Frederick William Bremer constructed Britain’s first four wheeled car in Walthamstow with an internal combustion engine in 1892. The son of a German immigrant, he lived in Walthamstow and put the car together in a workshop behind the family’s home on Connaught Road. He described himself as a plumber, electrician, engineer, and bicycle maker. Bremer built the car for personal pleasure rather than commercial profit. Some stories suggest that he constructed another car prior to this, which was gas powered. His first and only petrol car was first driven in 1892, preceded down the road by a red flag. In 1912 the car was displayed at the First British Motor Museum in Oxford Street London, but the museum was relocated to Crystal Palace in 1914 along with the car. Later Bremer considered sending it for scrap but fortunately, it found a new home when Vestry House Museum in Walthamstow opened in 1933 where it remains today. Further adventures awaited the car when, after an extensive restoration in 1964 the car was entered into the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run being listed as car number 1, but the crankshaft broke after just 17 miles. The next year the car was again entered and completed the 54-mile course in just less than eight hours A full-size replica Bremer Car below was constructed by the Frederick Bremer School in Walthamstow named after him which will shortly be moved and put on display at the Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum.
