British Salmsons

Sir,

I was most interested to read the letter from Mr. D. H. Freeman regarding British Salmsons in Liverpool in the early 1960s, as I was a close friend of the owner of the 20/90 for a number of years. This was Mr. David Beresford with whom I lost contact when he moved to the Channel Islands some time in the mid-1960s.

There were, in fact, four British Salmsons at this garage during the time in question; two owned by Mr. Beresford, one by his brother, and one by his grandfather Mr. Wally Watkins—the latter I recall as a sprightly 80-year-old who had been a champion racing cyclist at the turn of the century.

The cars were as follows—1-1939 20/90 (ANT 310) owned by David Beresford.

2-1935 S4Cs (CGX something) and FPJ 738, owned by David and Keith Beresford respectively, and 1-1937 4-door saloon (I cannot recall the model number) but the registration number began DKA. There was an identical model to DKA owned by a man in Formby (about 7 miles away) and they always greeted each other when they passed.

The garage in the photograph was the Ardath Garage, Bootle, Liverpool, which was, in itself, an interesting place, having been built some time in the 1920s by a man who had returned from America and had had some connection with the Ardath Red Indian Tribe—hence the name. I recall there was an ancient Austin Seven stored in a remote corner of the garage which had been left for repair years previously and was never claimed. Mr. Watkins used to crank it up religiously once a year to keep the engine running in case the wayward owned should return. As far as I know, he never did. Unfortunately, the old garage has been demolished for some years, and I think a company-owned petrol station stands there now.

In conclusion, I would like to say that although I never aspired to a British Salmson myself, I always had the highest regard for these magnificent cars—at the time I knew David Beresford the best I could manage was a 1935 Wolseley Hornet Eustace Watkins 2-seater (CGW 324—where is that now?)

I think Mr. Freeman is correct in assuming that the advertisement in MOTOR SPORT about a year ago must have been David Beresford’s—the description fitted perfectly.

Llanelli, South Wales DAVID B. LLOYD

[If Mr. Beresford writes to our correspondent, we will forward his letter.—Ed]