The Web Site History

As two of our members Stuart Gray and Gerry Stoneman, have found it neccessary to question the ownership of the web site I have decided to put the record straight.

In the early years of the re-formed club, our then editor Bob Dyke, asked club member David Mayo if it was possible to set up a web site. During the year 1998-1999 a simple web page was constructed by David using the free web space available through "Freeserve" the web address being www.steamcargb.freeserve.co.uk. (David Mayo's Mother's account)

In early 2003, "Freeserve" started charging for their internet service, David's Mum decided to closed her account. To keep a web site going, David used a company called "Namesecure" to register a new web address using a new domain name www.steamcar.com this web site was called "The Steam Car Club of Great Britain". This new domain name was registed too and owned by, David Mayo, the internet records still show this.

By early 2004 I had mentioned several times to committee members, that I would like to operate the web site, unfortunately by this time David Mayo had gone off to University and none of the then Committee members had any idea how the system worked or how control could be gained.

The Committee had also received demands for fees from "Namesecure" again we did not know what should be done or how. The then secretary suggested that a company "Virtual Shropshire" which operated their business web site, should be approached, and for an agreed fee of £150 per annum, they took over the updating of the website www.steamcar.com this proved not to work well, changes asked for, taking far to long to take place.

Within a few months I was again asking if I could operated the site direct, I had also begun to understand how the system work and it dawned on me how important the request for fees from "Namesurcure" had been. Unfortunately "Virtual Shropshire" had paid the fees and the domain name www.steamcar.com had been transfered to them, because of this they would not give me the FTP details as this would give me access to all their other clients.
(www.steamcar.com is availible from Name Administration Inc, Cayman Islands, offers around $25,000 are expected)

On the 28th June 2004 I decided to register the Domain name www.steamcar.net and made a start designing a new web site. Virtual Shropshire did agree to link David Mayo's web site to my site until the year's fee expired.

The final record is, The Steam Car Club of Great Britain has never had a web site registered to its name. Having now learnt much more about web sites, and how important Domain Names are, I have also purchased   www.steamcar.biz;  www.steamcar.us;   www.steamcar.info;  all point to my main web address  www.steamcar.net

I find it incredible and rather disappointing that considering the amount of work I have put into this web site for the members of The Steam Car Club of Great Britain and for the benefit of all steam car owners worldwide, many who have said they enjoy the site, and yet certain members of our club here in the U.K. find it neccessary to question ownership! Why does it matter?