STOP PRESS – The latest jewel in the crown arrives

After much anticipation and worries over the weather Wednesday 25th October 2023 was the day that our latest addition to the archive arrived.

The car, an Austin Seven “Ruby” from 1937, was donated to the Richard Roberts Archive by Keith Niblett. Keith was looking for someone to take over the car when he was no longer able to drive it and Keith’s brother Paul suggested the archive as an ideal home for the car. Keith bought the car in the 1960s and after restoring the car in the early 1970s he drove the car continuously until his death earlier this year.

One condition of us taking the car is that we continue to run and use the car, something we actively look forward to, and we are already preparing a training programme for our volunteers to learn how to look after and drive the car.

The Richard Roberts Archive is dedicated to the preservation of advertising in all its forms and we look forward to using the car to promote our fabulous archive of advertising and in particular the transport advertising side of the collection.

Following a phone call from Paul at 8am to confirm he was about to set off from his home in Stoke-on-Trent a message went out to let our volunteers know the car was on its way. After an uneventful journey Paul arrived at the archive just before noon to be met by the welcoming committee. Sue, the wife of trustee Peter Moss had made a cake to celebrate the arrival and after a break for cake and coffee we all had a good inspection of the car before bringing it into the archive.

We thank Paul and Keith’s family for their generosity in donating the car to the archive.

Handing over the keys…

Paul Niblett arrives with his generous donation.