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After inspection by the hierarchy of The Lagonda Club, the hotel
was booked a year in advance.
We knew from the inspection that expectations were high and
that we may be privileged to accommodate the group of 36 and
their 18 vintage Lagonda’s.
We have previously hosted successfully The Alvis Car Club, and
had a Bentley ‘meet’. We have the Jaguars to look
forward to this year, in both September and November!
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Staff and owners cars were ushered away to
leave space for the various V12’s, 4.0 litres, high chassis’ and
Rapiers and all other ‘comers’ in Vintage form.
The clouds parted as if by design as we noted from the early
arrivals, that the April ‘meet’ was normally a wet
one, but the forecast was for clear blue skies for the foreseeable.
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| The Lagonda Club were staying on a
special, half-board package, for 4 days, enjoying a different table
d’hote menu each day and breakfast en masse on the dot of 0800,
before roaring off for an away day on the Isle of Purbeck and beyond.
The head turning appeal of a convoy of vintage Lagondas is hard to
describe but the Stately Homes, gardens, monuments and the A and
B roads leading to and from were probably as grateful for the sight
as I was! |
Once everyone had arrived, they settled into
the routine of polishing, loving, and exchanging stories of all
things Lagonda, not to mention the tuning, re-tuning, firing up
and general preening of the most beautiful machines I’d seen
in a while.
During my BMW days my wife and I were crew for the Autohaus
balloon that drifted around the skies above Buckinghamshire in
the early 90’s.
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| Once we were invited to The Balloon
and Bentley Festival at Leeds Castle (Kent), I saw some elegant and
wonderful machines there, but somehow the Lagonda’s seemed
to radiate more charisma, so much so they kindled my desire to photograph
them in all their glory against the back drop of Mortons House and
the clear blue skies - the results can be seen here. |
In total I took around 130 shots, but when
accompanying Michael Drakeford on an early morning ‘spin’ around
Purbeck in his ‘Red Lady’, I spotted a good friend
and local photographer/historian, Dennis Smale.
I knew that a wave from such a gorgeous car would be enough
of an invitation for him to ‘pop in for a coffee’.
It worked - Dennis arrived at Mortons House a few minutes later.
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He helped me with the champagne shot I desired
but couldn’t take without his help - a photograph showing
the reflection of Mortons House in the back of the chrome headlight
of Michael Drakeford's 'Red Lady'.
Having been whisked around the countryside while others enjoyed
a Purbeck grill, I returned wanting a drive… right up until
Michael explained that the ‘fast pedal’ was between
the clutch and the brake!
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| A bit too much for a hotelier to
cope with, and anyway, I had abandoned the work-weary staff on breakfast
duty for my own pleasure. I returned a little later than expected
having combed my greying hair and picked the flies from my teeth!
I must remember to wear less of a grin next time, however hard that
maybe. |
It was hard to wave goodbye to the cars, but
after their stay, almost as hard to see off their owners as both
had a great time.
It was a pleasure ‘bump-starting’ one out of the
car park - quite an event!
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Pictured is Michael Drakeford and his "Red
Lady".
The Red Lady is a 1933 M45 - the first to be fitted
with a Meadows 4.5 litre engine and T7 tourer body. |
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Once all bar one of the Lagondas had departed,
taking the weather with them, that left a 2.0 litre High Chassis
Tourer owned by Mike and Barbara Heins, who chose to stay an extra
night.
Mike kindly offered my daughters a ride before heading for
home.
Jemma and Emily are seen here leaving the car park with
Mike and wearing bobble hats and gloves ! |
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| © 2007 - Words by Andy Hageman,
Images by Dennis Smale and Andy Hageman |
