Who drove the Thornycroft to Quorn?, a fair question given that Lasseter never held a drivers license and did not own a vehicle, much less drive one, Lasseter was strictly horse and buggy. Blakeley clearly states in page six of 'Dream Millions' that Lasseter "hired a driver to Quorn", and the Broken Hill newspapers infer that Lasseter left town on 12/7/30 in the company of two unnamed men

The answer was a serendipitous discovery as a result of enquiries confirming Coote's arrival in Broken Hill on 20/7/30. The trail lead to Adelaide where I had pleasure of interviewing the Proprietor of the garage that hired out the driver of the Thornycroft and the rare privilege of sighting an 'undiscovered' Lasseter letter.

In this one page letter, written in Lasseter's unmistakable copperplate and dated 14/7/30 from Quorn, Lasseter thanks the above garage owner and the driver for their assistance in transporting himself and the Thornycroft to Quorn, more or less confirming Blakeley's statement that Lasseter hired a driver. One of those rare occasions in Dream Millions where the Leader of the Expedition gets it right.

LASSETERIA

© R.Ross. 1999-2006