THE UK’s oldest driving school is celebrating the 80th anniversary of the compulsory driving test with an appeal for motoring memorabilia.

Anyone who started driving 80 years ago today had to take the compulsory driving test when it was brought in on June 1, 1935.

BSM, which launched in 1910, helped the Government develop the first compulsory driving test and the examiners were initially drawn exclusively from BSM staff.

The first test cost 7 shillings 6d and lasted only 30 minutes. The pass rate for the test was 63% and around 246,000 candidates applied to take it.

The first person to pass their test was a BSM pupil, Stanley Beere, on March 16, 1935. His name is often reported as Mr Beene due to confusion around the handwriting on the certificate.

Because of its history and place in the heart of the UK’s motoring story, BSM has created many historical items but, over the years, many of the branded items from BSM’s history have left the company’s ownership.

It is believed the items include original BSM L plates and driving simulators from the early 1900s, as well as old training manuals, documents and photographs.

An appeal in 2012 brought some items back to the company, including an original certificate of motoring competence from 1917, as well as a 1935 driving manual.

Mark Peacock, head of BSM, said: “We were really encouraged by the results of the last appeal for memorabilia and hope that this time we will be just as fortunate.

“BSM was instrumental in developing the driving test 80 years ago and if anyone has any items specifically relating to this it would be great to know where they are so we can log them in our archive.

“We’d also really love to hear from anyone who knows Mr Beere/Beene - it would be great to hear how our first learner got on after he passed his test.

“It’s amazing to think how much the driving test has changed in the last 80 years, not to mention the roads, cars and how we teach people to drive.

“Technology has played a big part in this, helping make cars safer, and I think we will continue to see this develop.”

Anyone with items they think might be of interest to the BSM memorabilia amnesty can email amnesty@bsm.co.uk