Beetling along in a 1926 True Blue Oakland open tourer started a love affair with vintage cars for Esmee and Ian Rowden of Palmerston North.
It began in 1999, when Esmee had just retired as manager of the New Zealand Women’s Hockey team (now the Blacksticks) and civil engineer Ian had finished his term as the Palmerston North Rotary Club’s president.
Ian, who was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in January (2026), was interested in vintage and veteran cars. The couple looked at several but fell in love with a bright blue Oakland tourer in Te Puke. They dubbed it Betsy — for Betsy Ross of the first American flag fame — and had it trucked back to Palmerston North.
Trucking it back to Palmerston North became a familiar theme. It blew up on their first tour. It had been shocking to drive, buck-starting and the engine farting. Ian was wondering what to do about it when the phone rang and a voice in Pokeno explained that he was the man who’d restored the tourer so far, He had a lot of spares and would Ian please collect them.
Would he ever! The engine had failed; a crack between two cylinders, but the spare parts provided replacements. They were off again, puttering to vintage car rallies in Dunedin and Invercargill, and attending Art Deco celebrations in Napier. Betsy beetled along at a brisk 30 miles per hour, meaning they pulled over a lot to let queued traffic pass.
But stylish Betsy was a pig of a car to drive. The driver sat far forward, knees under his chin, and had to double clutch to change gears. Something more comfortable was required, so the couple bought a 1936 cream Chrysler, and then Esmee got a 1952 Sunbeam Talbot. More comfort, better speed, easier to drive than Betsy. Everything seemed settled on the car front — and then Ian found a creamy-white 1969 Mark II Jaguar, all sleek curves and utter luxury. It was love at first sight.
“The 60s were my era. Jags were the British car of the decade, and this one was glorious. Power steering, automatic gearbox, handled like a dream, it was a wonderful car to drive and ride in.”
They had five years of happy adventuring in the Jag, then in January, a routine diabetes check for Ian threw up an abnormal result. A scan on January 20 showed clearly that there was a tumour growing on his pancreas. Diagnosis was instant: Ian had pancreatic cancer.
“They gave me six to nine months initially; more expert opinions since have said that’s overly optimistic,” he said.
Sadly, pancreatic cancer and joyriding in the Jaguar don’t mix happily. Ian and Esmee had earlier made the reluctant decision to sell it, and the cancer diagnosis made them decide to give proceeds of the sale to the Arohanui Hospice. The Hospice became involved with Ian’s illness right from the start, with nursing care and equipment, and social work advice, and Esmee says this will increase as the disease progresses.
The support made them want to help the Hospice in return, to repay a little of what they are receiving. Accordingly, the Jag is for auction on trademe and will be showcased at the Rongotea Lions’ Club’s annual Car Show on March 8; an event where special and unusual cars are often sold.
Ian said he was initially surprised at the extent of the support the Hospice offered. “I knew it was a very good service, but until you are there, needing it, you don’t realise.”
Esmee said she knew about the Hospice because her sister, Sue, had died in Hospice care in 1998. “She felt ill in February, was diagnosed with secondary cancers in March, and died in April. It was a horrible thing… but the Hospice staff were so kind, so helpful.”
She’s mindful of the weight a carer carries in nursing a loved one at home, and says the Hospice’s help has already become an invaluable safety net for the family. “And our daughters are a wonderful help, too. They’re coming up from Wellington several days at a time, to be here with both of us.”
Check out the Jaguar on Arohanui Hospice’s TradeMe account ‘Aroha Shop’ at https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/jaguar/mk2/listing/5811465027
