* Ages for Driving License

[R_Hewitt]

I have a (UK) driving licence from my grandfather's papers dated 12th December 1918.
It is in the name of Harry Hewitt which was his name, but also his fathers name so I can't be sure who it appertains to.

Grandfather Harry would have been nineteen at this time (born Oct 1899) and Great Grandfather Harry would have been fifty one (born Apr 1867).

Would anybody have any ideas about the minimum age limits to acquire a driving license at this time or any other suggestions to determine whose it is?
(I've Googled it but not managed to come up with an answer, to date.)


ID:5631

[tatewise]

The link below suggests that the minimum age for driving licences was reduced to 16 years between August 1918 and August 1921.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/? ... 07a.2077.2

Is there a signature or an address on the licence?
Can these be matched up with any other documents?

[R_Hewitt]

Thank you for your reply and for the link - that is very interesting.

The only signature on the license is the Borough Treasurer & Accountant who seems to be the issuing officer.

The address is 159 Leek New Road, Burslem which is an area of Stoke on Trent. I do have Harry snr's National Registration Card from 1915 which also gives a Burslem address (although different street) so do have that connection, but I suspect that Harry jnr at 18/19 years old might still be living with his mum & dad.

Other than the name, address, valid from & to dates and the aforementioned signature, there is no other information on it.

[RSellens]

Hi Robert,
Just a thought. It is probably going to have been your Grandfather's driving licence, as the chances would be that he probably learnt to drive during the War (prehaps during army service), as he is about the right age to have caught the back end of the war.

Richard

[R_Hewitt]

Thanks for that, Richard.

I've not yet looked in to what, if anything, he did during WW1 so I suppose there might be something to discover about that in due course.