Purchase, and discovery of amazing historical coincidence!

March, 2013: Purchase and discovery of incredible historical coincidence!

Purchased a white 1956 Rover P4 90 from Walt's Towing in Gibsons for $800. It seems very original and in fairly good shape, no rust through anywhere. The interior will be the challenge, as it was left to rot for a few years. Cracks in the upholstery, mold and mildew on trim and headliner.

 

Shortly after purchase, I posted photos on my Facebook page, and a friend for Roberts Creek replied that it was the car previously owned by LJ who works at Gumboot restaurant. So I headed out there and made contact with LJ. He said it had been running the last time he had fired it up, but he just couldn't afford to continue with the parts etc needed to keep it going. I asked him if he knew where the missing ignition key was... no he did not, but he said they might be in the glovebox. I had thought the glovebox was locked, but he said it was only stuck... give it a good pull. He also said he thought the car had been a courtesy car for the Empress Hotel in Victoria.
Upon return home, I yanked on the glovebox door, and lo and behold.... no key, but a treasure trove of papers revealing pretty well the entire history of the car!
The car was purchased by Arthur Charles (Charlie) Bancroft from Sherwood Motors, Burrard Street in January of 1957.

 

Mr. Bancroft lived at 1009 Cook Street in Victoria at the time. 
Incredibly, that was right next door to 1005 Cook Street where my wife, 7 years old at the time, and her family was living. The car now in my driveway was right next door to my wife in 1957 and 1958! Both houses, 1009 and 1005 Cook Street are now heritage houses in Victoria, and now we have a heritage automobile to accompany them.

There is no evidence of any connection with the Empress Hotel.
Charlie Bancroft apparently died in 1965, and the car was inherited by his daughter, Doris Bancroft, who was a spinster and school teacher. Doris kept the car, and ran it for another 35 years, until her death in 2000. So the car was with the first owner's family for 43years!
The car then was registered with David Hogarth of SaltSpring Island for a year. I contacted Mr. Hogarth, and he revealed that he was a cousin of Miss Bancroft, and inherited the car from her. The historical connections continue, as my wife has family on SaltSpring Island.
After about a year, Mr. Hogarth sold the car to a  James McBride of SaltSpring Island in June of 2001. Mr. McBride apparently kept the car until 2007, and appears to have moved to Lake Cowichan in that period. It appears that Mr. McBride sold it to Jeffrey Wihlidal of Roberts Creek in August of 2007 for $1500, and the car then moved to the Sunshine Coast. Mr. Wihlidal is the friend of LJ, referred to earlier. They apparently tried to keep the car running as a daily driver, but eventually gave up, and left it to sit for a couple of years before turning it over to Walt's Towing.