I have an XK120 roadster chassis number 660999 and thought I would I would do a Google update on the surname "Buffel Du Vaure"
Whilst I knew that the car had been picked up at the jaguar factory having been registered in Coventry as [MHP353] on the 28 July 1952 by Humbert Buffel Du Vaure as a "home delivery" for Cycle & Carriage Co of Singapore.
He obviously used it through to Sept 1952 when the UK registration expired.
He entered it in the Gap Hillclimb April 1953 and broke the Sportscar record and also ran it in the Johore GP in August 1953. He ran it a couple of Singapore Motor Club Trials He also ran it at the Lim Chau Kang 1/2 mile sprint in Feb 1954.
It was also run in the Gap Hillclimb by the Viscountess Hanworth who won the ladies class.
It was the first XK120 painted "Twilight Blue" a colour very popular on MKVII's.
Google has thrown up that he had been in Singapore since 1946 and was the son of Baronne Gaston Buffel Du Vaure of Crest France and the late Baron Gaston Buffel Du Vaure. He was born in 1920 and by the look of it the son of a nobleman and whilst the peerage was abolished in 1848 some titles remained
It is noted he was an accountant
It is noted he had competed in "small rallies in France"
He was on the committee of the Singapore Motor Club
He organised the "Alliance Francaise" Ball at the Adelphi Hotel in Singapore/Malaya in December 1953
He married a NZ girl Margaret Jean Bruce in November 1955
He had the XK120 through to at least December 1955
They had a son Jean Paul Buffel Du Vaure in Kandang Kerbau Malaya in June 1958 and second son in Paris in August 1959. Maybe by now living back in France permantly?
There are a variety of mentions of Jean Paul Buffel Du Vaure and Humbert Buffel Du Vaure in Paris but just can't latch onto any contact details more so for the son Jean Paul.
The Viscountess Hanworth was alive up until a couple of years ago living in the UK.
A complete restoration on the car is almost complete and I would love to make contact with the family of the original owner and fill in further on its history - most unusual a Frenchman visits the UK on leave and buys an English car !
Any clues or help as to making contact with the family would be greatly appreciated
terry
tmcgrath@bigpond.com
PS I am always interested in any history on Jaguars in the out of the way places Africa, Asia, Australia/NZ and South America
M. Jean-Paul BUFFEL DU VAURE
Né en : juin 1958
Activité : Immobilier
En savoir plus sur http://dirigeant.soc...sELDl8Zp8PV1.99
Edited by terry mcgrath, 05 January 2014 - 09:59.