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New book titles from the MSMT
One of the most important functions of the UK’s Michael Sedgwick Memorial Trust is to provide assistance — financial and advisory — in publishing automotive books that might otherwise never see light of day. Three such books have been published in the first half of 2024.
Moke: The Early Years by The Mini Moke Club contains contributions from various authors covering the genesis and development of the Moke through prototypes in the 1957–63 period, up to the point of production. Readers can see how the many prototypes kept changing in design: Buckboards, Short Wheel Base, Twin Engine, True 4×4 and Pre-production Mokes.
The influences and challenges that led the mercurial Alec Issigonis to devise the Moke, one of the most surprising variants of his front-wheel-drive, transverse-engine design concept, are explored in full, complete with many previously unpublished photographs and documents. Published on the Moke’s 60th anniversary, this 200-page softback book costs £20 from The Mini Moke Club at Moke The Early Years (mokeclub.org).
De Dion Bouton: The Veteran Years 1899–1904 by Michael Edwards is a handsome three-volume set that follows on from the author’s previous work on the marque.
Part One (304 pages) covers company history, including details of the individuals who provided the impetus for its early development and subsequent success, and coverage of competition activity.
Part Two (264 pages) is devoted mainly to identification of the various front-engined single-cylinder models together with technical specifications.
Part Three (244 pages) moves on to comprehensive coverage of the twin-cylinder engine and transmission, and all subsequent aspects of the company through the Great War years to the eventual cessation of production in the early 1930s. Priced at £175, De Dion Bouton: The Veteran Years 1899–1904 is available to order from Surrenden Press at De Dion Bouton – The Veteran Years, 1899-1904 – Surrenden Press.
From Ballybannon Hill to Magilligan Strand by Paul Robinson is published by the author and is available from his website (www.robinsonbooks.co.uk) priced at Sag£30.
Northern Ireland enjoyed unique status from the 1920s onwards as the only part of the UK where public roads could be closed for motor racing. Eventually that would lead to the TT races of the 1930s and 1950s that cemented the names Ards and Dundrod into motor racing annals. This book chronicles the earlier efforts of Belfast motor dealers and other enthusiasts to organise hill climbs at Ballybannon, Craigantlet and Red Brae, sand races on Magilligan Strand and the aborted Ulster Grand Prix at Clady, cancelled after a fatal crash.
About the MSMT
The Michael Sedgwick Memorial Trust is a charity, not a membership organisation and is run by volunteer Trustees who between them have experience in writing and publishing books. The Trust exists to encourage new and original research into any aspect of motoring history and to offer financial and other assistance to authors and publishers.
The Trust wishes to see research into motoring history reach the public domain, through publication as books, other printed media or on the internet. The Trust gives advice to would-be authors and tries to ‘connect’ authors and publishers. The Trust believes that even books with very limited sales potential should be published if the subject matter is worthy and the research is new and comprehensive.
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