Number Plate Stories

Number plates have been used to personalise vehicles ever since the identifying system began in 1903. People love their cars and for many, having a special number plate is the perfect way of expressing their individuality.

For many years, it was mainly the rich and famous that paraded these accessories on their flashy cars. Earl Russell started it with A 1, in December 1903. Harry Tate, the Music Hall Artist is the earliest known celebrity to have had a plate to suit him. He chose T 8 to sound like his surname. His comic performances had a strong motoring theme with T 8 featuring on his stage car. Some of the most respected entertainers of our time have advertised themselves on a plate, for instance, Arthur Askey with AA 10, Diana Dors - DD 200, Max Bygraves - MB 1 and The Beverley Sisters with BEV 33. This level of interest was to last too.

The Ford Times, in January 1963 reported ‘The staggering growth in the cult of the personalised number plate,’ putting the phenomenon down to, ‘the affluent sixties with a car population tipping the ten-million mark – owners are looking for a status symbol.’ It went on, ‘Quite large sums are changing hands as car owners bid for registrations that spell out their initials, describe their businesses or contain ingredients that make their neighbours look twice. Private detectives are set on the trail of coveted combinations, registration authorities are besieged for the most telling tabs; it has become smart to play the numbers game.’

In January 1966, The Competitor’s Journal and Money Matters pinpointed the time when plates started to be exchanged for substantial amounts of money, ‘Until 1962, you could have a plate for £5 by applying to the local licensing authority. By January 1966, plates like A 1 and R 1 were already fetching over a thousand pounds.’ A 1 had just sold for £2,500 and R 1 for £1,250.

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