A pristine 1949 Ford Anglia EA94A with less than 5,000 miles on the clock has been acquired by the same family that sold it to its first owner 75 years ago.
The vintage Ford was originally sold by Hampshire-based car dealer Percy Hendy Ltd, in Chandler’s Ford. Three generations later, the family-run business has grown to become one of the UK’s largest car retail businesses and still has headquarters in the town.
The Anglia was purchased by Rebecca Hendy, Chairperson and Trustee of the Hendy Foundation (the charity arm of the Hendy Group), and her two sons Will and Ben, who both hold positions within the Group.
The Hendy family’s ‘new’ Ford Anglia EA94A was first registered in February 1949, sold to a Ms Lily Cull from Eastleigh, Southampton, for £319 16shillings and 8pence. At the time of purchase, it was the lowest-priced four-wheeled car in Britain, and a total of 108,878 units were produced between 1949 and 1953.
This particular example went on to have two other owners but only accumulated 4,463 miles. It was purchased by the Hendy family late last month via an auction run by South Western Vehicle Auctions, complete with the original logbook, sales receipt, manufacturer warranty booklet and ‘Ford Eight and Anglia’ handbook.
“It’s been a joy to bring the car back into the family fold after so many years,” explained Rebecca Hendy. “It’s fantastic to be able to honour a piece of Hendy history and celebrate our long-standing partnership with the Ford Motor Company.
“We’d like to express our sincere appreciation to South Western Vehicle Auctions for bringing this vehicle to our attention, and to its previous owners for their dedicated care. We vow to give it the care and attention it deserves, while also allowing many members of the public to see it properly.”
It is anticipated that the car will be displayed at various Hendy Ford dealerships across the south of England over the coming months; more details on these plans will be announced soon.
Hendy Group employs over 1,700 people at over 60 locations across the south coast of England, and last year celebrated its 165th anniversary. The business was the first to open an official Ford car dealership in the UK, in 1910, and it now operates eight Ford showrooms across the south of England alongside 21 other automotive brands.
