Veteran Car Club of Great Britain

History

The Veteran Car Club of Great Britain was established in Brighton, England, at the Ship Hotel, following the 1930 RAC London to Brighton run. Its founders were racing driver and Autocar sports editor Sammy Davis, along with Jackie Masters and John Wylie. This organization was the first of its kind globally for antique car enthusiasts. Its original purpose was to encourage the preservation and use of vehicles built before 1905, the same cut-off for the Brighton run. In the 1950s, the club expanded its scope to include Edwardian cars, now defined as those built after 1904 but before 1919, though a different earlier cut-off date was used during the 1950s and 1960s. By 1937, the club had built up a substantial archive. According to The Scotsman, the club issued certificates verifying a vehicle's date of manufacture. Its membership at that time included several surviving well-known motoring pioneers. During the 1937 Brighton run, 105 of the 116 participating cars belonged to club members. Club members collectively owned 140 roadworthy cars built before 1905, and total membership stood at 235. In 1950, a rally and reliability trial in Oxford drew 84 cars, the oldest being an 1895 Lutzmann with a 4 hp single-cylinder engine.