Topic: Solved - NEH 1323: 1949 Morgan bodied by Leacroft

[Carnut]

What's this, who built it and when?
For 1 point..

[Carnut]

Experts?

[SACO]

Morgan Eacroft  1949

[Carnut]

Morgan Eacroft  1949

Easy eh?

Here's the puzzle photo before I tinkered with it:

[barrett]

Any more information about this one? Anyone heard of 'Eacroft' before?  I'm wondering if it's not a corruption of 'Leacroft' who of course built one of the Jupiter bodies. Then again, Leacroft used to be Coachcraft so the chronology doesn't quite fit. Still, be interesting to learn more about this one. Special-bodied Morgans are a real rarity it seems.

[Carnut]

Any more information about this one? Anyone heard of 'Eacroft' before?  I'm wondering if it's not a corruption of 'Leacroft' who of course built one of the Jupiter bodies. Then again, Leacroft used to be Coachcraft so the chronology doesn't quite fit. Still, be interesting to learn more about this one. Special-bodied Morgans are a real rarity it seems.

I searched endlessly for more info on the 'Net but came up with zilch.
Also checked all my books and came up with the same..
I was hoping some eminent historian like Allan L or woodinsight might come up with a bit more..

[Carnut]

I'd be amazed if this shouldn't in fact be 'Leacroft' rather than 'Eacroft' as I can find no trace of any coachbuilder named 'Eacroft'!

Leacroft were in Egham, which I believe is in Surrey.  The puzzle car was registered in Middlesex, which isn't far away (maybe Egham used to be in Middlesex?!)

[woodinsight]

Any more information about this one? Anyone heard of 'Eacroft' before?   I'm wondering if it's not a corruption of 'Leacroft' who of course built one of the Jupiter bodies. Then again, Leacroft used to be Coachcraft so the chronology doesn't quite fit. Still, be interesting to learn more about this one. Special-bodied Morgans are a real rarity it seems.

I searched endlessly for more info on the 'Net but came up with zilch.
Also checked all my books and came up with the same..
I was hoping some eminent historian like Allan L or woodinsight might come up with a bit more..

I have done a search in my library of usually reliable sources - namely Beaulieu Encyclopedia of Automobile Coachbuilding and the A-Z of British Coachbuilders 1919-1960.
Unsurprisingly neither mention Eacroft but more surprising is the Beaulieu Encyclopedia's omission of Leacroft.
The A-Z of British Coachbuilders however has a small entry on Leacroft as follows:

'Leacroft of Egham in Surrey bodied some 48 Healey two-seaters in 1949-1950 and a Jowett Jupiter in 1951.
The firm was also responsible for the streamlined Frazer-Nash BMW 328 commissioned by Dickie Stoop in 1948.'

So, no mention of the Morgan but the period is correct.
Personally I would say the builder is Leacroft.

It just goes to show that even the most highly regarded books are not always comprehensive.

[Carnut]

I wonder if the puzzle car isn't even a Morgan at all but is one of those Healeys or a Jowett?!
There only seems to be the one picture around, the one I used from a French website, which is usually right but perhaps occasionally not quite accurate!

[Carnut]

It is a Morgan; I've received the following email today:

QUOTE
I can confirm that the car is indeed a Morgan 4/4 with a body by Leacroft. I know this because a friend of mine is restoring that actual car - SMX 474 - and I am helping him to trace the history of it. It was first registered in 1948 and my friend's uncle bought it in 1952. My friend then inherited it when the uncle died. He has the old log book from 1952 but unfortunately it is a duplicate so we have no information on the original owners - presumably the couple in the photo! The only clue is that although the uncle lived in Warwickshire the taxation entry in the logbook at the time he bought the car refers to the London taxation office. The story in the family is that the car was built for the infamous Lady Docker but I think she would have been much older in 1949 than the couple appear in the photo.
UNQUOTE

The sender is looking for more information, which sadly I don't have..

[barrett]

The chap in the photo is J Wimbourne, who is presumably the first owner of the car. The photo was taken in July, 1949. It was later supposedly later owned by Basil Jones in Rugby in the 1960s (so doesn't quite fit with the account given by the current owner, but he probably knows better).

Interestingly the car seems to have changed colour very early in its life, from what looks like silver in 1949 to white (which, sadly, has only just been stripped off) according to an early colour photo I have... or maybe it was always white and the Eastbourne photo is just an optical illusion?

I'm in touch with a former Leacroft employee so may well have some more information at some point

[Carnut]

Thanks Scott

I've passed on your reply to the chap I heard from (maybe I've repeated what you've told him yourself as I suggested he contact you who will most probably know more than anyone about this car.)

[Carnut]

I've heard back from the person who contacted me and he's very appreciative of your info Scott!
He is asking how you know it's J. Wimbourne in the car though?  Any idea who he was?

Basil Jones was the uncle of the friend who now has the car with the intention of restoring it.  He actually bought it in 1952 and kept it for the rest of his life.  Below is a photo of Basil in this Morgan.

Apparently there was a letter about this car in the Automobile recently, which elicited a response, perhaps regarding the colour of the car?
I think you might know that  Scott...

[Carnut]

And what the car looks like now, prior to its full restoration.
It's survived, which is a wonderful achievement!

[barrett]

Carnut, if you can PM the email address of your contact I will get in touch directly - is it Edward Purcell you've been talking to?

[Carnut]

Carnut, if you can PM the email address of your contact I will get in touch directly - is it Edward Purcell you've been talking to?

PM sent

[Carnut]

Roy Padgett sent me an email about his progress (or lack of it) with this car, which is reproduced below.
Can anyone help?
Did you ever get in touch with him Scott?

QUOTE
I am attaching a copy of a timeline for the Morgan summarising what we have found out so far. As I mentioned, I am struggling to find new lines of enquiry and it would be helpful if you could try again with Basil's widow to see if you can turn up any more documentation or photos. I am also copying this email to those who have helped already and perhaps they might come up with some more ideas for me.
 
Looking back through my past contacts there are some failures that stand out and one or two bits pursue.
 
Hexagon Classics is the present classic car business that could well be in the premises previously occupied by Motourist who took delivery of the original chassis from Morgan but in spite of several emails they have never replied.
 
Scott Barrett was suggested as someone who had an early colour photo of the car and was apparently in touch with an ex-Leacroft employee. Again, repeated emails have not elicited any response.
 
I have tried time and again to get a piece in the Egham and Staines News but it is like pulling teeth. A few months ago I did get a promise to put something in the letters column but since then nothing in spite of continued enquiries. I will keep trying.
 
Egham Library have expressed an interest in doing an exhibition on Leacroft later in the year and I also came across a website recently referring to the centenary (I think) of Robert(a) Cowell next year and the intention of producing another biography. Given the difficulty of gathering Leacroft information I wondered about asking the museum to put a request in the museum and on their website for anyone who recalls the business to get in touch. I think Nigel Smith has been in contact with the curator more than I have so by copy of this email I will ask him whether he has tried this approach and if not, which of us should pursue it.
 
The photo of the car at the 1949 rally in 'Morgan Sports Cars The Early Years' has a credit underneath it. Perhaps you could google the company to see if it still exists.
UNQUOTE

[barrett]

No, I never quite got round to it. I think 'repeated emails' might be a bit of an exaggeration, though!

I will endeavour to get in touch soon, but not sure what else I can add to the story

[barrett]

For anyone in that part of the world, Egham museum currently has a small display about Roberta Cowell and Leacroft. Although there isn't a huge amount of new information, it is the first time I have seen the company history presented in anything like a coherent way. Well worth a visit if you have a chance.