The first car on Jersey roads was a 3.5 hp Benz

From John Boothman, president of Jersey Old Motor Club.

I WAS interested in the Temps Passé photograph of a car built in Jersey by George Pool in 1900 or 1901 (JEP, 17 August) it looks a fine machine. However, the description of it as ‘the first Jersey car’ is not correct. That honour goes to the 3.5 hp Benz imported to the Island by solicitor Peter Falla in July 1899.

This novel machine was not well received by the population of Mr Falla’s home parish of St John, and on one occasion it was stoned while climbing Mont Mado. Mr Falla did not use the car in bad weather, or on Sunday, when he went to church on his tricycle.

In the same year two young engineers from Grandin’s in St Helier, who had probably worked on Mr Falla’s Benz, set out to build what was a close copy of it, having first converted the key dimensions from metric to imperial. This car became known as the Jersey Benz and there is a fine period photograph of it with its creators sitting proudly aboard.

Sadly Mr Falla’s car has long since disappeared – only the carriage lamps remain – but the Jersey Benz is intact, having spent many years in the lobby of a west country hotel before returning to Jersey in the 1970s. It now forms part of a private local collection.

Comparing Mr Pool’s creation with the Benz, it looks significantly more advanced, despite being only a year or two younger. Perhaps it is no coincidence that he went on to establish one of the most successful motor businesses in Jersey.