1963 Bentley S3 Continental Mulliner Park Ward 'Chinese Eye' 2dr Door Fixed Head Coupe BC42XB

A good, clean example, nicely finished in soft white with good chrome plating and pale grey leather interior, and specified when new with 'Sundym' rear screen and rear side windows, which are indeed still in place to this day. Unusually, and appealingly, the car is fitted with a Tudor-Webasto fabric sunroof, complete with identifying tags, as shown in one of the photos. We have prepared the car for sale, work which included attention to brake hydraulics and servo, power steering, etc, as well as a full service. Running nicely, driving well, and we have just been successful in reinstating the original registration number, which is pleasing.

Chassis No.  BC42XB            Reg. No.    702 GLR

Snippets: Military Cross, PoW & Racing Team 
John “Jack” Sidney Durlacher 1913/88 was a grandson of Henry Durlacher, who in 1843 founded Durlacher Bros (art dealers), their stock included furniture, works of art & porcelain. They opened the New York City branch in 1920 and their clients’ included individuals such as the Sachs, the Wideners, John Pierpont Morgan & Sir R. Wallace plus museums such as the Frick Collection, Fogg Art Museum & the Cleveland Museum of Art.  Henry & Adelaide Durlacher had 10 children; the 7th was Neville Durlacher who was Jack’s father; the family wealth was such that when Henry died in 1902 his estate was in excess of £100,000 the equivalent today of circa £15m! During WWII Jack Durlacher served with the Royal Artillery and on the 20th of May 1940 whilst defending Calais, for which he later received the Military Cross, he was captured and imprisoned at Oflag VII-C Laufen in South-eastern Bavaria. 

After the war ended Jack joined his father in “The City” & in due course so did his son, Nicholas.  Jack’s family were keen sportsmen & women - his mother Ruth Dyas was a national lawn tennis player & his father Neville a keen golfer & tennis player - Jack & his siblings all took up skiing during their younger days.  Jack’s aunt Nora was married to Leslie Dow (Dow Port) and he had been “sent down from Cambridge” due to being involved in a betting scandal!!  A few years after he took delivery of BC42XB Jack went into partnership with the Johnnie Walker heir Rob Walker when they bought a Cosworth powered Lotus 49. That same year the team won the British Grand Prix with Siffert as their driver, it was Rob Walker’s last win.  

The 2nd owner of BC42XB was Donald Louis Nicholas who had a lifelong fascination with the Stuart history, During WWII Donald served with the 70th H.A.A. Regiment and after the war Donald wrote several books on his Scottish heritage.  His 1st wife, Evadne Chavasse was a scion of the Chavasse medical family - her Uncle Noel Godfrey Chavesse is one of three people who had been awarded the Victoria Cross twice, the others were C. Upman & A. Martin-Leake. Research has found that there were 4 members of the Chavesse family who were awarded the Military Cross during both WWI & WWII.  

The 3rd name on the chassis cards is Denys Martyn of Triley Court, Abergavenny – he had studied at Cambridge alongside George Lascelles (Earl of Harewood) & in 1947 Denys, George Lascelles & Patrick Hedley-Dent enjoyed a motoring holiday in Italy & I quote: “wearing clothes that were too thick, failing to sleep in the hot weather, worrying about money “.  Denys & George remained friends for many years and often went on Operatic Expeditions together.