ANTIQUE VEHICLES MUSEUM

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31080, 8 June 1966, Page 18

ANTIQUE VEHICLES MUSEUM

A Christchurch man with a love of antique vehicles hopes to open a private museum of transport on his eightacre property at Yaldhurst in two years.

He is Mr A. T. Cooper, of School road, who since 1956 has accumulated about 25 horse-drawn vehicles, 10 cars, four or five ancient bicycles, and at least 10 motor-cycles. To obtain them he has toured the South Island. “You don’t see these things advertised; it’s mainly all through word of mouth,” said Mr Cooper.

“I’ve been interested in road transport as long as I can remember, but I didn’t begin collecting until 1956. My first vehicles were two vintage cars, and from that time I’ve felt that unless somebody does something about these old vehicles they will all be gone before very much longer.” This was the reason why he set his mind on the idea of establishing a private transport museum such as those overseas.

Mr Cooper said that Lord Montague, who was a world authority on ancient vehicles had given him a lot of hints and ideas on how to run a private museum when he was in Christchurch last year.

All Mr Cooper’s machines are kept under cover in buildings scattered around his property. “We moved here from New Brighton in July, 1964. This property used to be my great grandfather’s but for a time it went out of the family. I was lucky to get it back again,” he said. The house was built in 1872.

Many of the vehicles owned by Mr Cooper need restoring but this he intends to do with some interested friends later on. “The first thing is the construction of a workshop and then a large building in which to display the nucleus of the collection.” The earliest of his horse-

drawn vehicles is an American buggy of 1830-1840 vintage which he bought from a Mr Philips, who lives near Greenpark and whose greatuncle had brought it out from America. Lined up alongside are gigs, rigs, a phaeton, a governesses cart, a waggonette and a dog cart. Mr Cooper said horse-drawn vehicles were hard to find these days. Most had been thrown out by farmers to rot under trees on their properties.

He managed to acquire the last drag (like an open coach) which ran between Christchurch and St. Albans before

the days of trams, a coach frame, and a furniture waggon.

Of his cars Mr Cooper treasures a 1910 Renault which he has fully restored, and which is capable of 30 miles an hour. It has already been driven to Picton, Mount Cook and Dunedin on rallies. There is a 1908 Daimler built specially for use in the colonies with 40in wheels. This has yet to be restored. He also possesses a 1913 Siddley-Deasley once owned by a former New Zealand Gov-ernor-General (Lord Islington).

“There are only two known models of this type in the

southern hemisphere. The other, fully restored, is in Tasmania,” he said. Of his motor-bikes there is one Smith autowheel, well known to those over 50. Completed is a 1909 Governor twostroke. Among the push bikes stand the skeleton of an 1884 four-wheel penny farthing and a three-wheel English gentleman’s cycle complete with differential. All the members of Mr Cooper’s family share his enthusiasm and are working for the day when the museum will be a reality.

The photograph shows some of the old vehicles.