Some of the History of a famous Rolls-Royce.

1935 Rolls-Royce 20/25  GAF55,  Registration Number BLX 478.

 

Petrol Rationing during the second world war.

    Penalties for abusing the system were harsh. One high profile casualty was the songwriter Ivor Novello, convicted in 1944 for fraudulently procuring petrol for his Rolls-Royce (20/25 GAF55, bought second hand in 1936 and modified to his requirements). He was sentenced (his fans claim by a vindictive judge determined to make an example of a celebrity), to eight weeks in prison, which sojourn probably cost him his knighthood. Novello served one month and, soon after his release, published 'Perchance to Dream' which featured his most famous composition 'We¹ll Gather Lilacs in the Spring'....... He died in 1951.

 

 

    GAF 55, a 20/25 from 1936, which Novello bought second hand and had Hooper 'modernise' the body by fitting fuller wings. This Rolls-Royce is today beautifully maintained in Ohio by George Reifenberg (picture kindly supplied by him after the recent respray to Novello¹s original colour scheme). After the musician's death the car was acquired at auction by a friend of his and went on to enjoy a lengthy adventure in southern Africa, which journey did not begin auspiciously when the car was dropped on the quay while being unloaded at Durban. There is a gap from then until 1962, when Colonel Michael Jobson-Scott purchased the car. The car was again sold in 1972 and was thought to have been "lost". The picture below shows that the current custodian, George Reifenberg, has restored her to wonderful condition. It is so pleasing to know that the car has survived and is still cherished.

 

 

The car in Ohio.

 

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