1953 Rolls-Royce Wraith Limousine Trivia

Supplied to Captain Ian B. Bullen of British Empire Steel Products Limited. Brettenham House Lancaster Place London.

Brettenham House built in 1932 designed by the architect W.E.Hunt.

The building is on the site of earlier buildings occupied by The Royal Humane Society which started out in 1774 as Recovery of Persons Apparently Drowned. In 1776 the name was changed and became “Royal” in 1787. Few people could swim at the time as it was neither A sport or popular pastime. In 1773 it was reported that 123 persons Had drowned in London alone.

Earlier buildings were occupied by the Hospital of St. John the Baptist.

The earlier buildings being demolished in the early 1800’s to make way for an approach road to the construction of a new Westminster Bridge.

Concurrently with occupation by British Empire Steel some floors were Taken by the 4th Post Office Mutual Building Society which was set up to provide mortgages for Post Office workers. As each tranche of funds were taken up so the Mutual Society’s books would be closed and a new Mutual Society set up thus there were 1st Post Office Mutual, 2nd Post Office Mutual etc etc. the name was eventually changed to The National Counties Building Society and business was no longer confined to Post Office workers, the Building Soc. Operates to this day but not from Brettenham House.

Worthy of note is that Sir Douglas Dodd-Parker (B.July 1909 D. Sept 2006) was on the board of directors of B.E.S.P. Ltd he was a politician of some note after World War Two and during the conflict was a senior officer in the Special Operations Executive (S.O.E.) in charge of clandestine operations in Europe and North Africa. Descended from the
Parker family who made a successful business in Iron and Steel in the
Fifteenth century.