Erection date: 1960
This is the birthplace of the Bentley motor car. Number one was produced here in the year 1919.
This black and white image was taken by Alan Zafer and was published in the . Examining Chagford Street today we struggled to find this arrangement of door and windows anywhere near the site of the 2nd plaque. And none of the brickwork looks new. We were puzzled but then Mr Little wrote to us about a third plaque and mentioned that this first plaque (in the B&W photo) was actually at no 47, and suddenly we could see the window and door that are in the photo.
Site: Bentley Motor Car (3 memorials)
W1, Chagford Street, 47-48
In Bentley's day the street was called New Street Mews, New Street itself being what is now Melcombe Street.
In July 2022 the recounted the story of the first two plaques, as told to them by Alan Zafer who used to have an office in the building.
The first plaque (also blue) was erected at this site (date unknown but c.1960) and Zafer photographed Walter Owen Bentley (1888–1971) standing in front of it. This plaque was stolen in 1982. Zafer says "With the help of the Bentley Car Club I had a new one put up and we put it higher up so that nobody would steal it." But 27 June 2022 Zafer noticed that the second plaque had also been stolen. Actually, as can be seen in the photo that we took in 2009, the second plaque was positioned within easy reach of any thieves.
November 2023: Mr Little confirmed that 21 September 2023 a third plaque was unveiled, on number 47. We have taken our photo of that plaque and added it to this entry. But we have left displayed our 2009 photo of the building. Since that date there have been some significant changes to the doors and windows, such that the building now looks less like the garage that it once was. The 3rd plaque has been placed out of reach of ladderless thieves.
Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in to see them