Letters - A1 of a Kind

Sir,

Regarding the article in the March issue of MOTOR SPORT — “A1 of a Kind”.

My father was a great friend of many years standing with both George Pettyt and Trevor Laker. I remember my father telling me the tale of George Pettyt finding the registration A1.

It would perhaps have been shortly after the First World War, that George Pettyt and two other motor traders stopped at a pub for a drink. The landlord explained that he could not but help hearing them talk about the motor trade, and he therefore wondered if they would be interested in purchasing an old car that he had stored in a shed at the back of the pub. They all four went out to look at the car, but it proved to be an old wreck (from my memory a Daimler), and George explained that none of them bought old wrecks. There was laughter all round and the landlord stood them all a drink. George then enquired if the landlord had the Registration Book for the old car, and upon being told that he did, George then purchased the car for five pounds. Thus did George Pettyt obtain the number A1. If the number is today worth El million pounds, it would seem that George struck a good deal.

As a school boy I remember George having Al on an Alfa Romeo and even then I was impressed by both the number and the car.

Kenneth Faire
Swindon, Wilts.