The story behind the story...

… in the latest Miss Moonshine anthology… 

I've always found history, particularly social history, fascinating. So it probably won't surprise you to learn that I've been researching my family tree for almost 20 years.  And that research has prompted several stories - not all of them published - and one of them is now in Midsummer Magic at Miss Moonshine's Emporium.

I came across the photo on the right a while ago.  The man in the chauffeur's uniform at the front of the car is one of my ancestors.  The registration number - GU1909 - which can just be seen is the title for my story.  Maddie, the central character, is a car mechanic, just as the man in the photo was, too.

When I first came across the photo, I wondered if the car was still in existence.  The search took me to car museums all over the country, to archives in central London, Teddington and Kew, and various websites worldwide.  Regrettably, the car no longer exists, but the search was fascinating.

From an archive of car magazines, I was able to identify that the car was a Wolseley E4, 12/32 hp saloon with a coach-built body and fabric interior, non-dazzle lights, electric horn and the latest in vibrationless suspension.  It retailed at the time for £315, and for an extra £12 10s, you could get a model with Triplex Glass and, the sole London dealer then was Eustace Watkins in Chelsea.

At the archives in Kew and central London, I established that the registration series GU was issued to London County Council in July 1928 for use from August 1st that year.  But that was all.  Sadly the register detailing each registration number for the GU series is lost.

However, research about the car manufacturer revealed that the car must have been one of the last off the production line.  And that was a little piece of history that I gave to my central character, Maddie, to pass on to Miss Moonshine in my story.

My research didn't stop there.  I had to know as much as I could find out about the man too. Born towards the end of the19th century in London, he first worked as an errand boy and later in service.   In the early 1900's he was a reservist in one of the London regiments, and he may have picked up some of his skills as a motor mechanic during that time.  By 1911 he described himself as a 'motor driver for a private firm'.  He also states that he undertakes 'motor repairs'.  When he married, he cited his profession as a private chauffeur - I suppose that sounded better on a document as important as a marriage certificate!

From my research

During the first war, he didn't enlist until 1915, and he may have done so in response to calls from the War Office for drivers.  The Imperial War Museum has copies of several posters that were used at the time.   It seems likely that he served with the 37th division of the Army Service Corps.

Unfortunately, there is no trace of his service records, but from another source, I know that he shipped out to France in July 1915 and was first billeted at Tilques - a small place between St Omer and Dunkerque.  Working as an ambulance driver, he may have been assigned to one of three crews - but without that elusive service record, I can't be sure which one.

During the second war, although he was still working, he wasn't called up because of his age.  But, his skills would have been valuable.  There are various stories about him driving famous people and possibly some top brass in the military.

Will I ever substantiate those myths?  I don't know.  Probably not.  But they will remain on my To-Do list for other times when I have a few hours to spare or when new information or archive material becomes available.

For now, I'm content that the car my ancestor drove inspired a story…

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