1903 Humberette 5HP - VCC Dated
Registration No. SV5766
Chassis No. 214
Engine No. 705
VCC Dating Certificate No. 1544
£52,000 GBP
Widely acknowledged as Britain’s first popular light car, the Humberette was introduced in 1903. Assembled at both Humber’s Coventry and Beeston works, its lightweight tubular steel chassis frame was an apt reminder that the marque’s roots lay in the bicycle industry. Equipped with all round leaf sprung suspension and contracting band rear wheel brakes, it was powered by a water-cooled, 613cc single-cylinder engine that developed some 5hp @ 1,500rpm. Admirably advanced, it used shaft drive where many of its competitors persisted with chains and featured a two-speed manual gearbox. Reputedly capable of 25mph, the presence of “a hand wheel on the Humber Olympia differential system” greatly assisted with high speed manoeuvres.
‘Hetty’ was first officially registered in 1904 (when registrations were issued) in Hampshire and assigned the number AA34, she first came to public attention in the early 1950’s when she was found and purchased by a Mr Hartwell. Mr Hartwell was the owner of a Rootes Group franchise and assigned his then apprentices to restore the car. The car stayed within this ownership until the early 1980’s and in 1981 an application was made to The Veteran Car Club of Great Britain to officially date the car. This happened later that year and a manufacture date of 1903 was established (Cert No. 1544).
By 1985 the car was owned by a Mr Whitelegge and it is he who can be seen driving the car on the front cover of Lord Montagu’s Shire Album book. In 2009 he contacted the current owner and was able to give great insight into his time spent with the car but sadly passed away before the pair could be reunited. He subsequently sold the car in late 1993 and it made its way to the Netherlands were it sat in a collection owned by Dick Van Dijk. It was from this ownership that the car was purchased by the current custodians, when it was auctioned by H&H Auctioneers in 2005.
The car was later commissioned by NP Veteran Engineering in 2006 and had work to the engine, axle, differential and half shafts. The current owner has reported several thousand trouble free miles and the car has no only appeared in books but also at numerous London to Brightons (finishing everytime), Kop Hill Climb, Brighton Speed Trials, Brooklands Dounle Twelve, Crystal Palace Sprint, numerous VSCC Light car events and was also displayed in Brooklands Museum.
‘Hetty’ is now looking for a new home and is ready for many more adventures. The car offers fantastic entry level veteran car ownership possibilities as well as the eligibility for London to Brighton, the world’s oldest motoring event. The car is sold with history file, a host of spares and has been tastefully adapted to improve performance and stopping power.
