Identify this photo please

[horseshoes]

http://tinypic.com/us...SMJwpoTS1Joh4l5k2TGxc

I don't know if anyone can help. Do you recognise the hotel? What do you think this is? I notice that there are no women or children present - perhaps a recruiting drive. Do you know what make car is? I'd like your ideas. Thank you all in advance.

[jno]

oh yes, that, yes dundurn's right, a spare tyre under cover. It's the right size.

[dundurn]

A lot of cars were supplied as chassis/ engine combinations with the bodywork left up to the purchaser to specify. From the design of the radiator, however, I'd suggest this is a Belsize (Manchester based manufacturer) 6 cylinder. If so, they were being produced about 1909/1910 so that would fit with Dot's suggestion re the funeral.

http://www.gracesguid...9100723Auto-Keele.jpg

Suggested car is top left on the advert (hope this link works!)

[horseshoes]

Something which just occured to me - if it is the funeral procession for the Salcombe crew, why are there so many men around? Wouldn't they all be away at the front? Just a thought. I've had no inspired guesses as to what else this could be. It certainly does look very sombre and not at all jolly. Dundurn, that certainly does look like the car.

[dothawkes31]

They wouldn;t have gone as it was a fishing village, a very important source of food supply, I believe fishermen, like farmers were a protected occupation.

[horseshoes]

Oh. I hadn't realised that Dot. So this is seeming very likely that it's as you said - the Salcombe funeral. Dundurn identified the car and it's around that time. It's looking promising.

[dothawkes31]

I think your next step would be to see if there was a report of a large memorial or funeral for the lifeboat crew in the local paper, there would have been i guess and the local library will have indexed the newspapers and so it shouldn;t be too difficult, assuming you can get to the library, or maybe email them and ask about it,

[dothawkes31]

Library Salcombe Cliff House, Salcombe 01548 843423. Open Mon & Fri 3.00-6.00; Wed & Thurs9.30-12.30; Sat 10.00-12.00; Closed Tues.
Kingsbridge Ilbert Road, Kingsbridge Tel [phone]. Open Mon & Fri 9.30-7.00; Tues&Wed 9.30-5.00; Thurs and Sat 9.30-1.00

[horseshoes]

I'm way too far away I'm afraid Dot. I live in North Wales. I know somebody in Devon though so I can ask them if they're anywhere near Salcombe.

[horseshoes]

This is what I got from a Salcombe resident....

I am fairly confident that the picture wasn't from Salcombe. It could be from any
of the southern counties from East Devon to Kent judging by the style of the building
which looks like a hotel with a beer house attached.
The vehicle is a army staff car of the 1914-18 period and I would suggest it might be
a military funeral cortege or even a Remembrance Day although it would have had to
be a mild one as people are not wrapped up.

[dothawkes31]

Dress wise it is too early to be Nov 1919 I think, and the army staff car would not make sense as they are in the AA !!! I don;t think the AA were needed for the army they wuld have their own MT engineers I am sure. But they may be right, still a mystery, there's snow on the ground and so it was chilly enough!!!

[netibiza]

probably London to Brighton race, but can't actually identify the place!