Car Registration "A 1"
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The car registrations industry began in 1903 with the first registration issued, A 1. The registration was issued to Earl Russell who camped outside of the registration office all night to make sure he got it. He did just that after paying only a small registration fee.
Here is the brief History of the highly
sought after and valuable registration.
1903 The Motor Car
Act became law and required all cars to be registered. “A
1" was allocated to Earl Russell, (as above) after queuing all
night.
1906 The Chairman of
the London County Council acquired the car, a Napier, and the
Registration.
1907 The car and the
number were sold to Mr. George Pettyt, Head of the Maudes Group
Motor Business. A 1 was transferred to each of his successive
cars, including an Alfa Romeo, MG, Morris Isis, Daimler, Singer,
Jaguar and the last, a Sunbeam Talbot 90.
1950 George Pettyt
died bequeathing the Sunbeam Talbot and “A 1” to Mr. Trevor
Laker. A condition of the bequest was that he use the number
until his demise and then it should be sold and the proceeds be
donated to a dogs’ charity.
Trevor Laker sold the number, with an agreement that he retained
its use until his death or inability to drive.
The £2,500 realized from the sale went to the Guide Dogs for the
Blind Association.
1970 On the death of
Trevor Laker the ownership and rights to “A 1” passed to Dunlop
Limited.
Initially “A 1” was on a Daimler Limousine used to transport
important visitors to the Dunlop Factories.
It was later transferred to the tyre division and formed part of
the extensive promotions for the Denovo runflat tyre.
1975 Following a
brief period on an Executive Mini used by the Director of
Engineering, “A 1” was returned to the Tyre Division for
promotional purposes.
1985 Ownership of “A
1” passed to BTR plc, following the acquisition of Dunlop.
The international BTR Group is one of the United Kingdom’s largest and most successful companies, with interests in the construction, energy, electrical, manufacturing, transport, paper, healthcare and consumer industries. Sales of £4500 million a year are generated by over 700 subsidiaries, employing some 80000 people around the world.
2005 - The late Roy Palmer of Insignia Registrations sold both A1 and 1A to a flamboyant foreign royal, the numbers were transferred quickly and ready for the new owner to be collected from the airport in two identical white Bentleys displaying 1A and A1. It is very doubtful that either registration will ever become available to buy again.
We currently value A 1 at £1m.
Personally Yours number plates have dedicated this website to provide the latest news, information and advice for UK car registrations, private number plates and the DVLA. Over the last 20 years (Established 1988) we have gained masses of information and experience within the number plate industry, dealing with DVLA and car registrations every day. Only now we can reveal some of the best kept secrets and "tricks of the trade" that have been kept quite for so many years...
Some Information above has been taken from Tony Hills book Elite Registrations
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