Astonished townsfolk
George Balleine's History of Jersey reported the speed of what he called a '3½-horsepower Benz' as 5 mph, but noted that townsfolk were astonished at its appearance when Peter Falla drove from St John to St Helier for the first time.
The vehicle could accommodate a driver and three passengers. The driver and one passenger faced forwards and the other two faced backwards.
The arrival of the motor car in Jersey was not a cause for celebration, and Mr Falla's vehicle was dubbed La Machine du Diable (the devil's machine) and suffered the indignity of being stoned as it passed along the rough roads near Mont Mado.
Mr Falla had to import his own petrol, and send a servant to the docks to unload and collect it. He was definitely a fair weather motorist, because the car only ventured out when it was dry, and never on a Sunday, Mr Falla preferring his tricycle for the journey to church.
J0
The car was finally broken up, and it is a Benz built under licence by Grandins, of the Esplanade, which can claim to be the oldest Jersey car still in existence.
It left the island for many years, and on its return it was allocated the special registration number J0
Mr Falla maintained his interest in cars well into old age and owned an American Studebaker in 1915, when he was in his seventies.
Letter
This letter by John Boothman, president of Jersey Old Motor Club, was published in the Jersey Evening Post and gives more information on the first and second cars in Jersey.
- "I Was interested in the Temps Passé photograph of a car built in Jersey by George Pool in 1900 or 1901. It looks a fine machine. However, the description of it as ‘the first Jersey car’ is not correct. That honour goes to the 3.5 hp Benz imported to the Island by solicitor Peter Falla in July 1899.
- "This novel machine was not well received by the population of Mr Falla’s home parish of St John, and on one occasion it was stoned while climbing Mont Mado. Mr Falla did not use the car in bad weather, or on Sunday, when he went to church on his tricycle.
- "In the same year two young engineers from Grandin’s in St Helier, who had probably worked on Mr Falla’s Benz, set out to build what was a close copy of it, having first converted the key dimensions from metric to imperial. This car became known as the Jersey Benz and there is a fine period photograph of it with its creators sitting proudly aboard.
- "Sadly Mr Falla’s car has long since disappeared – only the carriage lamps remain – but the Jersey Benz is intact, having spent many years in the lobby of a west country hotel before returning to Jersey in the 1970s. It now forms part of a private local collection.
- "Comparing Mr Pool’s creation with the Benz, it looks significantly more advanced, despite being only a year or two younger. Perhaps it is no coincidence that he went on to establish one of the most successful motor businesses in Jersey."
Speed restriction
In 1923 speed restrictions were adopted by the States. The new law stated that char-a-bancs, omnibuses and motor lorries were not to travel at more than 6 mph when in town. Outside the town the maximum speed allowed was 10 mph. The Constable of St Helier said, when questioned, that the restrictions did not apply to motor cycles as, when they went too fast, they usually came into contact with objects heavier than themselves and came off second best. Jurat Le Boutillier said that even three miles per hour might be ‘dangerous’ and went on to say that the proposal was absolutely absurd. However, his fellow members disagreed and the proposition was adopted.
Registration numbers
Cars in Jersey did not initially have registration numbers. These were not introduced until around 1918, after the Great War. We are still trying to establish what procedures were followed to allocate numbers at this time but it appears that all cars registered then were allocated numbers according to the time they had been present in Jersey, starting with the oldest, the De Dion Bouton, which was given J1. There is sometimes confusion over very early vehicles bearing 'J' registrations, because this was originally the letter allocated to vehicles registered in Durham.
We would appreciate hearing (editorial@jerripedia.org) from any enthusiast who can provide further information about the process of allocating early registration numbers in Jersey.
Pre-war Peugeot
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Click on any picture to see a larger version
This car was built in Jersey in 1901 by George Pool, owner of Pool's Garage in Don Street. He is pictured on an outing with his wife and son, also George
A family and their chauffeur in the 1920s
An early car demonstrates its power by climbing the steps from Snowhill to Regent Road ...
... the stunt won the owner a £5 bet but he was fined the same amount when taken to court
We believe that this photograph of a family in their chauffeur-driven car was taken in Jersey but we cannot be certain
A serious accident outside the Grand Hotel in 1924
Jersey Motor Museum's Bentley
A Peugeot at Petit Port in the 1930s
A car arrives at the harbour in the early 1910s
An early motorised taxi
An early Singer car owned by Mr Bois
J0
An early crash
This fatal accident on Victoria Avenue led to the first charge of driving under the influence of drink
An early motor car photographed by Francis Foot
An early car on island roads
One of Jersey's most famous cars was the maroon 1944 Triumph Roadster 2000, which was used in the popular BBC television series "Bergerac" in the 1980s
An early Austin in Jersey
Austin 7
Agnes and Mary Gallichan with the family Ford Prefect in the late 1940s
Traffic control in Queen Street in the 1950s
The Langlois family in their car at Sion Hall
A restored German vehicle put to good use by a Jersey family
Morris van at Rozel
Early road accident
Triumph Razor Edge operated as a taxi in the 1950s, pictured here in Langley Park
This picture of a lady at the wheel of a car at La Corbiere was supplied to us dated '1940s', but we believe it to be possibly two decades earlier
A photograph by Albert Smith of a family with their car
An outing in the 1950s
A Jersey Motor Museum Bentley
A car rally at Rosel Manor
An early picture by Albert Smith of cars in a country lane
J P V Falle's Darracq
An outing to St Ouen's Bay
Hamon family Chevrolet in the 1920s
Hamon family Oldsmobile in the 1930s
Vauxhall, 1930s
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Betty Marie, nee Hamon, with an SS Jaguar
Her husband Colin
Wilfred Picot
Betty Marie with a Standard 8
Hamon Oldsmobile
One of Wilfred Picot's cars being loaded at the Harbour
Harold Hamon's Hillman
Waimarama, Colin and Betty Marie's home in Rue du Froid Vent, St Saviour
An early Ford from the Hamon collection
Harold Hamon at the wheel of a Ford Prefect
Husband and wife swap places for a photograph of their new car in 1910
Ford Mustang, sold for £1,750 in 1966
Many Jersey vehicles proudly displayed a metal Automobile Association badge
1920 driving licence
1920
1954
A Jersey driving licence
1935 Traffic Law
An Allard K1 on the beach in St Brelade's Bay with its owner, Bob Le Breton, and friends. Mr Le Breton was given the car by his uncle in 1948. The number plate, J111, no longer attached to the car, sold at auction in March 2018 for £54,000
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Hillman.jpg)
The same car competing in the Bouley Bay Hill Climb
An outing to Greve de Lecq in 1950 for Fred and Ciss Bisson, Frank and Eva Luce
A post-war photograph outside the Farmers Inn in St Ouen, including an Aston Martin
A Victoria College boy at the wheel of his father's car, photographed by Percival Dunham
A family outing, photographed by Percival Dunham
Streamline Taxis new Chevrolet fleet in 1940
An overturned car in the 1950s
A Morris outing in 1953
Cars parked at an air display in the 1920s
A family convertible in 1946-47
An accident at the Harbour in 1940 ...
... another view
A convertible Morris Minor hire car greets Airport arrivals in the late 1950s
A 1951 Concours d'Elegance
Kelvin Kent and friend with his 1928 Austin in 1957
Cover of the 1937 highway code
Barry Roche with his vintage Hillman
George Arthur Yates with a 1920s Renault ...
... and this is what the car looked like, pictured at Melchester Court, New St John's Road (Pictures courtesy of Jersey Temps Passe)
An Austin 7 in St Ouen's Bay (Picture courtesy of Jersey Temps Passe)
An outing in 1954 (Picture courtesy of Jersey Temps Passe)
An unidentified car parked outside La Rocque Stores
Bill Taverner with his first car
French officers on a guided excurstion in 1922
Pat Oxenden driving her Jaguar XK
1923
Notes and references
- ↑ Update: Further information from a Peugeot enthusiast and owner suggests that the length of the bonnet identifies this car as a Peugeot 202, first manufactured in 1939, but not previously known to have been imported to Jersey before the Occupation
- ↑ The Peugeot enthusiast who contacted us in 2023 advised that the Germans imported a number of Peugeot 302 and 402 saloons and utilities during the Occupation, some of which survived through to be restored in the 1980s
