Photos of Witham

The Wakelins’ car

Taken: 1904, Source: Braintree and Witham Times, 6 August 1965, Ref: M2998

A car belonging to the Wakelins. An account in the newspaper says ‘[Mrs Mary Catherine Brown’s] father was Joseph Wakelin … and her birthplace Freebournes Farm. Our photograph shows her, in the spring of 1904, seated with her brother in a motor-car at the back of Freebournes Cottage [3 Newland Street].

It was in this car, driven by her brother [probably Robert W Wakelin], that in 1905 she became the first woman in Witham to motor to Scotland. … the journey … ended ignominiously when the exhausted vehicle dropped a clutch of ball-bearings somewhere in the streets of Glasgow”
The Wakelins of Freebornes farm and the Browns of Collingwood House (15 Collingwood Road) were prominent farmers and gentry.

RefM2998
Date taken1904
SourceBraintree and Witham Times, 6 August 1965
Posted on Full size 2036 × 1540

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