THE STORY OF
GENEVIEVE
Arising from the humblest of humble beginnings , Genevieve was never intended to have the legendary silver-screen status it now commands . Andrew Roberts reveals the history of this fascinating piece of automotive royalty .
The story of the world ’ s most famous Darracq 10 / 12 Type O would have made an excellent comedy film in its own right . One morning in late 1945 , a bailiff named Mr . Bailey was in Lea Bridge Road in East London , en route to issuing a summons , when he barked his shins on what appeared to be a lump of scrap iron . Bailey investigated further , only to discover a 41-year-old veteran car in extreme need of restoration . He immediately told two car collector friends , Bill Peacock and Jack Wadsworth , who , on visiting the yard , found some 15 additional elderly derelict cars .
The intrepid pair bought the entire fleet for £ 45 , and Peacock later told The Telegraph in 2002 , “ It took a tremendous effort to unearth these vehicles , manoeuvre them to road level and load on to a trailer . This was carried out at weekends with whatever help we could persuade unsuspecting friends to give us ”. As for the hedge ’ s unwilling lodger , it passed to another intrepid chap , Peter Venning . He sold it for £ 35 to the Uxbridge Ford dealer named Norman Reeves . With his mechanic Charlie Cadby , Reeves refurbished ‘ Annie ’ - as the Darracq was known . Her screen fame was entirely unplanned , as the first draft of the film ’ s script by William Rose named a 1903 De Dion Bouton as the stellar vehicle . However , the director , Henry Cornelius , preferred a British car for the central couple , Alan and Wendy McKim , envisaging a Humber or a Wolseley .
However , when Cornelius approached the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain , they suggested a Darracq would be more suitable . The VCC was also initially concerned that Genevieve would mock the Run , and there was resistance to the script ’ s unofficial race from Sussex to London . But the director urged the Club : “ Read the script . We want your help , your cars and your blessing . Authenticity is what we want , and only you can give it ”. Eventually , the VCC agreed , and the Club ’ s Evelyn Mawer became Cornelius ’ s technical advisor and assisted with finding 35 veteran cars for
16 The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run