September-October - RROC - Rolls Royce and Bentley Owners of ...

RREC Concours & Rally by Ivonne Webb
50th Anniversary Celebration
Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire, was the venue where at least 2500 people gathered, June 15th-17th
2007, for the golden jubilee of Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Club. There were 28 judging classes, about 241
prewar and 703 post war automobiles registered for the event, not counting vendors and visitors.
RROC celebrated its 56th National meet, with “Grandeur in the Gorge of the Columbia River,” August 7th-
11th, 2007. RROC was founded in 1951. The first president was Dr. Sam Shoup. The British R-R.E.C. followed
six years later. Coincidentally our friends David and Jane Else, members of the 20 hp register, the
group with which we participate on their annual tours, are the proud owners of the 20 hp that once belonged
to Dr. Shoup
On Friday 15 June, Bonham’s Auctioneers gave a reception by invitation with a donation for charity, in the big
tent where they were exhibiting the automobiles and memorabilia that was going to be auctioned the next day.
In typical English weather, it had rained for several days
and when we approached the field it had become a muddy
mess, we parked GMJ12 on the grass, fortunately I had
taken a pair of rainy weather shoes and we proceeded
to the gathering. We look for- ward year to year to seeing
friends. Besides quite a num- ber from the 20 hp register
and the usual British crowd, we saw a few American friends
who had come to the Silver Ghost endurance rally in
Scotland. This year there ap- peared to be more German,
French, Spanish, Italian and
the past.
other nationalities than in
Saturday was again rainy so we stayed away from the
field. We went sightseeing and to buy Wellington boots. On
Sunday we entered the field from a difference entrance
and we were directed to Class Entry 5, the section for 20
hp. Fortunately the sun shone from early morning, and
there was a slight breeze. The rain from prior days had
soaked in and the field was fairly dry, I could switch my
“Wellies” for shoes. GMJ12 now has a pair of “Wellies”
permanently stored with the umbrellas. The weather
was perfect to look at cars and visit with friends and make
new acquaintances. Due to the number of cars, we did
not try to
area.
see them all, but gravitated to the Pre-War
There were 56 Silver Ghosts in Class No.1, it was the biggest
number I have ever seen in one place. At noon the
parade of Silver Ghosts took place, it is incredible to see
so many different body styles in such beautiful condition.
We may have seen seven Springfield Ghosts. We
were happy to see our friends from the United States: Victoria and Alan Campbell in their 1913 Woodall Nicholson
Tourer, chassis 2239; Mermie Karger in her 1913 Saoutchick Tourer chassis 2442; David Morrison in his 1923
RRCCW Pall Mall Tourer Chassis 146JH; Gary and Diane Cerveny in their 1924 Replica Skiff 140AU. The big
turn out was because most of the Silver Ghosts that had participated on the Scottish Tour came to the annual
Rally. We found out that of the 60 Silver Ghosts that went to Scotland: 27 were from the UK, 17 USA, 10
Australia, 2 Hong Kong, 2 New Zealand, 1 Ireland, and 1 South Africa.
By 1:30 p.m. the winners of the concourse had been chosen. First the touring class winners went in the parade
ring to collect their awards and display the winning cars. At 2:00 p.m. the most elegant in show trophy winner
was announced, at 2:30 p.m. Concours prize awarding started.
At 3:35 there was a fly over display by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. We watched the RAF’s oldest
WWII aircraft with Merlin Engines: a Lancaster four engine bomber, and Spitfire and Hurricane fighters. Some
of these historic aircraft literally have been restored from scrap. Some of the British remembered the sound of
those engines from their childhood days during the Second World War and are grateful to the valiant RAF who
September-October 2007
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Page Volume 35 Issue 5
Photos by Rob Webb