Help with information: 1933 Lagonda 16/80 saloon for an article in The Automobile

Admin, Sun Dec 13 2020

Messaged Received requesting info/help from members

Dear Mr. Stanley,

I am a motoring journalist and historian presently engaged with researching the history of a 1933 Lagonda 16/80 saloon for an article in The Automobile. The car lived in the Northumberland area for a large portion of its life, so I wondered if any of your members may have memories of it or its past owners. To fill you in on what I already know:

It was owned by William R. Close, the proprietor of Edward Scott motor engineers in Wooler, in 1957. He appears to have been tasked with selling it on behalf of the garage. In September of that year, John W. James of North Charlton expressed an interest in it, and I believe he bought it for ?50. A brief history published in a 1980s Melrose Motor Museum brochure says that it was owned by an officer in the Fleet Air Arm (presumably Mr. James), who crashed it at Belford. It was recovered by the Lagonda enthusiast John Chester Boylan in 1964, who towed it home to Monkseaton and restored it in time to exhibit it at the Veteran & Vintage Rally held in conjunction with the 1966 Newcastle Summer Exhibition. I don't know much about its life during the '70s and '80s, except that it was on loan to the Melrose Motor Museum for a stint in the 1980s and was sold to a long-term owner in 1987.

Accordingly, if any N.E.C.P.W.A. members have any information or photographs pertaining to the car, Messrs. Close, James and Boylan, Edward Scott's garage or the Newcastle Veteran & Vintage Rally, I should be very grateful to hear of it. Please could you bring my request to the attention of your members by mentioning it in the magazine, or a club social-media account if you have one.

Thanks very much.

Yours sincerely,

Zack Stiling zb.stiling @at talktalk.net - email -