Inverness Archive Centre reveals historic motor car registrations dating back to 1903, showcasing the region’s rich automotive history.
These records are kept in ten old ledgers called the ‘Register of Motor Cars’. Depending on the time period, the details can vary a lot. You might find the registration number, the owner’s name and address, the car’s make, and even its weight and seating capacity.
The very first car registered in Inverness had the license plate number ST1. It belonged to Granville Hugh Baillie, who registered it on December 28, 1903. Interestingly, he lived in London, not Inverness! The car was described as ‘Gardner, Propelled’—just to make it clear it wasn’t horse-drawn.
As time went on, the records got less detailed. By the 1970s, most cars were registered by local garages. One of the last entries was a Hillman registered in September 1974. And guess what? The Baillie name popped up again with a BMW purchase that same month. Maybe it was a family connection!
It’s fascinating to see the different car makes over the years. From the early Daimler Waggonette to the popular Morris Minor in the 50s, and then the Austin Allegra and Ford Cortina in the 70s.
The archive centre often gets questions from people wanting to trace their historic vehicles. One guy had an old tractor and couldn’t find any paperwork. Thanks to these ledgers, he figured out when it was first registered.
They also have records for horse-drawn carriages, which were licensed in the 1930s and 40s. Most of those licenses were for folks living in the Western Isles.
If you’re curious, you can check out all these records at the Highland Archive Centre in Inverness.
