Bomb-damaged Ford 7Y.
John contacted the site, hoping that a small pre-war Ford that belonged to his grandfather could be identified. He'd been told previously that the car was a Ford Prefect, but he wasn't so sure. The car was in fact a Ford 7Y "Eight", a model built from 1937 to 1939 only. During his research, not only did he find a pre-war photograph of the car looking immaculate, but also the photograph from 1941 that shows the remains of the self-same car, once the effects of a Luftwaffe bombing raid had taken place.
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There is already a page dedicated to the 7Y Eight in this archive, but this pair of "before & after" photos warranted their own page.
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Firstly, the photograph of the 7Y on a trip to Ireland, shortly before the outbreak of war in 1939. The distinctive features of the 933cc sidevalve-powered 7Y, such as the bulbous headlamp lenses, and the spare wheel mounted on the flat rear panel, can clearly be seen. The decoration around the bonnet side vents, and the cover over the spare wheel, signify a "De Luxe" version of the 8hp Ford. John's grandfather Francis Boylan, and his two daughters, Marie (on the running board - John's mother) and Hilda (his aunt) are shown with the car. The Ford had to be craned onto the ferry at Holyhead for the passage to Dublin.
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After a raid in 1941.
The next photo dates to early 1941. His grandfather lived on the Wirral, a target of numerous Luftwaffe bombing raids during WW2. As can be seen in this next shot, Sandringham Drive - where John's grandfather lived - suffered during the raids, as did the people who lived there, and of course the poor little Ford. John turned up this amazing photograph of his grandfather's car while researching his family in various archives, in this case in Wallasey.
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Little remains of the 8hp Ford, although there are enough details visible to again confirm it being a De Luxe model. Once more the steel cover over the spare wheel can be seen, as can the remains of the pull-up rear window blind, another feature only to be found on De Luxe models. The aperture in the centre of the dashboard, below the winder for the opening windscreen, would have accommodated a clock and ashtray.
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Wartime photo: Wallasey Library.
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Return to Page 14 in the classic & vintage vehicle photo gallery.
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