Yorkshire Pride In Two British Classics

Two classic cars, a 1958 Jaguar XK150 drop-head coupe and a 1970 Mk 2 Morris Mini Cooper S - are to be auctioned in Sworders' October 19-20 Design sale.

The two cars come for sale in Essex from the executors of the late Cedric Gillson and are both in exceptional condition.

Cedric ‘Gilly’ Gillson, the owner of Haworth quarry, was as proud a Yorkshire gentleman as you could find. He was seldom parted from his tweed flat cap for long (the auctioneers even found one under the seat in the Jaguar) and kept his vehicles in a heated double garage, arguably enjoying more luxury than Gillson permitted in his own home.

Lot 1, a 1958 Jaguar XK150 drop-head coupe. Coming up in Sworders' Design sale on October 19.

He purchased the XK150 drop-head in 1989 in parts as a restoration project (it had been garaged for almost its entire ownership) and famously enjoyed retelling the jocular tale of sending two mechanics ahead to make sure all the pieces were present. On completing the sale and starting the project, the steering wheel was found to be missing: surely an item not easily overlooked.

No expense was spared in restoring the car with most of the work done by Rawdon Restorations of Idle, Bradford. The estimate is £60,000-80,000.

Lot 2, 1970 Mk 2 Morris Mini Cooper S. Coming up in Sworders' Design sale on October 19.

Gillson was lucky enough to own several Mini Coopers in the 1960s, and in his retirement, the model became a must-have car. He bought his 1970 Mk 2 Cooper S, liveried in almond green and white, fully restored in 2006. It was a regular at Harewood House classic car meetings and made a trip to Le Mans. It now carries an estimate of £20,000-25,000.

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