Northern Sports Car Club - the early years.

[Roger Dowding]

NSCC, was formed during the second world war - believe or not and from what I have gleaned from my Uncle Albert Edward " Eddie " Dowding, initial discussions took place on the Ferries between, Auckland City and the North Shore jetty's, Devonport, Northcote and Birkenhead.
Eddie lived at the time in Herne Bay and caught the Ferry to Northcote to visit his fiancee who became his wife in June 1942.

Amongst the group initially involved were, Ces Hodge, Jack Boot [ Ed's brother - in - law ] Phil Ornstein, Alan Pybus, Vern Clarke Jock Aitken and others.
It is now known Bryce Tye, and R Currey were on the original committee with Vern Clarke and Jack Boot.

Lawrie Powell [ the well known Ford V8 driver and later the " famous " Starter at Pukekohe ] and others, including Ron Roycroft, and Ralph Watson were members in the late 1940's too !!.

I knew Jock Aitken - he was the mechanic on my first car in 1967, and Alan Pybus - was a great mate of Ed's whom he stayed in touch with until recently when they both passed away.
I have met both Ron Roycroft [ at Glen Murray and at the Pukekohe swap meeting ] and Ralph Watson, a visitor to my house in Herne Bay [ when Lyle Chambers was my flatmate and had a BSA Special ] on several occasions to look at Lyle's BSA, arriving in his own BSA Special.

In some later photo's at Mackies Rest on a trial in 1946, is Ralph in his 1933 Singer Roadster with my Uncle Ed and his wife Una in their Morris 8 Tourer

Eddie Dowding and his brother-in-law Jack Boot both belonged, Eddie was Club Captain in the early days 1944-45 and Second President in 1945-46 years. Verne Clark was president 1943-45.
Jack Boot was " Organiser " on the first committee in mid 1943

The Club was Officially formed at a meeting in July 1943 and was formally incorporated in October 1943, but meetings [ informal club gatherings ] took place from 1942 on.
***
New information April 2020 [ thread started in May 2015 ]
Have recently been given images of 30 pages of a Photo Album created by Arthur Siddall with photos of various NSCC events found by Duncan Fox at the Whitford Tip - there are around 130 photos covering the period 1942 - first gathering, through to 1949.
Am gradually editing and sorting them to group in chronological order and putting the events together

Eddie is still alive and well at 95, [ Eddie passed away aged 98 in May 2018 ] and many years ago gave me a few photos on NSCC and some events.

Here are a few to start


NSCC Concours 1947 -


NSCC Helensville Mud Trial 1949 [ now believed to be 1946 - from new photos uncovered of the event. ]
Ralph Watson and Mate with the Singer, my Uncle Ed and Aunty Una in the Riley.
Photo from the same event - Outside the Helensville Hall at the end of the trial with Ron Roycroft in his car - is in the Book by Scott Thompson - " Up to Speed " - the Roycroft story.


Jack Boot Riley Special - raced at a Cinder Track in Huntly - year not known but late 1940's.**
Now believed to be 1944 so mid 1940's

As I find more will post them.

July 2020 ; More information has come to light about the formation of the Club - a letter from 1943 and some notes attached, plus an early Membership Card and some more photos.

June 2022 - More information on the early years 1942 - 1950, and more recently on the early 1950's has come to light recently - Events, Competitors, Car details etc.
Thanks to Duncan Fox for the Arthur Siddall Albums and to Don Tilsley a competitor and Club Member in the 1950's.

The Original Members Card. from R Currey, passed on by family to Bob Kidd, It dates from 1943.
The Bryce Tye " B Tye " named on the card was tragically killed in his MG when a tyre blew and the car rolled in December 1943.



The thread is in memory of family, my Uncle Albert Edward [ Eddie ] Dowding - 1919 to 2018, my Aunt Una May Dowding 1920 - 2020 both appear at events and in photos in the thread. They were married in 1942 the year the club was first mooted.
My other Uncle, Jack Boot' I never knew as he passed away in 1945. Jack was a founding member of NSCC as shown in various notes / items in the thread.
My father Mac Dowding was Honorary Auditor for the Club upon his return from the war in August 1945 until the 1950's.