Brothers cock a snoop at the law

From the archive, first published Friday 9th Jul 2004.

FOLLOWING last week's naming of a new retirement development as Santler Court, it seems appropriate to dig deeper into the lives and times of these automotive pioneers.

Fortuitously, the Gazette 50 years ago published this jaunty old picture of the Santlers' car, with Charles Santler in the driving seat.

Mr Santler lived at Donnybrook, on Malvern Common, noted the article.

"It was in 1899 that Mr Santler made the first motor car in this country, and from then onward the British car was conceived and developed independently of its foreign rivals, thanks largely to the inventive genius of Mr Santler," said the paper.

The article noted that Mr Santler was educated at Lyttelton Grammar School (now Lyttelton Rooms), before joining the great Western Railway as an engineering apprentice.

But it was not long before he and brother Walter were engaged full-time in car making.

At the time, motor cars had to be preceded by a man with a red flag. However, the Santler brothers were not above cocking a snook at the law by driving at speeds in excess of 20mph.

The car in the picture was powered by a single-cylinder Benz engine and was made at the Northumberland Engineering Works, Howsell Road. It was steered by a tiller.

In the car, on Mr Santler's left, is H M Thomas of Newland. The passenger is T Baker of Worcester Road, Malvern Link. Among the bystanders are Mrs John Thomas of Newland and Herbert Leeke on Newland Court.

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