Lady Drivers

[John Cornforth]

A lovely collection of pictures - thanks for posting

"My" Austin Seven is actually registered to my wife, and we take equal turns driving.

"Triplex glass £20 extra" That bumps the price of the saloon up by a surprising 13%, equivalent to several thousand pounds in today's money. I guess it was a new thing in 1927, but only a few years later was a standard feature. Glass (and the means to support it) must add a fair bit to the cost and weight of a small car.

[Ivor Hawkins]

These catalogues, ads and magazine covers are sensational and thank you for posting them Mike, but what about the poor old box saloon, particularly the RP, is there just a shortage of relevant material?

I’m feeling left out!

[Mike Costigan]

Sorry, Ivor, box saloons were only for the man in the house!

           

[Tony Griffiths]

Sadly, not Bob. But her second car was an A7.

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Re page 2 above has there ever been such a well dressed random group on the Embankment (or wherever) since?

It is curious just what market they were after with the well dressed lady drivers? Second car for the very well off? 
With married women at home an even better case could be made for woman drivers than today.

Of my schoolboy colleagues and realtives all parents owned cars but less than half mothers could drive. As the cars were used by men to go to work, not much point.

In the last print I trust they remembered to change from 50 grade for the winter.

The aim of the advertising was widespread - they would have been designed to attract both the type of person features in them and also, as ever, to those who aspired to join them - but probably never would.

[Mike Costigan]

David Howe has sent me this pic: an Austin Motor Co sales brochure from 1929 aimed directly at lady owner/drivers:

   

[Bob Culver]

I suppose then she was more likely to buy a Seven than move in with the boyfriend.

[Howard Wright]

Hi All

My wife’s grandfather was a vicar in the Garw valley in South Wales.  However the driving (no pun intended) part of his life was his wife.  Known as Mops by the family she successfully petitioned the Bishop of Brecon and they moved to a remote parish near Llandrindod Wells in 1935. There she found the parochial trek around the remote farms too exhausting and promptly visited the local car shop (probably Norton’s Automobile Palace in Llandrindod). Insisting in the sale that she should have lessons, an Austin Seven was purchased.  She did all the driving….including to locum holidays in Norfolk, Suffolk and Wiltshire. She continued to drive well into her eighties. Her last car was a classic mini clubman.

Sadly no photos survive of her motoring exploits.

Cheers

Howard

[Chris KC]

There's a scene in "Birds of Prey" (1930) where a young woman enters the library where the ruthless murderer lurks.

"Is Molly about anywhere?" she asks.
"I think she's seeing the train party off, are you going with them?"
"Austin Seven"
"Oh yes, of course"
"Get there as soon as they will"
"I dare say you will"

In the previous scene all the other house guests have been jammed uncomfortably into a large saloon with their luggage, en route to the railway station. The young man of the house has been razzing around in a very expensive Bentley. Her expression and the tone of this independent young lady's voice when she says "Austin Seven" speaks volumes about her utter delight at being able to come and go as she pleases.

The story incidentally was written by A.A. Milne.


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[Bob Culver]

You could often compete with the trains here but not so sure about UK.
A friend of my father bought a new upright Ford Prefect and took driving lessons in it. His much smarter wife went along as observer. At the end with very little practice she was the better driver! Incidenatlly Sevens are not the only cars which jump about. They regularly drove to a bach 30 miles away and always kept a bag of sand in the back for stability.

[Tony Press]

"They regularly drove to a bach 30 miles away" 

Translation 

"They regularly drove to a holiday home 30 miles away" 


(I found this out via TV Program 'Grand Designs NZ')