Wolseley Owners Club 4th AGM

26 Apr Wolseley Owners Club 4th AGM

Members attended the fourth Annual General Meeting (AGM) of The Wolseley Owners Club, which was held on Sunday 26th April 2015, at The Heritage Motor Centre Motor Museum, in Gaydon, Warwickshire.

Four members arrived in their superb classics – two stunning Wolseley 6/110’s, one making its first trip out since 1999, a recently fully restored Austin 1800 and an elegant Rolls Royce Silver Spirit II. There were many excellent classics to view on the car parks at Gaydon, being that it was ‘Drive it Day’ and members enjoyed visiting the Museum prior to the meeting and having a look around at all the cars. There was also a Collectors fair going on inside the Centre, with many interesting items on view. It was a very enjoyable day.

Wolseley Owners Club member Anders Clausager, also attended the meeting to present his new book, which will be published in 2016 – ‘Wolseley: A Very British car. Anders is a former Wolseley 4/44 owner. He also had an 18/85 Series III, a 6/80 and a 15/50 in the past, all of which were bought in the early 1970’s in Denmark. He originally qualified as an automotive designer and worked briefly for the Club Patron Harris Mann, in the styling studio at Longbridge. Anders served 35 years as an historian and archivist to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust at Gaydon between 1979 – 2000 and the Syndicate room which we held the AGM in, used to be Anders’ office. This exciting new Wolseley book with 19 chapters, will be well worth buying. There has not been a full history written, since St John C Nixon’s book, ‘A Saga of the Motor Industry’ in 1949 and it is one of the few major British car makes, which has yet to have a complete full-scale history written on it. Many enthusiasts and historians are looking forward to its publication. We certainly are.

Much business was discussed at the meeting and decisions made on the way forward. The Club is very pleased to announce some new club officers to the positions of Deputy Chairman, Finance, Archivist, Club Secretary, Benefits roles and thanks were given to the club officers in these positions previously, for all their hard work. We also have some new Area Contacts. Everyone was welcomed aboard. As Club Chairman Phillip was in the middle of giving his closing address at the meeting, one of our youngest members James, aged two gave him a hand by walking to the front of the meeting and announcing “I’m going home now” and went to the door with his little jigsaw briefcase. He brought the house down! A future Chairman in the making perhaps!

There are now 24 Club Officers in positions in the club, 29 Area Contacts with two new vacant positions, (if any members would like to express interest in undertaking these roles) and 20 Model Contacts, who are all here to serve and assist the Club’s members in the UK and Overseas.