19 minute read
The Daimlers and the Duke
THE DAIMLERS
AND THE DUKE
With the recent passing of the Duke of Edinburgh, it is timely to remember his first visit to New Zealand and the magnificent Daimler cars built especially for the Royal Tour…
WORDS JOHN STOKES
At 10am on Wednesday 23 December 1953 the Royal Yacht SS Gothic berthed at Auckland’s Central Wharf. Aboard were Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. When the newly-crowned Queen Elizabeth II stepped ashore, it was the first time that a reigning monarch had set foot in New Zealand. Steps behind her – as he would be for the next 68 years - was her royal consort, Prince Philip. So began the 39-day royal tour of New Zealand.
In spite of the rain that day, thousands lined Queen Street to welcome the royal couple as they drove by to a civic reception at Auckland Town Hall. The car in which they travelled was one of six Royal Daimlers purchased specially for a royal tour – but not this royal tour.
Five years earlier, in March 1948, it had been announced that King George VI and the Queen were to visit the South Pacific, including New Zealand and Australia in March the following year. It was proposed that Daimler cars should play a leading role in the tour transportation plan for both New Zealand and Australia.
The relationship between British royalty and Daimler had its beginnings in 1897 when the first English-built Daimler was demonstrated to the Royal Family. In 1900 the first royal Daimler, a 6hp car, was delivered to HRH The Prince of Wales at Sandringham. At this point the Prince became an ‘automobilist’ – a great coup for the Daimler company. Following the death of Queen Victoria the Prince became King, more Daimlers were purchased and the Daimler company could claim “By Appointment to HM The King”. So began the royal Daimler tradition.
Back then it was unusual for the Royal Family to venture abroad, apart from to Europe, but as new methods of transportation evolved touring the Empire became more possible. In 1939 George VI and Queen Elizabeth travelled to Canada and the United States. In 1947 the Royal Family toured South Africa. That was to be followed by a visit down under in March 1949 and many New Zealanders became ecstatic at the prospect of seeing the Royals in our homeland.
HOOPER-BODIED DAIMLERS
Following the success of Hooper-bodied Daimlers on the African tour, orders were placed with Daimler of Coventry for six such cars to be built for the New Zealand tour, and another six for Australia. The chassis – being the frame, suspension and wheels, the engine and transmission and body work forward of the firewall – was to be the new 150 bhp DE36 type. The motor was a 5460cc straight8, connected to the famous Daimler fluid drive and pre-selector gearbox. The wheelbase was a massive 12ft, 3 inches – indeed the Daimler DE36 was the largest car the British motor industry had ever built. The fuel economy of these huge cars, at 10 to 12 miles per gallon, was not a consideration.
Once the chassis were completed by Daimler, they were transported to the Hooper Body Works in London. Hooper had been building car bodies since the beginning of the twentieth century, mainly for Daimler. (In 1940 Daimler had acquired the Hooper company, but Hoopers continued to build bodies for other makers.) For the New Zealand tour, the body styles decided upon were two open tourers or phaetons, known as all-weather cars, two landaulettes (with a collapsible rear roof section) and two fully-closed limousines. Australia ordered two all-weathers, three landaulettes and one limousine.
The colours for these immense cars were to be royal blue and black with fine red (vermillion) pin stripe between, which picked
Opposite: All-weather cars. Crowds lined Queen Street to welcome the royal couple in a rainy Auckland. Upper Left: In better weather, the the Queen and Prince enjoyed the open cars. Left: Taken in Westport, this is a really unusual image as the car in which the royals are travelling is showing its registration plate; royal protocol is that a car being used by royals do not require evidence of registration. Above: One of the two closed Daimler limousines is loaded aboard an RNZAF Bristol Freighter for repositioning during the royal tour.
out the style lines. The all-weather cars were trimmed in dark red leather throughout, with red carpets and fawn hoods. The closed cars had dark blue leather upholstery in the front and grey cloth in the rear. Some of the motor industry’s newest luxuries were included, such as electric windows and partitions in the closed cars. Two landaulettes and two limousines were equipped with HMV radio sets, with unobtrusive aerials mounted under the floor.
Once the cars were completed at the end of October, two of each style of the 12 cars were taken to Buckingham Palace for inspection by the Royal Family. A press and trade display of the magnificent craftsman-built, hand-finished Daimlers followed. As it transpired this was an event never to be repeated for Daimler. Once inspected, the cars were driven to the London docks for the start of their journey to the antipodes. Also aboard were thousands of pounds worth of spare parts for the Daimlers, in anticipation of the worst happening.
No sooner had the ship departed than King George became ill, and following medical advice, the tour was postponed. The ship with the six aristocratic Daimlers arrived in New Zealand in early 1949 and they were placed into storage at the Public Service Garage. It was not until 1950 that the King was declared fit to travel, but it was too late to organise a tour for that year. 1951 was impossible too, because of the planned Festival of Britain. So it was decided to reschedule the tour for 1952.
However the King’s health again deteriorated. Rather than cancel the tour it was decided the newlyweds Princess Elizabeth and Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, should tour in his place. But days after their departure from Britain, George VI died on 6 February, and the tour was, of course, abandoned.
The King is dead. Long live the Queen.
Elizabeth II’s coronation was in June, 1953. One of the priorities of the Royal calendar was to make the long-awaited tour of New Zealand and Australia. It was re-scheduled for the southern summer of late 1953, early 1954.
After almost five years in storage the dust was blown off the six Royal Daimlers that had been waiting patiently for the arrival of the King. The cars had been maintained, although the hoods for the all-weather cars had deteriorated. In April 1952 a message was sent to the New Zealand High Commissioner in London to purchase replacements from Daimler.
A little later, the New Zealand government learned that Hoopers had developed a one-piece, removable transparent top, made of
Perspex, for use on the open all-weather Daimlers. Two were ordered for the New Zealand cars and these arrived from England in time for the new tour dates. Fitting these proved more difficult than expected. Just one of the two all-weather cars was fitted with one, while the second remained an open car.
The value of each DE36 Daimler was given as £6,500. As for the support cars to be used by Royal staff and the media, the dated Daimler DB18 saloons that had been sent at the same time as the coach-built Royal Daimlers were disposed of when the original tour was postponed. These were replaced with more modern 2½ litre Consorts, but even these were now obsolete. Some Consorts were used on the tour and others were replaced by the latest Daimler, the Conquest, each valued at £1650. The Daimler fleet was joined by a Humber Pullman landaulette (valued at £2000), a Humber Imperial saloon (£2000), six Austin A125 Sheerlines (£2200 each), twelve Humber Super Snipes (at £1300 each) and a Vauxhall Velox (£800). Also joining the fleet was an open Land Rover (value unknown), with a specially-designed rear for the Royal couple to stand in as it drove amongst the great crowds of enraptured New Zealanders expected to turn out to greet the Royal couple.
ROYAL FEVER
And turn out they did!
After more than five years of high anticipation of royals gracing our land, great masses assembled to welcome them everywhere they went on their 39-day visit, beginning that rainy day in Auckland. Indeed, at 9pm on Christmas Day, potentially the entire British Commonwealth was tuned in to New Zealand as the Queen delivered from Government House in Auckland her first Christmas broadcast since her coronation. It was a speech of historical importance. “…the Commonwealth bears no resemblance to the Empire of the past. It is an entirely new conception, built on the highest qualities of the spirit of man – friendship, loyalty and the desire for freedom and peace.” She continued with “To that …I shall give myself, heart and soul, every day of my life…”.
And she has done so. As has her husband Prince Philip. This is written before his funeral and, for most, the obituaries that will be given to the Prince will reveal his largely unsung contributions to society made over that time.
But, I digress. Back to the Daimlers and the Royal Tour….
Day to day the six magnificent Royal Daimlers were positioned to be ready for the arrival of the Queen and Duke at their next destination. From Auckland they travelled to Waitangi, and then back down through Auckland, there was no harbour bridge in those days – to the Waikato. Understandably, the Royals enjoyed horse racing but just four of the twelve Daimlers sent down under for the Royal tour had been fitted with radios. “Good lord old chap!” the Prince protesteth. “We would enjoy listening to the gee-gees.”
Above and opposite left: the magnificent Hooper-bodied DE36 Landaulette displayed at Southwards Museum, Paraparaumu. This car has travelled less than 20,000 miles. Right: the second Laundaulette was converted to a hearse, and remains in that configuration displayed at MOTAT in Auckland.
“Your wish is our command!” On the next occasion that the Prince rode in that Daimler, an accessory HMV radio had been fitted.
It is also this writer’s understanding that Prince Philip, a little frustrated with the slow pace of the journey to the Waikato, asked “may I take the wheel”? We also know that, while in Auckland, he drove one of the two all-weather cars on an unofficial journey. The Prince always enjoyed fine cars.
The selection of the body style each day of the tour was made based on the type of occasion and the weather forecast. The car Her Majesty was riding in would fly the Royal Standard from the roof, with the royal arms mounted in front of it. On the open all-weather cars the Standard was flown from the right-front fender, with the shield in front of the radiator. While each car was registered, the car the Sovereign was riding in would have its registration plate removed or hidden from view. After a while it became known that our gracious Queen always sat on the right side of the car. No doubt that knowledge influenced on what side of the street well-wishers would gather.
On New Year’s Day the royal guests visited Cambridge, inspected the Karapiro Dam and continued to Rotorua. From there they flew to Gisborne, where the Daimlers awaited, and flew again that day to Napier. Such were the logistics of the royal tour. They continued by rail from Hawke’s Bay to Palmerston North, making stops en route, where the Daimlers would always be awaiting them. The following day, the crimson and white royal train – emblazoned with the royal crest at the head of the engine – travelled towards Ruapehu and Taranaki, Marton, Wanganui, Patea, Hawera and New Plymouth for the night. Seemingly everyone in Taranaki had gathered that night to greet the Royals at Pukekura Park, where the Land Rover was used for the ceremonial drive.
From there they flew to Wellington for a six-day stop over. In those days Wellington’s airport was located at Paraparaumu on the Kapiti Coast. From there the Daimlers took the couple to Wellington, much of the route lined by crowds of admirers and well-wishers. The Daimlers became a regular sight around the capital as the royal couple travelled from one destination to the next. The royal Land Rover was used at Athletic Park where 35,000 school-age children and their parents had gathered. But, usually it was the Daimlers in which the royals were driven, including to their tour of a motor car assembly plant. A visit to such a place was highly unusual for royals but the Ford works in Seaview,
A Very Lucky Survivor Following the tour, this all-weather car was converted into a hearse, then was purchased by Daimler doyen Gordon Somerville and sadly became the victim of a fire. A restoration began before the car was shipped to Western Australia and its rebuild continues using remains from cars from the Australian leg of the royal tour.
essentially an American-owned business to boot, was visited for more than an hour.
On 16 January the royals flew from Paraparaumu to Woodbourne, beginning the South Island portion of the tour, and the Daimlers were positioned to receive them. Later that day they flew to the very English city of Nelson. As the Daimlers entered the city centre, it looked as though all Nelsonians were there to greet them. The West Coast was the next destination, followed by the train journey through Otira and Athur’s Pass to Christchurch. The Daimlers took them to the Christchurch guard of honour and the start of a four day stay in the city. Days later, continuing by car south from Christchurch, the motorcade was recorded to be travelling at 70 miles per hour to make up time following a delay at Burnham military camp. It is unknown if Prince Philip was the one setting the pace.
On 25 January, following a three-day rest in the country, the royal train whisked the Queen and Prince Philip to Timaru, Oamaru and to Palmerston. In each of these towns the Daimlers took them to their engagements. At Palmerston the 37-strong Dunedin Ladies’ Brass Band greeted the royal guests but, as the Queen and Duke came in to view through a floral archway, their music faltered as
From 1930 through to the end of the 1950s, Daimlers were equipped with the Wilson pre-selector gearbox, which was coupled to the engine by Daimler’s famous fluid drive. The operation is similar to an automatic, except the driver decides when the gear will change, not the car.
Unlike an automatic, on the floor are three pedals; the one on the left is not a clutch pedal – it is the gear change pedal.
The gear selector is a small quadrant on the side of the steering column. The car is started with the gearbox in neutral. The gear selector lever can be moved up and down the quadrant, but the car will just sit there idling in neutral until the gear change pedal is depressed. First gear is selected by moving the lever to 1 on the quadrant then stamping the gear change pedal. It is always wise to have the right foot on the brake at the time – while the car is now in gear, it won’t stall because of the fluid drive. Foot off the brake, give her some boost on the accelerator and the car will smoothly begin to drive. Pre-select 2 on the quadrant and, when you actually want second gear, simply stamp the gear change pedal.
When you stop, just use the brake pedal – the car won’t stall. It is that easy and smooth. That’s just perfect for a royal tour car. each player’s eyes followed them – but the music continued. As the royal party was leaving the Ladies’ Brass Band struck up again but their “feminine instincts proved too strong and the playing faltered to a halt and the women downed instruments and rushed forward. The Queen rewarded them with friendly words and a smile…” Perhaps that amusing incident illustrates best the jovial atmosphere that accompanied the Queen and Duke throughout New Zealand.
Three days were allocated for the royals in Dunedin before the Daimlers carried them to Milton, Balclutha, Gore and Invercargill. At Bluff, on the day of their departure from New Zealand, the farewell ceremony was tremendous. As well as the Prime Minister, the Governor General, their wives and other dignitaries, thousands waved from temporary grandstands as the Gothic set sail for Australia.
Kiwis returned to their homes. The Daimlers went back to the Public Service Garage in Wellington. The long-awaited and highly successful Royal Tour was over.
THE SURVIVORS
Throughout the tour there was never a hiccup with any of the Daimlers. Daimler was, after all, the marque chosen for reliable as well as dignified transport. But, what happened to the cars after the tour?
In his book Royal Daimlers Bryan E Smith says that “From time to time at the Royal Mews a letter is received seeking corroboration that an enquirer’s vehicle has a royal history. Such correspondence is, of course, courteously dealt with, but more often than not the writer’s claim to be the owner of a one-time royal Daimler cannot be sustained.”
With the assistance of Mark Bearman from Perth, WA, the Daimler Club, and former Public Service Garage supervisor and now researcher, Russell Walsh in Wellington, finding the 12 cars that comprised the royal fleet for the 1953-54 tour of New Zealand and Australia has proven relatively easy.
Dealing with the Australian cars first (only because that is easier). When the original tour was postponed in 1948, the Australian government decided to sell two of the cars, even before they arrived in Australia. It is not known why, but they (all-weather 51703 and landaulette 51708) were diverted to the Maharajah of Mysore, India. So just four cars were used for the Australian tour.
Two of the four (all-weather 51702 and limousine 51707) have not survived. However their parts are being used for the restoration
Australia All-weather All-weather Landaulette Landaulette Landaulette Limousine
New Zealand All-weather All-weather Landaulette Landaulette Limousine Limousine
Daimler Hooper Notes Chassis No Body No 51702 9427 Did not survive
51703 51704 51708 51705 51707 428 Sold to India 9494 National Museum of Australia, ACT 9495 Sold to India 9496 Recently for sale, northern NSW 9499 Did not survive
51709 51706 51711 51712 51710 51713 9429 Destroyed in fire 9430 Under restoration in Perth, WA 9497 Displayed at Southward Museum 9498 Now a hearse, displayed at MOTAT 9500 Displayed at Geraldine Motor Museum 9501 Privately owned in Oregon, USA
of one of the New Zealand tour cars, 51706. The second landaulette 51705 was sold by its long-term funeral director owner of Rockhampton, Queensland who had used it as a mourning car. The buyer, located in Taree, northern NSW, offered it for sale again in 2020; it is unknown if the car was sold.
The third landaulette 51704 was discovered in rural South Australia by the National Museum of Australia (NMA) which purchased it and transported it to Canberra. It was in a complete but dilapidated condition. The NMA completed not a restoration but an exciting conservation project on the car, which is now displayed at the museum in the Australia capital city.
Just months after the New Zealand tour concluded, the government called for tenders on four of our six cars – two would be retained for further service.
R Shattock of Huntly won the tender for both all-weather cars, 51709 and 51706, paying £1400 each for them. Soon after, 51709 was sold to Max Wallace, who farmed in Tiritea, Manawatu. He also purchased one of the perspex roofs for his car, but could not get it to fit – so he used it to grow tomatoes under. Sadly 51709 was destroyed in a fire and the remains were buried.
The second all-weather, 51706, was purchased in 1957 and converted to a hearse. It was employed transporting deceased Gisborne residents to their final resting place until 1973. That is when Gordon Sommerville, the well-known president of the Daimler and Lanchester Owners Club, parted with $500 and became its new owner. The following year, when stored in the Geraldine Motor Museum in Canterbury, it was badly burned in a fire. But it rose from the ashes - Mark Bearman’s father purchased it and began a full restoration. Sadly, Mark’s dad died before the project was completed, so Mark had it transported to his home in Western Australia, where the project continues to this day, aided by parts of Australian cars 51702 and 51707.
The limousine 51710 – one of the two excluded from the 1954 tender process – was kept for future use by the Prime Minister and other VIP visitors. That car is currently privately owned and is displayed, co-incidentally, at the Geraldine Motor Museum. The second limousine 51713 was sold in the tender round for £1750 to Hamilton man AA Martin. It has since been sold to a new home in Oregon, USA.
The two landaulettes survived and are now the most accessible of the royal tour cars anywhere. 51712 was sold in the 1954 tender round to Dr Robert L Greenwood, of North Auckland, for £1630. The following year, this car was also converted to a hearse. The work was carried out by coachbuilders Revelly, Ellis and Collingwood for Auckland funeral directors W H Tongue & Sons. Auckland’s Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) acquired it in 1982 where it remains displayed in its funereal configuration to this day.
The other landaulette 51711 was the second car retained by the government, for use by the Governor General. It was used during the 1956 Royal Tour and for official functions at least until 1962. Then in 1963, with just 19,012 miles recorded, it was sold to Southward Engineering for the forthcoming Southward Car Museum north of Wellington. There it remains displayed, still it its immaculately original, low mileage and going condition.
The spare parts were purchased by the Wellington Daimler agents Williams & Adams. I understand that most of those found their way to the Southward Museum.
Acknowledgements: Daimler and Lanchester Owners Club – Mark Bearman (Perth) – Russell Walsh (Wellington) – Nathan Pharaoh (National Museum of Australia)
John Stokes
A member of Wellington Branch for five years, John Stokes records his motoring pedigree. I enjoy reading, researching and writing about motoring history and am the author of two books documenting the history of Ford in New Zealand, (but I am not a one-eyed Ford nutter). John is the owner of two old Fords plus a 1985 Audi quattro coupe.
