This Ensign Swallow is not only the only known survivor, but is also virtually the last car made of this type. Its history is unique. In 1933 it was supplied through Tilleys of Dorchester to Mr Childs. It was to remain in the Childs family for more than 70 years, and three generations. When its long term owner Mr Merthyr Childs, of the second generation, passed away, his heirs decided, reluctantly, that the time had come for the car to pass out of the family, and to come back to the museum of the company that had originally made it, in accordance with their late father’s wishes.

Once the Swallow Company had landed in Coventry in 1928, it soon began to spread its wings, and over the next few years the original Austin Sevens were supplemented by a wider range of bodywork on different chassis. These included Fiat, Swift and Wolseley, and in 1929 a link was forged to the large and important Coventry motor manufacturer Standard. The first Swallow-bodied Standard Nine appeared at the 1929 Olympia Motor Show.

Fitted with a saloon body in the style of the original Austin Seven, this new Swallow product became very popular at a price of £245. Then in May 1931, an additional model was introduced, based on the Standard Ensign, fitted with a 16hp six-cylinder engine of just over 2 litres’ capacity. With saloon coachwork in the now established Swallow style, this car cost £275.

The career of the Ensign Swallow was to be short. At the 1931 Motor Show, Swallow introduced the new SS I and SS II models, which quickly superseded the original Swallow-bodied Standards. As a result, production of the Standard Ensign Swallow stopped in the summer of 1932, after probably no more than 56 cars of this type had been made. However, it is worth pointing out that the Ensign bequeathed its engine to the first SS I. Therefore this car is a most important link in the history of the company.