Brisbane’s First Rolls-Royce Turns 100

Michelle Jansen, David Vann and Mark Jansen After Naming Rita the Rolls-Royce

The very first Rolls-Royce delivered new into Queensland by a local dealer celebrated its 100th birthday last Sunday and finally received a name – Rita!

If Grandma was alive today, she would have been very pleased with our name choice! Rita the Rolls-Royce has a definite ring about it.”

— Michelle Jansen

BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA, October 11, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The very first Rolls-Royce to be delivered new into Queensland by a local dealer celebrated its 100th birthday in fine style to Devonshire tea and scones last Sunday. Mark and Michelle Jansen, owners of Brisbane-based boutique classic car dealership, Oldtimer Australia, have owned chassis number ‘67H8’ since 2015. The birthday bash was held at Oldtimer Australia’s private showroom in Brisbane where many of the 100 guests dressed in theme. Vintage crockery, background jazz music, tea, and home-baked scones set the scene, with beautiful cars and an eclectic assortment of automotive memorabilia completing the picture.

‘67H8’ has a rich and fascinating history. As was the custom with many Rolls-Royce motor cars ‘back in the day’, the rolling chassis was shipped to its destination (in this case Australia) ready for a local coachbuilder to fit a body. The factory records confirm that the rolling chassis was completed at the Rolls-Royce factory on the 31st of May 1923. Peels Ltd of South Brisbane was commissioned to body the car and it was completed in an elegant tourer style. Interestingly, this was the one and only Rolls-Royce bodied by Peels Ltd.

‘67H8’ was sold new by Brisbane Rolls-Royce distributor, Brisbane Motors, to Mr Tom Winterbottom, who was the licensee of the famous Hotel Carlton in Queens Street, Brisbane. He was a popular man, a friend to many, and also a philanthropist. The Hotel Carlton was the place where Brisbane’s high society indulged. Given Winterbottom’s status in the community, his purchase of the very first Rolls-Royce to be sold by newly the appointed distributor was most newsworthy. So much so, that Winterbottom and ‘67H8’ found their way onto page 14 of The Brisbane Courier on Wednesday 9th July 1924.

The car passed through a number of owners, including well-known vintage car enthusiast George Gilltrap, of Gilltrap’s Gold Coast Auto Museum fame, and Brisbane-based businessman and Rolls-Royce enthusiast David Vann. A prior owner to Vann restored ‘67H8’ in the mid-1990’s.

Fittingly, Mrs Jansen decided to give the grand old lady a name on her 100th birthday. In remembrance of her grandmother, who was also a centenarian, ‘67H8’ was named ‘Rita’. “If Grandma was alive today, she would have been very pleased with our name choice!” said Mrs Jansen. “Rita the Rolls-Royce has a definite ring about it.”

The party concluded at midday sharp, at which time a convoy of vintage cars and other classics, of course, led by ‘Rita’, drove in convoy to the Brisbane Motor Museum on Nudgee Road in Banyo. ‘Rita’ is featured in one of the museum’s current automotive exhibitions: ’99 Years of British’ which will run through until the 27th of November 2023.

Mark Jansen
Oldtimer Australia
+61 417 828 569
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