales, 1921. RG15/3082, Sch: 323. Digital Image, Original Data: The National Archives, Kew, Surrey, UK. Available to view at www.findmypast.co.uk. Accessed 21 October 2022.
[22] Norman Letts 1935 Probate:England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995, 10 May 1935, Page: 85, Digital Image. Original Data: Principle Probate Registry, London, England. Available to view at England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 - Ancestry.co.uk. Accessed 26 October 2022.(Norman Letts 1925 Will: Digital Copy reference: COW637850g )
[23] Donald Letts 1937. Hampshire Telegraph & Post, Publisher unknown in Hampshire, Fareham Petty Sessions: Speedster Fined. 7 May 1937: Page 4. Digital Image. Original Data: The British Library. Available to view at www.Findmypast.co.uk . Date accessed 22 October 2022.
[24] Frank B P Rambridge 1936 Electoral Role: Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1962, Chertsey, Polling District C, Page: 56, Digital Image, Original Data:Surrey Electoral Registers, Surrey History Centre, Woking, Surrey, England. Available to view at Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1962 - Ancestry.co.uk Accessed 20 October 2022.
Great research and a fascinating story. Looking forward to part 2.