Freddie James (far right) picking up two new Three speed Super Sports from the Morgan factory on the 13th July 1932. In the front car is Stuart Spring, the Morgan Company salesman.

I couldn’t very well refuse when Melvyn asked me to write for his new magazine, for in the first issue he had prominently advertised “Morgan Sports Cars – The Early Years”, which I co-wrote with Chris Chapman.

“Can you do something on three wheelers? Melvyn added.

Something on three wheelers?

Well he couldn’t expect me to write anything technical, so I presumed he meant historical. “What shall I write”, I thought. My mind went back to how I got involved in history – it was really all an accident, I never intended to be so involved.

It all started in the early 1970’s I had just purchased, and tidied up, a 1938 Super Sports with MX2 engine. As a junior doctor I didn’t have a lot of time off, but I always asked for Wednesday evenings so that I could drive the Morgan on the beautiful route from Sheffield into the Peak District National Park for the monthly V.S.C.C. meeting.

There were always interesting vehicles there, and I made many friends. One evening a member of the North Midlands Motor Club asked me if I would display the Morgan one evening at their annual show for the public at The Old Hall Hotel in Hope. Although I dislike shows intensely, I thought it churlish to refuse, and reluctantly agreed.

On the evening in question I set off once again into the Peak District National Park. It was a glorious June evening, not much traffic, and the Morgan was going well. “At least I’ll enjoy this drive”, I thought to myself. In the hills before Hathersage I heard as strange noise behind me, a car approaching very quickly. If shot by, and I realised it was a Ferrari Testa Rossa, indeed it was part of the collection of T.C.Harrison the local Ford dealer and a great motor sport enthusiast. “Wow, fancy seeing that”, I thought and increased my speed a little. Then I became aware of a loud rumble approaching from behind, it got louder and louder until another exciting vehicle shot by. It was another of the T.C.Harrison collection a Ford GT 40 no less.

The James family outside Sheffield Town Hall for the Sheffield Traders Team Trial, held in April 1920. Bill James senior toook the MAG Grand Prix on the left. Freddie James stands with foot on the running board of the central side valve grand Prix, and his brother Bill (Jnr.) is in the de Luxe on the far right.
 

“Double Wow” I thought, and sped on my way. The Bugatti Brescia of David Sewell then joined the road just in front of me, and we had a lovely high speed convoy run to Hope for the show.
“Wow, I really enjoyed that”, I thought, as I parked the Morgan, and desperately tried to keep the prying hands of children off the, by now very hot, high level exhaust pipes, a hazard of owning such a three wheeler.

I had a quick look around the show, and then resigned myself to the expected boredom associated with such shows. I was then asked if I would do and interview for the local radio station, which had sent a journalist along. “Tell me about your car” I was asked. “What kind of question is that”, I thought, “What does he really want to know, where do I start?” “It’s red”, I replied, and shut up. That was the end of my very first radio interview!

Not long afterwards an elderly gentleman, smiling broadly at the Morgan came up to me and asked if it was mine. “My name is James,” he said. So what I thought, I’m Jake. Then, suddenly it “clicked”. Could he be the W.James whose name appears on the 1913 Commercial type three wheeler pictured in Brian Watts book ‘The Three Wheeler’ which I had recently enjoyed reading, and was the book for Morgan three wheeler enthusiasts (still is). If so he would have been the pioneering Sheffield Morgan agent. “Are you W.James, the Old Morgan agent of Eccleshall Road in Sheffield?” I asked. “No”, was the reply  “He was my father. I took over the business. I am Freddie James”.

The author at the Old Hall Hotel, guarding the Morgan to prevent children burning themselves on the hot exhaust pipe.