If you stroll through the Lakeland Motor Museum, you can’t miss Cadillac’s fabulous Fleetwood limousine.
It is the largest car on display at the Backbarrow attraction.
And it has a pretty poetic story.
The family car once belonged to the daughter of Sir John Betjeman – the former poet laureate.
It was first registered in 1938 on a Mr. Joseph Furlong in Surbiton Surrey.
But it was only allowed until 1941.
It could be that his thirst for rationed gasoline, along with taxing vehicles in war, was becoming too much for the owner.
It was next used by the Daimler Hire Company in Knightsbridge where the cost of running was not that much of an issue.
Daimler Hire Limited was founded back in 1897 to provide chauffeured limousines to royalty and wealthy people, and this Cadillac obviously met their luxury needs.
It was kept there until 1966.
In the later Swinging Sixties it was bought by a Saville Row tailor – Rupert Lycett Green – who happened to be married to Candida Betjeman – the author and daughter of Sir John Betjeman.
The famous poet laureate himself may have driven this sedan while the car belonged to the family.
Candida was also a close friend of the Prince of Wales and the Beatles, among others.
So who knows who loved to travel in this luxurious vehicle.
Since the Lakeland Motor Museum was founded in 1978, it has been used not only for occasional weddings, but also as a permanent exhibition.
And inside there is plenty of space for a bride and groom and, if necessary, a few more people.
It has a wheelbase of 3.6 meters.
It offers enough seating for eight people.
There are two folding side seats behind the driver’s partition.
It has a 5.7 liter V8 engine so you can imagine how much gasoline an average trip takes.
But if you could afford to buy this in the prime, you probably wouldn’t care about the cost of petrol back then.