JowettTalk

By 'Jowett Records' I mean records of Jowett cars that existed at some time or another.

I am probably doing someone a grave injustice, but quite often when I am browsing books, films or other documents, I find pictures of Jowetts of all vintages - sometimes just a distant newspaper photograph - but in many cases the registration number is visible, and sometimes the colour.

Those of us 'in the know' can often tie the vehicle to a couple of years.

For instance, some time ago on ebay there was a tax disc for a Jowett dated 28th March 1930, issued in Stockport and stating that the car was a 7hp Jowett, maroon, and of course giving the registration number.

Now this car MIGHT still be in existence - even belong to a club member - but even if it isn't, it certainly DID exist (at that time anyway).

But if it is not 'in protective custody' should these details at least be added to the club central records - just for information purposes?

Again, in this case, if the car did turn up somewhere with no history, at least the new owner could be told that in 1930 it was taxed in the Stockport area. That might help them to trace the vehicle's history? Possibly turn up previous owners through a 'do you remember this' feature in a local paper.

Again, on the club website I recall people asking after the present whereabouts (if known) of their Dad's old car - registration number such and such. THEY obviously knew that the vehicle existed and might be able to give more details ('It was a lovely gold colour, with leather seats and a funny ridge in the front bumper' = VERY early de luxe model).

Is anyone collating all this information? Or are we no longer ALLOWED to 'collect' information like this?

With council records being destroyed in many cases, this sort of detail could be invaluable.

Couldn't it?

Any (constructive!) comments?

Executive committee has discussed this. A statement was received by those conversant with the Data Protection Act. Unless an individual has granted permission to store and publish, the body publishing the information cannot publish. My interpretation is that, provided no data links an individual to a car, any data about the history of the car can be stored and published. In all cases of enquiry I have referred the matter to the relevant registrar or the person who owns the car and asked them to contact the enquirer. No club member should disclose details obtained by the club (particularly as part of the membership process) to anyone.
If you have come across such information in the public domain then you are free to relay it; whether you are allowed to store that on a computer is open to interpretation. But then the law is an ass!
My daughter, no doubt, would comment if she read this.

I am currently trying to understand the data protection act around this precise topic. As far as Bradfords are concerned I try to capture all this sort of information as, as Ian rightly states it is all evidence that a vehicle once existed. I fear that the act is so incomprehensible as to what personal data really is, that the only way we may find out is for some silly B****r to decide to sue because we have recorded that his grandfather, for 3 months in 1958 owned a Jupiter registered XYZ 123. The act prohibits storing personal data - is this personal data? Can we store it without retaining the owners name - or can that be recovered from my hard drive?
A veritable mine field.
I intend to publish my register with details of owners who have returned our pink registration forms detailed, and with a list of other vehicles " of which the Jowett Car Club has been aware since 1980" (date arbitrary)
Finally for now - Registration numbers: People believe that if they quote a registration number that should lead to bein able to trace a vehicle, but with some old registration numbers becoming saleable it is almost impossible to tell if a vehicle exists, has been scrapped, reregistered, ot languishes somewhere having had its number "stolen". I have at least 2 Bradfords bought effectively as scrap, from a numberplate dealer, of which I have no knowledge whatsoever of the number. One could well be Aunty Maud's courting vehicle but I don't have any way of finding out.
FUN, FUN, FUN!
You bored yet?

We should establish from case law and the relevant laws (both UK and European) as to what can and cannot be stored on our internal club systems. What you do as an individual and not as a club officer, I believe, is not covered by any legislation.
We then need to obtain permission from the 'subject' if we need to store any such sensitive information for club purposes. Such purposes do need to be specified. This is not difficult if the subject is a current member of the club (as they have agreed as part of the membership process), it is a little hazy if they are a past or deceased member.
The next step is to understand how we divulge or publish any such information, either in a printed or Internet form and what restrictions we place on the publication.
If anybody out there can help, speak up.
There are ways to circumvent the computer storage issue. You could relate any data known about a subject to say a membership number. then printout the subject's names in numerical order on paper that just happened to have numbers on the rows, print out their addresses on another sheet of paper and just align the two sheets together.
However, this discussion is very simlar to the limited company one. What is the actual risk of anybody suing? In my view, zero or very close to zero.

Please send details of all and any Jowetts that you become aware of to the relevant Club Registrar. They keep all records of all known or seen Jowetts, but not names and addresses of those who have not registered using the 'new' form.
Club Vehicle registrers used to carry the most up to date (although sometimes shaky through age!) Now in the realms of the Data Protection Act we are to publish the next register showing only the details of those who have returned signed registration forms to the Registrars. If, in the future, it becomes clear that we can publish details of other vehicles then we would do so. Sound legal advice on this matter would be welcome.

Geoff it seems that some info can be obtained to confirm details just on the reg and make of vehicles.
Example below for all to see from DVLA.
I assume that if a check is not forthcoming then a phone call[DVLA] to confirm the vehicle is actully what it is or should be, but they are not always correct.
This is a tester for DVLA for their update system, and still waiting some months on!
Well we are in the 21st century.
This should tie in with the insurance and MOT data base but thats another long story.
Data protection your veiws please!


The vehicle details for NDV 693G are:

Date of Liability 01 09 2007
Date of First Registration 21 08 1968
Year of Manufacture Not Available
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 2300CC
CO2 Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type Petrol
Export Marker Not Applicable
Vehicle Status SORN Not Due
Vehicle Colour RED
Vehicle Type Approval
The information contained on this page is correct at the time of enquiry.

Please be aware that if the vehicle has recently been relicensed or a SORN declared, these details may not yet be updated on the vehicle record.

If you think that the details on the vehicle record are incorrect please write to:

VCS
DVLA
Swansea
SA99 1BA

Including the incorrect V5C Registration Certificate for amendment.