Story and History

1959 Jaguar XK 150 3.4SE FHC - 59.000 miles only

The first owner, W E Daniel Esq, took delivery in April 1958 and gifted the Jaguar to his wife for general use and ferrying the kids here and there - as mums generally tend to do

By 1962 and at 13.291 miles, the kids had by now become too big to fit in the back so W E Daniel Esq bought for his wife a Ferrari 250 GTE - "more space in the back, don't you know" - a copy picture of cars on his drive is in the file

In steps Stewart Blacker Morgan, a personal friend of W E Daniel Esq, who takes over ownership until 1983

During his 21 year tenure he adds a further 21.000 miles - he keeps the Jaguar at his holiday home in "The Lakes" and describes how the mileage has been kept so low in one of his logs ......... I have hardly used it, as on our narrow lanes and stone walls you don't get much of a view! Also can't take it out in the winter because of the salt on the roads - can't use it in the summer, because of the "clots" on the roads!!!

He was obviously a mover and a shaker because he used to recount tales of daring do to the next owner, who would come and visit him with the car every year, including times with both noted racing driver Duncan Hamilton and works Jaguar team manager 'Lofty' England

Indeed when he retired in 1967 'Lofty' kindly had her overhauled, including a re-bore and the fitment of bigger E Type brakes - mileage 31.118 at the time

As previously mentioned the mileage had risen to only 34.000 when he came to sell her to Nigel Whitehead in 1984 and our, by then quite aged, second owner was 77 years old

There is some very nice correspondence between owners two and three, who obviously got on well, as evidenced by their annual meetings with Lil as she was known by both (Lily White colour)

Lil was taken on several Continental tours by Mr Whitehead who also maintained her to the highest levels - she was stripped to bare metal (excellent condition under the original paint according to the restorers) and repainted, Connolly Bros were commissioned to restore the interior, the brakes were overhauled and the gearbox too

So well were the works undertaken that marque experts Straight Six stated the following in 1989 "The condition of the car now is of the very highest order. Possibly because the car was such a good example prior to restoration, the car does not appear as a restored item. Rather as an original car in superb condition."

Not much has changed since then - she is delightful, ever so slightly patinated, but then again her original interior hides are now 54 years old and drives with a real fluidity - she still has her valve radio in the fascia (takes a minute or three to warm up)

Mr Whitehead finished the restoration in 1989 and enjoyed continued ownership up until 1995 when she passed to her most recent, and again a long term owner (17 years)

This chap was also a well recognised member of the Jaguar Drivers Club and lived in Kent where our Jaguar has spent the last 30 years, and all maintenance has been carried out there by marque specialists and the main dealership

A truly lovely story book, and there is much more within the history file, making this a special, and possibly unique, example indeed