1926 Jowett Type C

The Collection’s Exhibit

It is said that the hills of Yorkshire designed the Jowett light car. Sons of a blacksmith, William and Benjamin Jowett started – like many of the early motor manufacturers – in the cycle making business, and by the start of the twentieth century were making engines for machinery in the mill town of Bradford.

The Jowett brothers made their first car in 1906, but production for sale was delayed because of their many varied engineering projects – and making the first six Scott motorcycles.

The first light car, on sale in 1910, had a small but powerful for its size Jowett-made, water cooled, flat twin, engine of 816cc connected to a three speed gearbox and mounted in an open two-seater body constructed of aluminium panels. With low gear ratios and good power-to-weight ratio it had the right formula for the hills and rough roads of the brothers’ homeland.

Following the First World War the Jowett factory moved to Idle, just outside Bradford, and continued manufacture of the light car, increasing engine capacity first to 831cc and then 907cc. This engine, the ‘Seven’, was to be the sole Jowett power unit until a four-cylinder was introduced in 1936.

Built in 1926, the Shuttleworth Model C ‘Chummy’ tourer has bodywork in aluminium over a coach-built ash frame. Fully restored in recent years with the original 7hp twin-cylinder engine, it was owned by Richard Shuttleworth who used it extensively as a

runabout on the estate and in the local area.

This car was originally registered as NM8092 but the number lapsed and after restoration it was given the age-related registration SV6601.

Richard in fact owned three Jowetts (one long-chassis and two short-chassis) and thought very highly of them. ‘You can take them anywhere’, he said. ‘A Jowett is the only car I know that will go across a field of Brussel sprouts in top gear!’