Jowett Long Four

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Bill and Ben and Arthur Lamb sound like characters from ‘Watch With Mother’, but they were, in fact, the founders of the Jowett Motor Manufacturing Company (William and Benjamin being the Jowett brothers).

Car production began as early as 1906 but it was the post-Great War 7hp flat-twin engined cars that made the Jowett name. By comparison with most light cars of the period the flat twin engine was both smooth and powerful.

The Long Four was introduced in 1923 and was, as you might imagine, a long-wheel-base four-seater. Offered as an open Tourer, the car had Jowett’s trademark 907cc flat twin engine with three-speed gearbox and sold for £245.00 – at a time when the Austin 7 sold for £167.00. The Jowett must have been a quality product to persuade ‘ard ‘eaded Yorkshiremen (and others) to part with their brass.

This Long Four Tourer was registered on the 30th December 1926 but is actually a 1927 model – you did spot that, didn’t you? The car was supplied by A. Smith & Sons of Stanton, near Chippenham and still has its original dealer’s plate.

The vendor bought the car from Dr Robert Dyke, of Penzance who had owned the Jowett for almost sixty years and is well-known in vintage car circles for his Whistling Billy racing steam car.

Our amanuensis reports that the car starts well “once you remember to switch the ignition on” (don’t ask) and ticks over beautifully. The seats have been re-upholstered in recent times and there is good hood (fitted by Dr Dyke) which offers some protection from inclement weather.

The old Jowett is a tidy car, with some blistering to the paintwork and signs of long use - it is 92 years old after all - but it is an honest vintage car with a lot of life left in it and will be welcome at VSCC Light Car and Edwardian Section events where its blunt northern charm will cut a swathe through the ranks of effeminate Amilcars and the like.

A large history file accompanies the car with information and photographs reaching back to the early 1950s.