From the archives of Bob Montgomery, motoring historian
CAR BADGES, SNAKES HEADS: In the early days of motoring it was common for cars to have a badge or mascot fitted to the top of the radiator cap. As motoring became more established, motorists often replaced the maker's mascot with one of their own choice - a novelty item or the badge of a club to which they belonged.
The badges of the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland and the Irish Automobile Club were two favourites of Irish motorists. The display of club badges became quite popular and, as there was only one opportunity to display a badge in place of the maker's radiator cap mascot, motorists soon began to look for new ways to affix badges which helped individualise their cars.
By the end of the 1920s special "badge-bars" were available on which the motorist could mount badges. This practice continued to be popular right into the 1950s.
The heyday of the badges was probably the 1930s, and the period just after the second World War when the accompanying photograph was taken. This elaborately festooned car is the Delage of a Mrs Hafner. It was very striking - mauve with black wings wityh the following badges:
• Top centre: Royal Automobile Club of Italy;
• Top bar: Touring Club of Switzerland, Automobile Association, B&I Steam Packet Company, Company of Veteran Motorists and the badge of AC Cars. On the second bar the badges were: Irish Motor Racing Club, Royal Automobile Club, Irish Motorists' Union, Ulster Automobile Club and Automobile Club of Nice and Cote D'Azur. Above the number plate is the badge of the Irish Aero Club and below it are the badges of the French Touring Club and the Italian Touring Club.
As if all that was not enough, this distinctive car was also fitted with a "serpent horn" - a very elaborately detailed device which took the form of a snake, possibly a boa constrictor, usually mounted along the wing of an early car; it produced a warning sound through the snake's open mouth.
This particular "serpent horn" - its head can be seen to the right of the right-hand headlamp - was originally fitted to the "Blue Label" three-litre Touring Bentley of the well-known Irish racing driver, David Yule; its origins were almost certainly on a car in the 1910s/1920s.
IT'S IN THE POST: When a couple of weeks ago Irish motorsport celebrated the centenary of motor racing in Dublin's Phoenix Park, much was written about the first Speed Trials there in 1903. Those trials were witnessed by a crown estimated at some 30,000. Tragically, although some wonderful photographs of the event survive, film of the event was lost.
The Daily Express of July 11th, 1903, reported: "The management of the Empire Theatre, having secured the sole rights of photographing the speed trials in the Phoenix Park on Saturday last for cinematographic purpose, have been very much disappointed in the result of their elaborate arrangements, owing, it is alleged, to the treatment meted out by the Post Office to a parcel containing the negative film which was posted for dispatch to London for development.
"We understand that on the evening of the trials in the Park the operator of Messrs Edison's pictures securely packed 165 feet of film in a light air-tight box, which was well covered and tied with twine, and handed it in at the College Green Post Office. In the course of post, twine and label were delivered to an address in London, and three days late the box containing the film was returned to the sender, who, on examination, discovered that in the meantime the box had been opened in ordinary light, and of course the complete strip of sensitive film was destroyed.
"As this film was the only one exposed of this interesting event, it need scarcely be said that the loss of such a monopoly is keenly felt by the management of the theatre, and also by the owners of the cinematograph."
What a tragedy that this unique and historic film was lost.