Henry’s charity 3k-miler
A 90-year-old Morris Cowley known as ‘Happy Henry’ will take part in a 3000mile challenge to raise money for the Pancreatic Cancer Action charity. Andy McKay sets off from Carlisle on 21 July in the 1927 Flatnose Morris Cowley that he bought in 2014. He will drive ‘the length and breadth of Britain’ accompanied by his cocker spaniel, Paddy, and, being a musician, will play gigs on the way.
Andy and his car have their roots in Carlisle, because the Cowley, one of the first of Flatnose types, was originally sold by Graham and Roberts in the town.
From 1934 the car was owned by Daisy Washington, aka Pat Waddell, a writer and broadcaster from Carlisle.
A motoring pioneer, she drove the car on a family trip from Carlisle to Oberammergau in the Bavarian Alps in 1950, and they were together until Mrs Washington’s death in 1972. Fortunately, her wish for the car to be burnt when she died was not carried out!
Andy first saw the car in Brampton, Cumbria in 1977, but his initial attempts to buy the car were in vain, until he bought the Morris Cowley via an internet auction and the car returned to its hometown for restoration.
Andy says: ‘It is a huge challenge and a logistical nightmare for me. But sadly, I lost my wife, Lyn, to pancreatic cancer in 2013 and I’m determined to do my best to raise funds and public awareness about this pernicious disease.’