Keith Hall was born in Derbyshire in 1934 and, like many of his generation, his first car was an Austin Seven – coincidentally also built in 1934.
Keith worked as a woodwork and metalwork teacher at Long Lane School in Chapel-en-le-Frith, and in 1960 decided it was time for something a little bigger. He bought an Austin 12/6 Harley saloon from a fellow teacher, who had originally purchased the Dorset-registered car.
Keith paid just 30 shillings (£1.50) for the Austin – although his colleague kept the battery! The car itself was another 1934 model and, when new, would have set its first owner back £198.
Powered by a 1500cc six-cylinder engine, Keith’s new car was in reasonably good condition, although a loud whine from the back axle suggested that trouble might not be too far away.
With house moves and a young family taking priority, a full restoration had to wait until the mid-1970s. Keith then embarked on a painstaking project that would span almost a decade, completely dismantling the Austin before carefully rebuilding it from the ground up.
Eventually, the car was returned to its splendid original beige and black colour scheme, with new carpets and headlining fitted throughout. The original leather seats were revived with hide food and, looking virtually as good as new, the Austin sailed through its MOT.
When Keith retired, he returned to Bradwell, the Derbyshire village where he was born – and, of course, the Austin went with him. Over the following decades, Keith proudly took the car to numerous events, where it collected many awards both locally and further afield.
Sadly, ill health brought Keith’s long driving career to an end in 2023, and the Austin was carefully tucked away in his garage, still in remarkably fine condition. In 2026, Keith’s sons generously donated their father’s much-loved car to Great British Car Journey, just a few weeks before Keith passed away at the age of 92.
We are honoured to be the new custodians of Keith’s much-loved Austin, which now has pride of place as one of the first cars visitors see when entering the museum. Running sweetly once again, it may even venture out for some gentle exercise on local roads during the summer months.
Keith Hall, RIP. You can rest assured that your dependable Austin is in safe hands and still going strong in its tenth decade.