The Many Guises Of Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost 1958 - A Pictorial History

Most of our club members, young or old will probably recognise, at least one of the photos in this article. They are all of course of the same car, Rolls-Royce Sliver Ghost chassis number 1958, which was owned by our family from 1984 to 1999. This car has been roadworthy, and driven for most of its life, and as some of the following photos will show, has had an interesting journey along the way.

Chassis 1958 was an underslung London to Edinburgh model, assembly being completed on the 1st May 1912. It was then fitted with a London to Edinburgh style body, by the Holmes of Derby coach building plant. The colour photo on the right was taken circa 1912 in London, with Mr R.D. Spinney of the London Rolls-Royce showrooms at the wheel. This photo was used in the 1913 Rolls-Royce colour sales catalogue. The car was shipped to India soon after its body was fitted, and served there as the Rolls-Royce demonstrator.

In India the car was used by the Company's agent G.Cecil Gnapp, seen in the left photo, on the Maidaan, in Calcutta 1913. Shortly after this photo was taken, it was sold to the H.H. The Maharaja of Patiala. The Maharaja was a flamboyant and wealthy ruler, believed to have had over 280 woman in his harem, and fathering over 80 children. In his youth he was a hard-hitting batsman, captaining the Indian cricket team on its 1911 tour of England.

The Lt. Gen H.H The Maharaja Sir Bhupinder Singh of Patalia, pictured left, had wealth of immense proportions. Few objects are as breathtaking and magnificent as the Patiala necklace, pictured right, created by Cartier of Paris in 1928 for the Maharaja. Perhaps the largest and most dramatic necklace ever created by a jeweller, the Patiala necklace was originally made with 3,000 diamonds totalling 962.25 carats, including the legendary 234.69-carat De Beers yellow diamond.

In 1916 the car came to Australia, and its first Australian owner was a Mr J .H. Johnston of Melbourne. Norman Falkiner of Echuca became the second owner in 1919, selling the car to L. Whyte of Geelong. In 1922 it was again sold to John A.C. Blair, a solicitor, of 11 Dendy St, Brighton, Melbourne. The photo on the left was supplied to us many years ago by the grandson of Mr Blair, it was taken in the mid 1920's and is perhaps, the oldest picture of the car in Australia.

Chassis 1958 had approximately another eighteen owners before it eventually came to NSW, where from 1949 it was owned by Oliver Garvin, NSW registration number AZJ 338. The car had another three or four owners before it was bought by Jack Jeffery, of Double Bay in 1955 for 100 pounds. The upper left photo is believed to have been taken in the mid 1930's. It's the first picture of the car depicting the modernised vintage styled body, which it would keep for many years to come. The upper right photo was taken shortly after Jack sold the car to E. Bennett Bremner, wearing NSW registration number UC882.

Bremner later disposed of the car to an unrecorded buyer in 1959, from whom it is believed to have been acquired by George Green. The above photos show the car wearing its familiar registration number NSW RR408. Notes on the back of the photos say that they were taken in 1963 during what looks like a veteran car rally to Newcastle NSW, the car was being driven at this time by Terry Cook and Ron Sheen.

Some more photos taken in the 1960's. The upper left photo was taken circa 1960 with the well known Vauxhall enthusiast John Giddy at the wheel, with an unknown passenger, whilst the upper right photo depicts Lord Montagu of Beaulieu at the wheel, during our clubs 1964 Blue Mountains rally.

The car was owned by George Green till 1982 then passed to Frank Illich, who sold it along with many other ex George Greens other cars at auction. The upper photo on the left shows the car on display prior to auction. Although not actually road registered, it still had its NSW RR408 number plates attached. Note a prospective buyer (Jim Weir) lurking in the background. The upper photo on the right was taken the day the car was brought home from the auction, parked next to its younger sibling, a Phantom 1.

The car was bought semi restored at the auction in 1984 and the restoration was completed over the next few years. The car was then successfully rallied up to the time it was sold. The above photo shows 1958 as many of our club members would last remember it.

The last three photos show 1958 in its current form, after its most recent professional restoration by P&A Wood of Essex London. The observant will note the incorrect tyres and rims, I have been told the new owner uses the split rims and tyres as shown in these photos as spares. Apart from the wheels, the car looks remarkably similar to the very first photo.