[nb-NO]Object number[nb-NO]
2013/1/1
[nb-NO]Creator[nb-NO]
[nb-NO]Description[nb-NO]
This Land Rover Series One was purchased on 29th April 1949 from Windmill & Lewis of Clifton, Bristol by farmer Ivor Norris. Produced by the Rover company, the Land Rover became a agricultural staple for farmers, and was readily used for a variety of agricultural tasks, including transportation of tools, animals and day-to-day needs, allowing the individual to travel across the rural landscape in any weather. This Land Rover has an 80 inch wheelbase, and a 1595cc petrol engine. On donation all components and accessories appeared to be original to the vehicle. On donation, the vehicle had 45,568 miles on the clock and came with a great deal of information regarding its history, including the original buff log book; the receipt from Windmill & Lewis; most of its tax discs from 1949 to 1972, and the original guarantee.
[nb-NO]Physical description[nb-NO]
1 vehicle, aluminium body. Good condition.
[nb-NO]Archival history[nb-NO]
Citation in publication - Chapman, Giles, 'The Land Rover Story'. London: History Press Limited, 2013., Museum Object Entry Form – ‘Museum Name: Museum of English Rural Life // Received from: Chris Batchelor // Address: [...] Templecombe // Description of Object/Collection: 'LAND ROVER MAE 397TH // ENVELOPE OF TAX DISCS // ORIGINAL MANUAL // PHOTOGRAPHS OF RESTORATION // 1959 DIARY FROM ORIGINAL OWNER (ANNOTATIONS) // LOG BOOK // 3 X KEYS (1 ORIGINAL) // WARRANTY IN ENVELOP // ORIGINAL RECEIPT // MOT CERTIFICATES X 5 (EARLY) // BREAKDOWN OF WORKS (RESTORATION) // BRIEF HISTORY (A4 SHEET) // ORIGINAL TAX DISC HOLDER // BOX OF LEGEND MAGAZINES // 4 ORIGINAL AVON TYRES // FRONT BUMPER // ORIGINAL BATTERY // BOX OF MISC. ORIGINAL PARTS' // Reason for Entry: Sale // Additional Agreement (Donations/Sales Only): I, the owner, confirm that I have undisputed title to the object(s) listed above [...] // Museum Signatory: // Return of Object to Owner: ‘, MERL miscellaneous note, Mr C. W. Batchelor [donor] - 'A BRIEF HISTORY OF MAE // On 29th April 1949, Ivor Norris, a farmer from Avonmouth near Bristol, took delivery of a Series One 80" Land Rover - MAE 397. It was supplied by Windmill & Lewis of Clifton, Bristol. Ivor traded in a 1.5 litre SS saloon for the Land Rover so that he could tow a trailer to the mill at Avonmouth Docks where he collected biscuit waste for his cattle [...] // I moved to a cottage on the Mendips in 1976. Ivor Norris and his wife had moved to a small farm in the same village, in the mid 1960's. He used the Land Rover as his only form of transport. // In 1972 Ivor developed glaucoma and had to stop driving. That was the last time MAE was taxed and MOT'd. The milarge then, was 44,148. However, Ivor continued to use it round the farm in the summer, mainly for fencing. During the inter it was kept in his workshop, swathed in West of England sacks. // In 1982 Ivor's David Brown TVO Cropmaster tractor was becoming increasingly unreliable. I found him a really good David Brown 900, diesel tractor and bought it from a farmer who had recently retired. I swapped the David Brown for MAE. // I moved house and eventually built a small barn for MAE. It was only in December 2010 that MAE was taken from storage and restored by John Midwood. The work involved refurbishing the brakes, shock absorbers, welding parts of the bulkhead, and getting the electrics to work. A new tilt was fitted, as the old one was of a later pattern, with additional hooks. // MAE came with much history: the original buff log book; the receipt from Windmill & Lewis; most of the tax discs from 1949 to 1972, and even the original guarantee. At the time of restoration, the mileage was just under 45,000 miles.'
[nb-NO]Production place[nb-NO]
Solihull
[nb-NO]Date[nb-NO]
1947-01-01 - 1949-04-01
[nb-NO]Production period[nb-NO]
Mid-twentieth century
[nb-NO]Object name[nb-NO]
[nb-NO]Material[nb-NO]