A family affair

RA Creamer circa 1980

I was introduced to the Livery by my boss, the late Sydney Creamer, who owned and ran the Jaguar main dealer, RA Creamer in Kensington, writes Liveryman Michael Quinn. I was accepted as a Liveryman in November 1999 and since then I have really enjoyed the various events I have attended (especially the flight refuelling sortie) and being in the industry myself I have felt a natural fit with the other members I have met. It has been a great way to further friendships and meet many great motor industry figures and characters at dinners over the years. Ours does seem to be an industry with plenty of those!

Jaguar Cars’ Award to Industry citation from 1972

However, my family history with the Livery goes back further than that. My grandfather, Sir William Lyons, the founder of Jaguar Cars, joined the Livery in 1952, and in 1972 he was the first ever recipient of the Award to Industry, jointly with Sir George Edwards. I know he was very proud of this accolade because he told me so, and even gave me the citation, which hangs on my wall today.

RA Creamer’s royal warrant from HM The Queen

My years at RA Creamer hold many happy memories and for a while I was the proud grantee of our two Royal Warrants, from HM The Queen and HRH The Prince of Wales. However, life moves on and a small independent business in central London could not economically adapt to a new era of Jaguar Land Rover distribution and all that entails.

Other interests include serving as Patron of the Jaguar/Daimler Heritage Trust; the Motoring Committee of the Royal Automobile Club, although I’ve now migrated to the Veteran Car Steering Panel and Heritage Working Group; and trustee of my grandfather’s charitable trust assisting young people entering engineering in the Midlands.

RA Creamer’s premises in 2016

Motorcycling and motorsport are my other great passions although I do not do enough of those these days. Recently I have been competing in my own Jaguar E Type, prior to that I raced a 1977 F3 Ralt for nearly 20 years, culminating in the amazing 2010 Monaco Historique. I have also had the privilege of racing other Jaguars (C Type, D Type, Lister) kindly shared by good friends. I’m also a regular in the London to Brighton Run.