themotorhood.com | New Zealand Classic Car 71“This had a dramatic effect on veteran and
vintage motoring the world over, and led
to the foundation of many new historic car
clubs,” said Montagu.
That Darracqu was resold in Queensland in
1989 for the equivalent of $610K — such is
the worth of a car with ‘history’.
By 1968, Montagu had realized that the
collection was too big to be administered
by himself alone and a charitable trust was
established to look after the cars, collections
of ephemera, and memorabilia. One of the
principles of the museum was that it would
act as an academic educational centre for
thousands of students and others who are
interested in the history of motor transport.
Beaulieu is split into seven sections, with a
hall of fame at the entrance commemorating
the great pioneers and racing drivers. Sections
devoted to veteran and vintage cars are
complemented by the racing car division and
commercial vehicle section, not forgetting the
motorcycle gallery. Finally, there is a display of
motor car bric-a-brac and other items relevant
to the history of motoring in a social rather
than a technical sense.
Record-breakers
The museum houses several record-breakers,
including Sir Henry Segrave’s land-speed-
record holder, the ‘Golden Arrow’, which
achieved 231mph (372kph) in 1929. This
significant exhibit arrived at Beaulieu in
1958 on long-term loan from Castrol. The
car was joined by Sir Malcolm Campbell’s
150mph (241kph) Sunbeam and later by
Donald Campbell’s ‘Bluebird’.
One of the favourite vehicles is a stately
white 1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
rescued from a breaker’s yard, where it had
been converted into a breakdown truck.
Lord Montagu acquired it for £100 and had
it rebuilt in his workshop, where vehicles
are restored. He also spent substantial
time searching for his father’s old Daimler,
eventually locating it in Gloucestershire,
where it was being used to pull a lawnmower.
Owners were soon offering to loan their
historic vehicles to the museum, and, with up
to 20 cars a week being offered, Montagu had
to be highly selective.
“I like to have an outstanding or
revolutionary car placed in the museum every
few years,” he said, indicating the reason for
displaying a 1959 Volkswagen, and accurately
predicting in 1964 that Beaulieu would soon
have a BMC Mini within its walls.
In 1960, a classic old car auction was held
at Beaulieu and Montagu believed it was a
world first.
“This finally recognized that old cars were
now genuine ‘collectables’,” he said.
Meanwhile, he had accumulated 12,000
car manuals and 30,000 photos, which,
added to his father’s small personal
collection, provided the nucleus of the
new National Library of Motoring, with
film, video, and sound adding to the large
collection of motoring books.
In 1967, the museum’s curator,
Michael Ware, suggested the setting up of
Autojumble, with stalls selling spare parts
and other material relating to motoring.
Autojumble became a highly successful
annual event.State-of-the-art complex
A lack of space for the 250 exhibits soon
became a problem, prompting the building
of a state-of-the-art museum complex
that opened in July 1972. Another new
building was added in 1986 to house the
National Motor Museum Trust Centre withthree libraries, offices, a lecture theatre, and
an extensive stores area. The new buildings
and car parks were designed to be virtually
invisible from outside the estate and
complement the architecture of the original
Beaulieu Abbey, built by Cistercian monks
800 years ago.
Lord Montagu was instrumental in the
decision of the British Government to abolish
road tax on any motor vehicle made prior to
1973 — although he would have preferred
a continuation of the 25-year-old age-limit
concession, which now no longer exists.
“One of my greatest pleasures has been
actually driving the types of car that my
father himself would have driven. The rallying
of veteran and vintage cars has been an
abiding joy,” he said.
Montagu drove old cars not only to
promote the museum but also as a homageAbove: Lord Montagu with
his 1909 Rolls-Royce Silver
Ghost, which he rescued from
a breaker’s yard, outside Palace
House, Beaulieu
Right: His father’s old 1899
Daimler, eventually recovered
from Gloucestershire where
it was being used to pull a
lawnmower