LONGBRIDGE LEGACY

I know you couldn't have bought this Somerset new because you are far too young! Tell me when and how you came by it.

Romer Adams: I bought it in May 1975. I was in the motor trade all my life, and at that time I was Sales Manager at Henlys in Northampton, who were the main Nuffield distributor for Northamptonshire at a time when Austin and Morris dealerships were still in fierce competition with one another.

In 1960 I'd sold a Wolseley 1500 to a lady called Miss Lack, taking her Austin A40 Devon in part exchange. Then in 1966 she came back, and this time I sold her a Wolseley 1100. I didn't see her again until that day in May 1975 when she returned, told me that she was getting married and wanted a new Marina, adding: 'I've got my uncle's A40 Somerset outside which I'd like to part exchange.' So I inspected the Somerset, we agreed a price and I sold her a Marina.

This was actually rather fortuitous timing for me because I had been looking for an Austin Devon myself, and so I told my boss I wanted to buy this Somerset. Despite working for a Nuffield distributorship, I've always loved the Austins, something that I can trace back to my