It's Christmas Day and people are celebrating all over the world in traditional ways and some untraditional. Many will visit a church or cathedral, but we bet none will drive their car inside! Isabella is sitting in her Frazer Nash/ Deemster inside Liverpool Cathedral waiting for the blessing ceremony. Yes - the Dean seized the opportunity when Isabella's father Hamish asked him if he would conduct a blessing ceremony for not one but five Deemster cars made in the 1920s. Hamish is certainly unorthodox and to add a little spice to the otherwise solemn occasion, he brought along some trumpeters to give a fanfare when appropriate.Instructions were followed closely when driving the cars into such a clean quiet building and not a drop of oil was spilled. The ceremony proceeded without a hitch and afterwards, Hamish and the Dean enjoyed the fanfare echoing around the enormous space, (it is the longest Cathedral in the world) and the cars were carefully pushed outdoors ready for more photos and fanfares. The trumpeters were then ushered into the passenger seats and driven to the docks where they were eager to perform again before the cars continued on their adventure -but we'll bring you that story another day.
Meanwhile, we wish you a very Happy Christmas. And if you take your car out, it may be a wise idea - unless it is a Frazer-Nash/Deemster of course - not to park it inside church or cathedral.
(Text & pictures Robin Batchelor)