1908 35 hp. Talbot of George Gilmore White (1885-1920) with riding mechanic Fred C. Custance (1890-1923). G. Gilmore White, a grazier from a wealthy Adelaide family was an early motoring enthusiast who purchased his Talbots (at least 3) from the noted Adelaide firm of Vivian Lewis Limited. In January 1909 White and chauffeur P. Donoghue in the Talbot, then in standard touring condition, drove from Adelaide to Melbourne accompanying Bertie Barr Smith and H. M. (Murray) Aunger in a 60hp Napier, Barr Smith was intending to set a record for the Melbourne to Adelaide run, which he did in 22 hrs 24 mins in February 1909. By March, and having driven the route several times, Gilmore White was set to make his attempt and he now had Fred Custance, one of Lewis’s top mechanics, as co-driver. The Talbot had a special body fitted for the return run and having significantly higher clearance than Barr Smith’s more powerful Napier. White’s car handled the treacherous Coorong sand hills and tortuous road conditions better than the Napier – the Talbot’s time was 20 hrs 6 mins, an average speed of 29½ mph for the 597 miles. In December 1909 White and Custance, in the same 35 hp Talbot, broke C.B. Kellow’s Melbourne to Sydney 1907 record by 4 hours making the run in 21 hrs 19 mins. Gilmore White commented after reaching Sydney that the roads had been far worse than those on the Adelaide record drive and that he might now retire from inter-city record attempts, the Talbot had suffered a broken headlight and mudguard. But White was back again in March 1910, with Custance and the same 35 hp Talbot to successfully set the Sydney to Melbourne record at 19 hrs and 47 mins. They then had the distinction of holding the record for the journey both ways, in addition to the one for Melbourne to Adelaide. The Clement-Talbot Company were so impressed that they had two massive gold medals struck, with the monogram of the Talbot Company on one side, the other side suitably inscribed, and forwarded to the Vivian Lewis Co. for handing on to White and Custance. Fred Custance became a noted aviation pioneer and flew with the Australian Flying Squadron in Palestine in WW1 before returning to the motor trade in South Australia. Custance died on a lonely outback track while attempting to recover a stranded vehicle. Noted rifleman and militia officer G. G. White served in the 1 st AIF in France but shortly after returning to Australia was struck down by an illness from which he never fully recovered and died in 1920. BTW – period newspaper reports indicate Gilmore White’s Talbot was painted red and used leather tread steel studded Continental tyres. George White and Harry Dutton competed in the same Automobile Club events around 1908-1909, the similarities in the appearance of White’s Talbot and Dutton’s Darwin cars is probably not coincidental. Murray Aunger and Fred Custance were both Vivian Lewis Ltd. employees.
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