"Beaulieu" would be called "well-being" for us. And to the left or to the right: it is the classic fair that you, as a fan, must have visited. The approach is: 'If it exists, it will be Beaulieu. We report some 'facts' as basic knowledge for the coming trade show in September. And let's face it: it's almost September already.
A new word: an Autojumble
- Beaulieu is an 'Autojumble', that word was conceived by the then curator of the museum on the estate.
- The then highly unofficial word has been included in the Oxford English Dictionary since 2003.
- 'Bjoelie' started in 1967 as a one-day event. And then there were such 80 exhibitors who offered their things in the field.
- Nowadays in the International Autojumble 25 acres large. And 1 acre is 4046,9 m2. With around 2200 exhibitors, Beaulieu is a trade show where you can be full for those days.
- In the context of climate change, or at least on hot summers, there is a swimming pool for the children.
- In 2002 a group of friends had a plan: they swarmed around the fair looking for Austin Seven parts and assembled a copy of it on the spot.
- In 2003 a couple of people did that with a Model T Ford. And from Beaulieu, they then started a tour through England.
- Maybe he had lost track, but in 2008 there was a visitor who made parts of the fair the lowest-moving car in the world.
- For the 40th Beaulieu, in 2006, Lord Montagu invited over 200 exhibitors who had been present at the event for more than 25 years for a 'Tea' on his lawn. The veterans each received a watch with an inscription.
- The first Autojumble attracted just a few 5.000 visitors. Now there are more than 40.000 every year.
- 1969 Was the year that the magic limit of 200 exhibitors was exceeded.
- The Autojumble became 'International' in 1969. Then there was 1 foreign exhibitor: An American.
- The strangest thing that 'Bjoelie' ever sold? That was probably the pair of Shire horses.
- 1978 was the year that there were more than 800 exhibitors.
- In the early nineties there were more than 2000 exhibitors with parts plus about 150 complete cars for sale.
- In 1979 the party was scaled up to two days.
- Okay, it's temporary work, but for Beaulieu there are about 220 people working on the organization and implementation.
- All those visitors must of course eat and sleep. Many regular visitors have their regular addresses. But every year Beaulieu is good for 11.000 overnight stays in the local hotels.
- What once started as a 'garden party' now gives an annual economic boost of 11 million Pounds. And the British treasury is picking 500.000 Pound VAT.
- Ernie Warminton from Cornwall was the first visitor in 1967.
- In honor of the 40th birthday of the festival there was a line-up in 2006 where a car from every year of the tradition was written. And among them were the cars that were once assembled on the spot from locally purchased parts.
- In honor of the 40th Beaulieu, the exhibitors received a specially printed calendar. And it has since become a collector's item.
- Beaulieu also received recognition from a completely different angle: The event received the Silver Award for Tourism during the highly prestigious Visit England Awards for Excellence Ceremony in 2014.
- There was a year with so much rain that Bonhams kept his presentation in the shallow and the auction in the deep water.
- The prize winner at Beaulieu was a 'barn find; Bentley. In 2015 it went away for 695.900 Pond.
- And the cheapest car? That went away for only 80 Pound, it was a Mini.
- "You will find everything at Beulieu". An exhibitor who had lost his ignition key plowed through bins full of loose keys to find one that would fit. And found that.
- In 1985 there was an American who was confused with the exchange rates. He found everything so 'cheap' that he bought a lot. And only later saw how much it had cost him.
- You would almost forget it. But in 1971 the first exhibitor came from 'the Continent'. That was the dealer in classic parts 'Depanauto' from France.
- All profit after deduction of costs goes to (automotive oriented) charities such as the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance Service
