The 'Robinson' Car - Ketterings Only Manufacturer

The 'Robinson' Car - Ketterings Only Manufacturer

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The_Burg

Original Poster:

4,845 posts

213 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
Met an old boy down the pub who was telling me about his car collection.
Among the many serious classics he mentioned the one car he wished he hadn't sold.
The Robinson.
Apparently they were made in Kettering and only one is left.

Anybody heard of it?

Google scored a big fat zero.

mark r skinner

16,744 posts

216 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
Yes! It rang a bell with me. Asked the old man and he recons it was pre-war. I`ll see what else i can find out...

mark r skinner

16,744 posts

216 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
Well found, Mrs B.

The_Burg

Original Poster:

4,845 posts

213 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
Thats the one Mrs Blue!
He said something about the exhaust coming out the back then round the front into engine bay to 'cool' the engine.
Said it was a bitch to keep cool.

Also said it was owned by Dr Dryland and he use to carry out operations on the 'flat bit' at the back.
Strangely enough he now owns the good doctors house.

Just goes to prove going to the pub is good for the brain!

Also owned a De Dion Bouton, (spelling maybe incorrect) and a Hispano Suiza. Didn't get to find out anymore cause he'd had his limit. Must try and bump into him again.

Mrs BlueCerbera

2,208 posts

239 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
Old people are great aren't they ? We should take more time to talk to them - loads of interesting stories to be heard.

Right .... as there's no Eastenders on the box I'm going off to find a senior citizen to chat with

mark r skinner

16,744 posts

216 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
Mrs BlueCerbera said:
Old people are great aren't they ? We should take more time to talk to them - loads of interesting stories to be heard.

Right .... as there's no Eastenders on the box I'm going off to find a senior citizen to chat with
Come round and meet my dad! Sorry, i`m deaf in that ear!

The_Burg

Original Poster:

4,845 posts

213 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
Fascinating chap. To be found in Dalkeith Kettering.
Was wearing jacket and tie in the awefull heat tonight.

Aquaintance of Justin Bakers dad.

And we should always respect and listen to the olds. We will be them one day.

(Feel pretty old already and still young), (ish).

Blipi

2,355 posts

236 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
Ok Burg. I'm listening...

The_Burg

Original Poster:

4,845 posts

213 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
Will have to wait till i see him again.
Or come join the 6 o'clock club!

f355spider

1,395 posts

230 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
Yes it belonged to Dr. Bannell who lives on london road. I was very good friends with the family when we were kids (he has 3 sons our age who went to school with me).

The robinson was one of three cars in his collection - one of the others i recall was a De Dion Bouton. Lovely man his wife jenny is lovely and also had a classic merc i recall. The cars were all stored in the barns - we used to go and sit in them and pretend they were chitty chitty

pupp

12,205 posts

271 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
If I remember correctly, I think this is still in the Manor House museum... the museum is a bit of a forgotten gem in Kettering. For one thing it's free and for the other, it actually has a good few interesting exhibits, well worth a wander round if you're passing and it's peeing wwth rain (say). I'm not entirely sure the claim to be Kettering's one and only is entirely right.. I have a memory that Timsons (the printing press manufacturers still active in the town) may have produced something (perhaps that even was the Robinson), but it might have been a motorcycle.

f355spider

1,395 posts

230 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
pupp said:
If I remember correctly, I think this is still in the Manor House museum... the museum is a bit of a forgotten gem in Kettering. For one thing it's free and for the other, it actually has a good few interesting exhibits, well worth a wander round if you're passing and it's peeing wwth rain (say). I'm not entirely sure the claim to be Kettering's one and only is entirely right.. I have a memory that Timsons (the printing press manufacturers still active in the town) may have produced something (perhaps that even was the Robinson), but it might have been a motorcycle.


You are indeed correct.

The_Burg

Original Poster:

4,845 posts

213 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
f355spider said:
Yes it belonged to Dr. Bannell who lives on london road. I was very good friends with the family when we were kids (he has 3 sons our age who went to school with me).

The robinson was one of three cars in his collection - one of the others i recall was a De Dion Bouton. Lovely man his wife jenny is lovely and also had a classic merc i recall. The cars were all stored in the barns - we used to go and sit in them and pretend they were chitty chitty


He's still got the Merc though not been driven for around 4 years apparently.
The De Dion Bouton is alive and well and may do the London Brighton run this year.

Jspesh

796 posts

215 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
legend has it that dr martens made a car too

pupp

12,205 posts

271 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
Jspesh said:
legend has it that dr martens made a car too


Ahhh, the famous '10 hole'... big bouncy tyres, as 'hard' looking as hell, in 'ox-blood' with yellow stsiching on the upholstery

The_Burg

Original Poster:

4,845 posts

213 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
The_Burg said:
Will have to wait till i see him again.
Or come join the 6 o'clock club!

He reckoned Dr Dryland who the surgery in Kettering was named after.

Fascinating thread, glad i went for a beer!

Any more info out there!

If i meet him again must show him the site. I'm guessing would make the old boy happy to see his cars on here?

mark r skinner

16,744 posts

216 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
f355spider said:
Yes it belonged to Dr. Bannell who lives on london road. I was very good friends with the family when we were kids (he has 3 sons our age who went to school with me).

The robinson was one of three cars in his collection - one of the others i recall was a De Dion Bouton. Lovely man his wife jenny is lovely and also had a classic merc i recall. The cars were all stored in the barns - we used to go and sit in them and pretend they were chitty chitty
Blummin `eck! Do you mean Phil???? It`s coming back to me now. My old mate Pete, who lives opposite, used to bang on about him doing the London-Brighton.

Edited by mark r skinner on Monday 12th June 22:36

The_Burg

Original Poster:

4,845 posts

213 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
Pretty sure he said his name was Alan. Most of what he says fits with the facts / folklore. (SIC, for the pedanatics)

mark r skinner

16,744 posts

216 months

Monday 12th June 2006
quotequote all
The_Burg said:
Pretty sure he said his name was Alan. Most of what he says fits with the facts / folklore. (SIC, for the pedanatics)
I`m thinking of one of his sons... Think he`s about my age...(Phil that is)