Unknown Number Plate, from which Country?

[Craig Gillingham]

Can someone tell me where this number plate is from? I know it's not Australian --that's all. Is it NZ, SE Asia, European?

 

It is pressed aluminium, measures 6.5" x 8", the letters are 2" high.

 

 

[Vintman]

Hi,

 

Does look early British pattern which would have been black background and alluminum numbers. Slightly confused by traces of black paint on the numbers; oxidation??

 

If it is  British, it would be Surrey County Council registration of cca mid/late 1925. The county of  Surrey is on the sout western periphery of London..

 

My only concern is that early British pattern plates were used throughout the "Empire"..

 

ill ask NZcarnerd to advise if New Zealand?

 

Regards

 

Vintman

 

PS   This would normally be a rear numberplate; front one would be all in one line.

Edited February 8, 2020 by Vintman (see edit history)

[nzcarnerd]

I don't think this is an NZ plate.

 

Until 1925 when the national registration system was introduced, motor vehicle registration was handled by local counties and boroughs. The county did not actually issue the plate, only the number. It was up to the vehicle owner to make their own. Often it was simply painted on the car but there were also many different styles of  privately, and commercially-made plates.

 

There is a list here of former 'territorial authorities' and I see nothing there which would suggest a PE plate.   Bearing in mind that in the WW1 era the total population of New Zealand was only around one million many of the smaller counties would not have issued numbers as high as 5,000.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_former_territorial_authorities_in_New_Zealand

 

The counties of NZ in 1901.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counties_of_New_Zealand

 

Unfortunately I don't think anybody has been able to put together a comprehensive list of all of the issuing authorities so I don't know whether it was the local borough or the county which issued the plates in some cases.  The subject has come up for discussion on some local historical facebook pages but due to most county vehicle registration records being no longer in existence I doubt the questions will be answered.

[Craig Gillingham]

Thank you both, this has actually narrowed it down to being a non-NZ or British plate. And it does actually look like the numbers were black, which I hadn't noticed.