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The other day, just because I was bored,  I did a web search for the names of the first few owners of my TR2.  For one of the names I got a link to a University Site, where the name I was searching was listed as "missing", meaning that they had no contact details.  I e-mailed the details that I had to the University and said I hoped that this would help (giving that the dates he owned the car were in 1958 I didn't think that they would help much).

 

The University have today e-mailed me saying they now do have contact details for the person, and whats more, they'd been in touch and he would like very much to talk to me as he had fond memories of the car...  so I'm going to be speaking to the second owner soon!

 

If only I'd checked my e-mail before 9:50pm tonight I'd have been on the phone!  

 

Just shows... what started off as idle curiosity 2 nights ago means I'm going to find a little more out about my car and it's previous owner.

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...and I think I have an address for the third owner.  I've written them a letter today.  Fingers crossed.  I even have a possible address for someone who may have been the fourth owner, but that one doesn't match in every way... ie: if it is them they got promoted to Captain and stopped using a middle name... but worse things have happened at sea!

 

The first owner remains harder to trace, though the house of Lords have confirmed that he existed... or exists... they wern't to clear on that bit!  So if anyone just happens to  know Earl Hugh John Vaughan Emlyn then let me know please...

 

:cool:

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I think that the first owner may have been using the name Lord Hugh John Vaughan Emlyn in Carmarthanshire, but may have actually been Hugh John Vaughan CAMPBELL, 6th Earl Cawdor (Scotland) (1932-1993), although I have not established this for definate.  

 

This may sound like an irrational link, however, Earl Cowder and Carmarthenshire are often quoted in the same web pages and searches.  

 

If anyone knows anything about this then I'd love to have it all clarified.

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OK.. so more of a solid link to confirming the identity of the first owner of my TR2... The Earl of Cawdor also has a subsidiary title of "Viscount Emlyn".  I don't seem able to search down a picture though.
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...the eldest son of an Earl assuming his father's subsidiary title, whilst his brothers are just hon's (as are the Viscount's sons). The Viscount inherits the Earldom, of course, on his father's death....

Alec / Wyn,

 

That's exactly what happened here.

 

Hugh John Vaughan Campbell was Viscount Emlyn when he owned the car, hence the use of the title in place of his surname, becoming an Earl in the '70's when his father died.

 

The link with Newcastle Emlyn and the Viscount is established, as is the link to Earl Cawdor.  What I can't work out is where he lived at the time he had the car.  The log book says "T(then some unreadable text) and then Cascles (I think), Carmarthenshire, S.Wales.  The T(unreadable) on first sight appears to read "Tenby", and made me think that it said "Tenby Castle", but as that isn't in Carmarthenshire, it can't possibly say that!

 

Of course Cawdor castle was the seat of Macbeth, and in that play there was family fueds... it looks as though things have not changed much and the Earl has instigated another fued by way of his will upon his death in 1993! His first mariage was disolved a number of years before and he re-married, his second wife and her stepchildren do not (allegedly) get on at all.  If I try to contact them I might be stiring up a hornets nest of gigantic proportions...

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Clive,

 

If you could fax me the unreadable text, I may be able to help. Although it means nothing to you, I may be able to work something out for you. I was brought up near that area and still have family living there and will help in any way I can.

 

Email me off line for my fax number if you wish. Alternatively, I will make enquiries on your behalf.

 

Wyn

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here is a picture taken of my car in 1958... that's 7 years before I was born... it's kind of wierd, especially as the picture didn't come with the car but has been sent by one of the previous owners!

 

cmg_58.jpg

On the moor road from Kilbirinie to Largs - Firth of Clyde with Isle of Arran in the background - 1958

 

The car was Hill Climbed, and even got a mention in the Easter '58 Autosport for leaving the track on the hairpin.... that'll explain those scratches and the bent bumper then???

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What a great picture to receive out of the blue. With a bit of text added it could almost be a Triumph publicity 'photo.

See you at Malvern.

Les.

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And that was only one of the pictures... some of the other JHK sent me show the car and them leaving on their honeymoon!
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More News... the third owner, Major Gordon Robin Kingston Lyon OBE has now contacted me from Australia!

 

:)

 

I feel more information is about to come my way!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Clive

 

Can you, or anyone else, please advise me how to post a photo on the forum page.

 

Thanks

Andrew

 

PS, Been following your restoration with interest, it's looking great!

 

Incidentally, my 3A (TRK 639) was originally sold to a RAF Squadron Leader in 1958 and I'm trying to trace him, so hopefully he’s still out there and can fill the gap from 58 - 68.

 

Cheers

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Clive

 

Presume you've been following up on the Cawdor connection but I wondered if you'd checked through the history on this link which probably explains the welsh connection.

 

http://www.ccsna.org/castles/cawdor.html

 

As it happens, I live about 10 miles away from Cawdor so pass it quite frequently.  If Campbell was the first owner then its curious that the car doesn't have and Inverness or Nairn reg number (which would have ended AS or ST)

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...Can you, or anyone else, please advise me how to post a photo on the forum page...

Sure, E-mail it to me (j-peg format and reduced to about 500 pixels is about the right resolution) and I'll post it to my web space. Then I can let you have the link you will need to include into your text to make it show.

 

Alternativley you can post it to your own web space if your isp provides it, or I can post it there for you if you provide some details (but that includes your password) if that is to technical!

 

:blues:

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...curious that the car doesn't have an Inverness or Nairn reg number (which would have ended AS or ST)...

The Car was bought in London (Probibly from Dove's) and therefore got the Middlesex Registration of "CMG".  (As the number is transferable I have been offered money for it by MG owners, especially ones with the same Innitial as me!   They can all take a running jump! )

 

It was then registered to the Viscount's address in Wales under the name of "Emlyn", as in Viscount Emlyn.  He became Earl Cawdor later, once his father died.

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ml.jpg

 

And here is Major G.R.K.Lyon leaning on 305 CMG changing out of his waders after a day's Trout Fishing.  This was taken between 1959 and 1961.

 

 

305 CMG was his second TR2, the first being sold by him while returning from an overseas posting... it got him back as far as Cyprus before he accepted to an offer!  I have the details of that car and will post them on the "whatever happened to" forum so that I can tell him (maybe) if it's still in existance!

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  • 8 months later...

MORE NEWS!

 

I was on a building site I am involved with discussing with a rep the supply of seats for a lecture theatre.  Somehow I find out he is a classic car buff... anyway, then I find out that the firm (of which he is a director) is based in Warminster.  I then tell him that there are two owners of my car whom I have failed to trace that live in Warminster.  He tells me to send him the details that I have and he will show them to his business partner who's mother in law (reg, this is not a time to do a mother in law joke) has lived there all her life.  

 

Obviously I do this...

 

A few days later he rings back and says not only does his mother inl aw know one of the previous owners (Alf Hicken), but she was his book-keeper!  I'm awaiting a further update, howeve, I now know that he had a car part business.  From what I've heard he himself may be dead, however, this Lady still knows his son!

 

You can imnagine I'm now waiting with baited breath...

 

:cool:

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