It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of our Club President Allan Lupton. Most recently known for owning the Corscia bodied 1939 Lea-Francis, which he rallied with great success, Allan owned a number of veteran, vintage and PVT cars over the years. As well as holding significant roles in the Lea-Francis Owners’ Club, including as Editor and Chairman he was a handicapper for the VSCC and extensively involved in local history groups.
A full obituary will appear on this site after its publication in The LeaFlet and the VSCC Bulletin
Colin Poynter
A reminder that time is running out on the pre-reserved rooms at the Thorpeness Hotel and Golf Club for the LFOC Autumn Tour. We have a good sized group of some fifteen LeaFs signed up and a fine itinerary planned, including art, archaeology, science and engineering plus wine making while taking in beautiful countryside and seashores. We would also like to welcome anyone who would like to join us during the day or for dinner. Please make dinner reservations with Thorpeness Hotel, mentioning the LFOC. Members can contact Hugh Price for details or see the April edition of the Club magazine, the LeaFlet, available to registered users of this website here.
A small group of Leaf members travelled to Noordwijk in South Holland to see the tulip fields and the Keukenhof Botanical Garden in the area of Lisse.
Apart from the visit to Keukenhof, which was in full bloom with varieties of plants, shrubs and tulips of many wonderful colours, visits were made in the surrounding area.
The Louwman museum, which has one of the most beautiful automotive collections in the world, was originally The National Automobile Museum but now it is a private collection. It was stunning, and we actually came across a rolling Lea Francis Chassis complete with engine, gearbox and back axle (this special, based on a P-Type chassis, was created in South Africa by H.W.Nicholson).
We had a guided tour of Delft, organized by our member Koos Lamboo, whose daughter is a Tour Guide. We walked the streets of the old City and visited one of the last two remaining Delft Potteries still family run.
A visit to Kasteel de Haar, the biggest castle in the Netherlands which in 1887 became entwined with the Rothschild family and prospers to this day. A wonderful castle and grounds.
For some, a visit into the bustling city of Leiden with its extensive waterways, windmill on a hill overlooking the town, the Saturday market and seeing the preparations for the VE day celebrations. Others visited the Space Museum and the Cruquius Museum, an old steam pumping station used to pump the Haarlem Lake dry.
Good company, nice food and accommodation were greatly enjoyed along, of course, with a walk on the beach!