Who was Herbert Austin?
Motorcar manufacturer and philanthropist.
Date and Place of Birth:
8th November 1866, Little Missenden, Buckinghamshire,
England.
Family Background:
Son of Giles Stephen Austin a Yorkshire Farmer
and Clara Jane Simpson.
Education:
Rotherham Grammar School and Brampton Commercial
College to study Architecture. He then emigrated to Melbourne Australia
with his uncle and served an apprenticeship as an engineer at Langlands
Foundry.
Chronology/Biography of Herbert Austin:
1882: Went to Melbourne,
Australia to join his uncle as a works manager of a general engineering
firm. He went on to work for six other engineering firms.
1893: He was asked
by Frederick Wolsey, whose company he was now working for to return
to Birmingham, England to supervise a sheep shearing equipment manufactory.
1895: He built his
first experimental car, a three wheeler steered by a tiller.
1896: The prototype
of his second car was exhibited at the Exhibition at Crystal Palace,
London.
1900: He entered
a four wheel car for the Automobile Club of Great Britain 1,000
mile challenge. The single cylinder car won first prize.
1901: The Wolseley
Tool and Motor Car Company was begun at Adderley Park in Birmingham
and Austin became Manager. He became a founder member of the Midland
Automobile Club.
1905: After taking
Wolseley cars to world renown he resigned and looked around to start
his own business. He found an out of town site at Longbridge which
was then seven miles from the city of Birmingham and with the help
of financial assistance from friends he bought a small derelict
printing works and began the Austin Motor Company. (November 17th)
Austin went to the Motor Show at Olympia in London and received
his first orders.
1906: The first
car, a 25 hp Endcliffe Phaeton costing £650, was produced
and soon skilled craftsmen made their way to Longbridge, manufacturing
120 cars in the first year.
1908: Three special
racing cars at 100 hp were produced and entered in the French Grand
Prix. The car driven by J.T.C. Moore-Brabazon came in a creditable
fifteenth. Production of the main road cars was now so popular that
a night shift at the factory was introduced. New models were developed
and the factory turned out a thousand cars per year.
1912: The company
expanded into manufacturing marine engines and a Saunders of Cowes
craft powered by an Austin engine won the British International
Trophy.
1913: A two ton
lorry was produced establishing Austin as a manufacturer of commercial
vehicles.
1914: (February)
The company went into public ownership and expansion was planned
but then came the outbreak of the First world War. The factory moved
over to making munitions for the war effort as well as vehicles
and aircraft and by 1917 had trebled in size even having its own
airfield on a local hill. 22,000 people now worked at the factory.
Austin was knighted for his services to the war effort. Sadly his
only son was killed in France during the War but was survived by
two daughters.
1918: At the end
of the War the factory went back to producing cars only and concentrated
on a 30 hp model which was sold for the staggeringly low cost of
£495. He began to take an interest
in politics and served as the Conservative Member of parliament
for Kings Norton, Birmingham until 1924.
1920: He began working
on the concept of a smaller car to meet the needs of the family
and because he received great opposition from his board he financed
the project himself.
1922: (July) The
new car designed by a small team under Herbert's direction and called
the Austin Seven was unveiled to the public. It quickly became known
popularly as the "Chummy" and sold for a mere £165.
Sales began slowly.
1924: The size of
the engine in the Austin Seven was increased and other refinements
such as an electric starter were introduced.
1926: The project
was now considered a success and production passed the 14,000 per
year mark.
1928: A new version
nicknamed the "Top Hat" was introduced.
1930's: This period
saw a continuous array of small changes and refinements to the Seven
being introduced.
1936: He was made
a Baron for his philanthropic works which included support for Birmingham
General Hospital.
1939: At the beginning
of World War Two the Longbridge factory was again turned over to
the manufacture of military equipment, including aircraft.
(1948): Heavily
modified Austin Sevens became the foundation point for the Lotus
Car Company.
Marriage:
1887 to Helen Dron of Melbourne. (Died 1942)
Places of Interest:
BIRMINGHAM:
Longbridge Motor Factory
WORCESTERSHIRE:
Lickey Grange House, Bromsgrove, where he lived
and the Austin 7 was conceived in the billiard room.
Date and Place of Death:
23rd May 1941, Lickey Grange, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire,
England.
Age at Death:
74.
Site of Grave:
Holy Trinity Church, Twatling Road, Bromsgrove,
Worcestershire. His wife is buried next to him in the same plot.
Herbert Austin's Grave
(© Anthony Blagg)
