This was a wonderful day out, probably one of the best we've had this year. Dad and I drove across the south downs (60 Miles) early in the morning, to meet with the Swallow owners, for the trundle up to Amberley Museum. It was a beautiful morning and a lovely scenic drive. Lorna Mountford (Club Chairman) seemed pleased to see us, and was happy for us to join them, and Gary Edwards had brought his Ruby, so the three of us parked together opposite the Swallows. But for two short sharp showers, it was lovely and sunny. A perfect day to have a natter about cars and explore the museum. We have been before, but it is always interesting to walk round, and plenty that you won't have noticed before, or forgotten since last time.
In the afternoon we went for a short drive around the site so that people could see the cars in action. As I didn't have a passenger, Lorna asked if I would be happy to give someone a ride, which of course I was pleased to do. This turned out to be Harry Teather, who's mother and father both worked for Swallow starting in the early days at Blackpool, and is currently the clubs president. While we waited in the car for the rain to clear, he recounted some of the tales of his parents and swallow. His father Harry Teather Sr, started at the company as a young man (After seeing a job advert in the newspaper he was working for), and was only around the 6th person to work at swallow. His first job at the firm was painting coach-lines on the sidecars, but he soon moved on to working in the stores and purchasing, and went on to be head of purchasing. In 1928, at 21 years old, he was tasked with ensuring that everything from the works in Blackpool that was needed, was transferred to the new Coventry site. He stayed with the company, into the SS and Jaguar years, until retirement. Connie Teather had also started at Blackpool, and had kept a diary of the goings on at the factory and in the outside world, which she subsequently gave copies of to the Swallow Register, which were printed in their newsletters.
After the run around the museum site, I spoke with Lorna and her friend Tony about their restoration of her fathers 1931 Wolseley Hornet Swallow, which she now regularly drives to work. When restoring the first car, they found that her father had dismantled 2 cars, and they are currently getting stuck into reconstructing the missing bodywork on the second. After a thoroughly enjoyable day, and saying thank you again to Lorna for allowing us to tag along, we had another 60 miles home in the sunshine.
If you've read all of that, then you are probably overdue some pictures.
The swallow display...
The other Sevens
More to follow...
