THE HISTORY

A Proper, Popular and Pretty Limo

Frederick York Wolseley owned the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Company in Australia. He established a British branch in Birmingham, employing Herbert Austin as works manager. Between 1896 and 1898 Austin built two cars, the more successful of which resembled the Léon Bollée in many ways. In 1899 the first four-wheeler was built and by 1901 Wolseley was the largest motor-car manufacturer in Britain. Austin and Wolseley management had design disagreements, resulting in Austin leaving the company to establish his own car company. His successor was John Davenport Siddeley of Armstrong Siddeley fame. This car is a typical formal car of that era – the driver sat out in the open, exposed to the elements. Wolseley was one of the most popular British makes in South Africa in the pioneering years. Cecil John Rhodes owned one, but unfortunately did not get to use it much as he died shortly after it had arrived in 1902.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS