A1 registration plate

History

Year Description
1903 This is the year that the Motor Car Act became law. The A1 number plate was sold by London county council in 1903 to the second Earl Russell,[1] who queued for the entire night outside the council offices to have the right to be able to buy it. He beat someone else to it by just five seconds. The plate was fitted by Sidney Powell, a 17 year old apprentice at the time, making him the first person in the UK to attach a registration plate to a motor vehicle.
1904 The Motor Car Act came into force on the 1 January requiring the registration of motor vehicles.[2]
1906 The plate was sold to the Chairman of the London County Council along with the registration and the car it belonged to, a Napier.
1907 The head of the Maudes Group Motor Business, Mr. George Pettyt, bought the plate[1] and was successively transferred to each of his personal cars over the years. These included:
1950 The Sunbeam was bequeathed to Mr. Trevor Laker after George Pettyt's death. A condition of this was that, after his demise, Mr. Laker sell the plate and the proceeds be given to a dogs' charity. The plate was sold for £2,500 and the money donated to The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.[1]
1970 The Dunlop company took ownership and rights to “A 1”. The plate was put onto a Daimler limousine that was used to transport VIPs to and from the Dunlop factories.
1975 The plate was used for a brief period on the Director of Engineering's car, a Mini. The tyre division later took ownership and was used for promotional purposes, including the marketing of the Denovo "fail-safe" wheels.
1985 BTR plc gained the “A 1” plate after it acquired Dunlop. The company's headquarters in Birmingham placed it on a Ford Granada.
2000 / 2005 The "A 1" plate was bought by Jefri Bolkiah after its sale by Insignia Registrations alongside the plate, "1 A". The plates were placed on matching, white Bentley Azures.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "In driving seat with A1 car number plate". Leicester Mercury. 12 April 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  2. ↑ "Motor-Car Regulations". The Times (37251). London. 30 November 1903. p. 2.
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