A CENTURY ago, the Lancashire Automobile Club (LAC) donated four ambulances for the First World War.

But it only has one photograph from that time and now wants to find out more information.

Established at the turn of the century, in 1902, the LAC is recognised as the second oldest in the country with a continuous history and its 113 years is now being recorded on a historical timeline.

This photograph has recently come to light during research, but the club has no idea where it was taken or who the two soldiers are.

It has asked Bygones readers if they have any details or information or, indeed, any more photographs.

All members know is that the ambulance was built on a 1906 chain driven Daimler car chassis. The original founders of the North East Lancashire Automobile Club, as it was first known, were men of substance of Blackburn, mill owners – known as the ‘millocracy’ – and business people.

Its first president was Sir Harry Hornby Bart, the local MP and initially there were 24 members. These included F Hodgkinson, who drove a Steam Locomobile; Dr Stevenson, Progress; A Birtwistle, Daimler; T Eastham, Argyle; E A Riley, De Deion; Dr Musson, Steam Locomobile; R M Bottomley, Argyle; GD Walmsley, Orleans; Mr McNeil, Cottereau; Dr Bannister, Dexter Tricycle; Dr Gornall, Progress; W M Cunningham, Midland; A Hitchon, Daimler; A Birtwistle, Daimler and Mrs W Thompson with her Mabley.

It was on June 14, 1902, that the newly formed club staged its first run, described then as a motor-car meet. This photograph shows the cars outside Blackburn Town Hall , before their ride to Clitheroe.

Twenty cars took the route along Preston New Road and Longsight Road, through Langho and Whalley to the market town and back, a distance of some 30 miles. Tea was taken at the Starkies Arms and reports showed that this opening run was considered to be ‘most enjoyable’.

Two years later the club became an associate of the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) and only the second provincial club to achieve the status. Records show early competitive events and reliability trials dating from 1904, with a 100-mile non-stop run from Blackburn to Kendal and back and hill climbs in 1905 on Waddington Fell, and Buckhaw Brow near Settle.

In 1906 the club staged a run all the way to to Edinburgh and in the same year, also ran the first hill climb event on Lord Leverhulme’s estate at Rivington Pike.

There were 37 entries, with many of the cars of local manufacture, including Belsize, Critchley-Norris and New Eagle.