Dear Morgan Centenary Roadster 100 Register Members

It was sad to read in Miscellany last evening of the passing of past Register Member, Les Yarranton.

Les was one of our early Register members once owning Car No 021.

Having once been a Morgan Works Team Driver he sadly never participated in any register events to my knowledge so I never met him. He was very well known in Morgan Circles.

We only have these two photos of Les in action at Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb in 021 taken from a local Worcestershire Newspaper.

Our condolences to wife Sandra and family.

Frank.

Les with Wife Sandra, friends and Roadster 100 No. 021 - July 2016

Les, Setting Off up the Shelsey Walsh Hill Climb

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Members Condolences and Tributes

From Willie Austin

Indeed it was sad to hear that Les Yarranton had passed away, and please accept my apologies for not responding sooner.

Les was very much a local character where we live in North Worcestershire, having inherited the family garage and bus company created by his Dad after the 1^st World War. The buses still operate from Eardiston, 7miles East of Tenbury Wells; indeed, our son catches a Yarrantons bus to school in Worcester every day. If heading North from Worcester on the A443, you will pass the garage on your left, and the business is still run by his two sons and daughter. During the 50s/60s Les doubled as a coach driver and a works rally driver for Morgan; a generation of school children (now in their 70’s) will testify to how these two professions occasionally merged into one during the morning school run around the twisting back roads of North Worcestershire!

I believe the family bought #021 as a 75^th birthday/retirement present, and the photo from the Worcester News was when Les took it up Shelsey Walsh Hill Climb, apparently beating his old record from his days driving for Morgan. Les & Sandra had sold her around 2013, after Les found it difficult to clamber in and out, but not before putting some serious miles on the clock by touring France and Germany. Pure serendipity meant that we bought #21 in 2016 and brought her back to the same parish as Yarrantons Garage; it was the mention of Les Yarranton’s name as a former owner, by the unsuspecting salesman at Nick Whale Sports Cars, that sold us #021 ahead of the newer Roadster models we were then looking at. As I say, pure serendipity.

The photo of Les with the car was taken in July 2016; we had some lovely chats sitting at the back of the garage on his occasional visits from Tenbury where he lived with Sandra. Sadly, his mobility and health had deteriorated over recent years, and he passed away peacefully at home.

I have attached some photos from 16 September 2021, showing the funeral cortege arriving at Eardiston garage from Tenbury. There was a good crowd outside the Regal Theatre in Tenbury to wave him off, as Les was followed by a Yarrantons coach with the family, and then a Plus 4 and a Plus 8 organised by Morgan in his honour. When they arrived at the garage, Les took one final turn around the yard, before heading off; no doubt exceeding the speed limit for a least part of the journey!

There were a couple of other local Morgans across the road, and you will see that #021 sat on the forecourt. We changed the plates back to LS59MOG – Les & Sandra.

May he rest in peace.

Willie Austin

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From MSCC Miscellany - Written By Martin Wyatt

Les Yarranton has died at the age of 91. He was a Morgan team driver in RAC rallies and races in the 50's, part of the Peter Morgan era.

His competitive ability was noticed by Peter, who asked Les to join the team in 1954 taking part in all types of motor sport in Plus 4s. In particular, in the late 50s he took part in the Monte Carlo Rally with his Morgan.

This was not without incident and as those who have done night rallies or long distance trials will know there are times when the navigator and driver wonder if they are on the right road!

This happened during a long winding narrow pass in the French Alps, which made them tur around and drive back down miles of road only to find that it was correct! Despite this dilemma they just managed to get through within the strict time limit controls and were a finisher in the results.

Les ran the family coach business and was obviously a colourful and well respected figure of the local community, judging by the large numbers of Tenbury Wells people who turned out on the roadside to pay their respect. He and his wife Sandra were very involved in the Midland Centre organising many meetings during the 1990's

Our sympathy goes to Sandra and their family.

Les in his Plus 4, during the Morgan 4/4 Club's 5th annual Night Rally in December 1955 (photo courtesy of Chris Chapman)

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