‘EUF 586’ is a 1938 Alvis Speed Twenty-Five Charlesworth with an unusually complete history file that records every single one of the eight previous owners the car has had.

And what a distinguished list it is including the wonderfully named Captain Ernest Granville Diggle R.D., R.N.R.

A retired captain of the Mauretania and Aquitania ocean liners, Commodore of the Cunard Fleet, and published author, he took delivery of his new car on the 14th of April 1938 at the Kattes Hotel in Brighton.

An orthopedic surgeon became its second owner in 1947, followed by an engineer in 1953, and in 1974 a squadron leader who was a Wellington Bomber pilot awarded the DFC.

The latter took it to Canada with him and set about restoring it – and as an engineer, he did all the work himself, including rechroming the brightwork.

This is a car that seems to attract unusually talented and interesting owners, doesn’t it? More recently, the car’s previous owner had it for around 30 years, and he was the one w...