Here we have a fascinating and uncommon piece of early automotive history. A stunning Silver Medal from The Motor Union of Great Britain & Ireland, dating to 1907, with the artwork by Hubert Von Herkomer, with the woman leaning on the front of a car with a banner across her inscribed ‘Future’. To the reverse the laurel wreath, inscribed to the centre ‘The Motor Union of Great Britain and Ireland, Won by Mr. C.J. Newey Coventry M.C. at the Annual Hill Climb 1907’.
It has the hallmarking from Birmingham assay office for Sterling Silver, with the date letter ‘h’ for 1907. Makers mark with the initials DGC for Daniel George Collins, who was a silversmith, trophy and medal maker in Newgate Street, London EC1.
The medal weighs 146.3g and is 72mm x 72mm with a 5mm depth.
The artwork
The image to the front is based on Sir Hubert von Herkomer's 1905 painting called "Die Zukunft". Herkomer was a German-born British artist (1949-1914). He saw humanity as dependent on motorised vehicles in the future and depicted the future as a female figure tied to a car, whirling up a cloud of dust. She wears a sash with the word ‘FUTURE’ across it. As nobody can see into the future, the female figure is blindfolded with a cloth. The Edwardian vehicle is closely modelled on an enormous pioneer Daimler motor car.
It is a fascinating early 20th century design, showcasing the fascination and importance of industrial speed. It portrays humanity as bound to the fate and momentum of machine technology and the automobile.
Herkmoer was an early motoring enthusiast who sponsored pioneering motor events and trials in Europe, such as the Herkomer-Konkurrenz rallies in Germany. These began in 1905 and were the oldest touring car rally in the world. The races were designed as a reliability test and contributed significantly to the popularity of the automobile in Germany.
By the 1890s Herkomoer had fully embraced the freedom of the roads offered by the new safety bicycle and, later, the motorcycle. He bought his first car, a Panhard, in 1903, joining the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland (which became the RAC in 1907) in the same year. By 1906 he was the owner of a 28hp Daimler. Von Herkomer’s Motoring of 1906, together with the medal he executed for the Royal Automobile and Associated Clubs in 1907/08 (Attwood, The Medal 4, p.9), are believed to be his only two medallic works.
The Hill Climb
The Hill Climb was one of the earliest forms of motor vehicle racing. It was a true test of the power, speed and reliability of a vehicle. It allowed the advancement of early mechanical limits and subsequent marketing a cars performance, whilst forming a social sporting challenge which drew the crowds.
The first UK hill climb took place in 1899 on Petersham Hill at Richmond-on-Thames. The year after in 1900, saw the One Thousand Mile Trial introduced with four distinct hill climb competitions. 1901 saw the midland Automobile Club host its first hill climb on Gorcott Hill.
In 1905 The Famous Shelsley Walsh Speed Hill Climb was founded, which remains the oldest continuously staged motorsport event in the world.
CJ Newey and the Newey Motor Company Birmingham
Newey were a British automobile manufacturer from Birmingham, which was founded in 1907 by Gordon Newey. They began as a sales agency for De Dion-Bouton, Star Motor Company and Siddeley Autocar Company (amongst others). They began manufacture of cars in 1907 using Aster engines from the French manufacturer, Ateliers de Construction Mecanique l’Aster, marketing them as Newey-Asters.
In 1913 the company manufactured its own design which was branded and marketed as Newey. From 1916 – 1919 vehicles were marketed as G.N.L. Production ended in 1921 and the last cars were sold in 1923. In total they made 10 different models over their 14 years of operating.
The brothers Gordon and C.J. clearly enjoyed hill climbs, using them as a means to advance the cars they offered. They were also successful, winning and placing in the top three in multiple climbs.
Records of C.J. Newey’s entries are limited, but he seemed rather active between 1907 and 1909. As this medal suggests, he won the Coventry M.C. Annual Hill Climb in 1907.
On the 30th June 1907 he entered the Bristol & Gloucestershire AC hill climb, at Birdlip, one of the steepest climbs in England, one mile distance. C.J. Newey won the Class B hill climb under RM Fisher, in his De Dion 10hp with 891 marks.
In July he entered the Midland AC at Shelsley Walsh. He came 12th in the open event and 6th in the closed event, both in the 10 De Dion.
He won the September 11th 1909 Shelsley-Walsh ‘Closed’ (1000 yd) in his De Dion.