72-474: The Wolseley Ten is a light car which was produced by Wolseley Motors Limited in 1939 and from 1945 to 1948 . The ten horsepower class of cars was an important part of the market in 1930s Britain and Wolseley entered the sector with their 10/40 of 1936 based on the contemporary Morris Ten . Both Morris and Wolseley were part of the Nuffield Organization . The 10/40 ceased production in 1937 and it
144-511: A Mr W R Morris of Holywell St. Oxford who ran a garage and hire car business there, as well as making bicycles. Then the London head office followed. After some heated discussions Siddeley resigned in the spring of 1909 and Rothschild went, too. He resigned from Wolseley in 1909 to go into partnership with H P P Deasy and manage the Deasy Motor Company , also of Coventry. Ernest Hopwood
216-423: A Tonneau or a Phaeton body with either pneumatic or solid tyres. For an additional outlay of thirty shillings (£1.50) the 10 hp model would be fitted with a sprag to prevent it running backwards. "We recommend pneumatic tyres for all cars required to run over twenty miles an hour." Austin then provided a paragraph as to why his horizontal engines were better lubricated (than vertical engines) and that 750 rpm,
288-402: A steering wheel instead of a tiller. The first Wolseley cars sold to the public were based on the "Voiturette", but production did not get underway until 1901, by which time the board of WSSMC had lost interest in the nascent motor industry. Thomas and Albert Vickers, directors of Vickers and Maxim , Britain's largest armaments manufacturer, had much earlier decided to enter the industry at
360-593: A 'Great tenement called The Place' next to the bridge in Crayford, and between 1556 and 1586 purchased substantial amounts of local farmland and the Old Bell Public House. In 1623 most of the parish of Crayford was purchased by Merchant Taylor Robert Draper including Newbery Manor, Howbury Manor, Marshalls Court and May Place, where his family took up residence. Draper's wife Anne was the daughter of Thomas Harman who lived at Ellam House which subsequently passed to
432-983: A Wolseley car chassis. This operating car was employed during the Gallipoli Campaign at Suvla, in the Libyan Desert (during the Senussi Campaign ) and at Kantara in Egypt, before being attached to the Desert Mounted Corps Operating Unit in 1917. Subsequently, taking part in the Southern Palestine Offensive, which culminated in the Capture of Jerusalem . In 1918, Wolseley began a joint venture in Tokyo, with Ishikawajiama Ship Building and Engineering . The first Japanese-built Wolseley car rolled off
504-528: A built-in Jackall system that could hydraulically lift a wheel off the ground for tyre changing an extra £5. In June 1939 the saloon was joined by a factory-built two-door drophead coupé priced at £270, but very few seem to have been made. London dealer Eustace Watkins also offered their own drophead version. With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, production of Wolseley cars, including the Ten, eventually stopped. 5261 of
576-593: A huge motorcycle surmounted by a car body, but with the ability to balance when stationary due to the gyroscopic stabilisation mechanism. It made a number of demonstration runs, but unfortunately with the onset of war it was put to one side. It was discovered again in 1938 when workmen uncovered its well preserved remains in the Ward End property of Wolseley. It was then transferred into the Wolseley Museum. From 1912 lorries and other commercial vehicles were supplied. Until
648-514: A low speed. High efficiency V8 engines were made for hydroplanes as well as straight eights to run on petrol or paraffin. Weight was very important and these engines were of advanced design. The airship Mayfly was fitted with Wolseley engines. A Ferdinand de Baeder (1865–1944), Belgian holder of Aviator's certificate No. 107, won Prix des Pilots, Prix des Arts et Metiers, Coupe Archdeacon, Prix Capitaine Berger at Châlons-en-Champagne in his Wolseley-engined Voisin biplane on 30 December 1909. By
720-583: A member of the combine Vickers Sons & Maxim, had consulted Herbert Austin at The Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Company Limited in the late 1890s a number of times in relation to the design of flying machines , which Maxim was developing and constructing. Maxim made use of a number of suggestions made by Austin in Maxim's activities at his works in Crayford , Kent . Once the sheep shearing company had decided they would not pursue their automobile interest, an approach
792-499: A site for a new showroom and offices in London's Piccadilly by the Ritz Hotel. Over £250,000 was spent on the magnificent new building, Wolseley House. This was more than double their profits for 1919, when rewarding government contracts were still running. Those contracts ended. The government then brought in a special tax on "excess wartime profits". There was a moulders' strike from December 1919 to April 1920, but in spite of that it
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#1732869766078864-539: A tendency then arose for journalists to follow the company's full-page display advertising and drop the first word in Wolseley Siddeley — " Siddeley Autocars made by (in smaller typeface) the Wolseley Tool . . ." Certainly it was true the new engines were named Siddeley engines. Meanwhile, under Siddeley Wolseley maintained the sales lead left to him by Austin but, now run from London, not (Austin's base) Birmingham,
936-482: Is a scheduled monument lying between Crayford and Bexley . It has gardens with the River Cray running through and a plant nursery, a cafe and restaurant plus the silkworks shop. The large Sainsbury's supermarket situated next to the greyhound stadium was claimed by Sainsbury's to be the world first's use of technology which heats the store using natural energy captured through boreholes buried hundreds of metres beneath
1008-456: Is now the site of St Catherine's Roman Catholic School for Girls), Martens Grove and Oakwood - the latter two designed by architect John Shaw Jr. and built by George Locke of builders Locke & Nesham with each occupying one of the houses. In 1819, the former saw mill site became a flour mill. Another major employer was the silk works set up by Augustus Applegath and later run by David Evans. The Maxim Nordenfeldt Gun and Ammunition Factory
1080-731: The 4/44 (later 15/50 ) and 6/90 , which were closely related to the MG Magnette ZA/ZB and the Riley Pathfinder / Two-point-Six respectively. In 1957 the Wolseley 1500 was based on the planned successor to the Morris Minor , sharing a bodyshell with the Riley One-Point-Five . The next year, the Wolseley 15/60 debuted the new mid-sized BMC saloon design penned by Pinin Farina . It
1152-463: The Ciclomotore Wolsit from 1910 to 1914. A team of Wolsit cars competed in motoring events in 1907. After 1911 the name on the cars was again just Wolseley. Chetwynd's recommendations soon led to a revival in profits and a rapid expansion of Wolseley's business. The Adderley Park factory was greatly extended in 1912. These extensions were opened in 1914 but there was not sufficient space for
1224-575: The Vickers Armaments in conjunction with Herbert Austin . It initially made a full range, topped by large luxury cars, and dominated the market in the Edwardian era . The Vickers brothers died and, without their guidance, Wolseley expanded rapidly after the war, manufacturing 12,000 cars in 1921, and remained the biggest motor manufacturer in Britain. Over-expansion led to receivership in 1927 when it
1296-542: The "Brettas" at that battle. Crayford is mentioned in the Domesday Book , which was compiled just prior to 1086, as a settlement within the Hundred of Litlelee with a church, three mills, and a relatively large population of 27 regular householders ( villeins ) and two smallholders . Its overlord was not a private individual or the king but Christ Church, Canterbury . As a (civil/combined) parish (before 1920) it included
1368-466: The (1927), and consolidated its production at the sprawling Ward End Works in Birmingham . He sold off large unwanted portions of Wolseley's Adderley Park plant with all his own Soho, Birmingham works and moved Morris Commercial Cars from Soho to the remainder of Adderley Park. In 1919 Vickers had decided Wolseley should build relatively cheap cars in large quantity – as it turned out – not
1440-423: The 2011 census, 84% of the population is White British. Crayford has a theatre and a greyhound racing track. The theatre was named in honour of Geoffrey Whitworth who played a key part in developing a British tradition of amateur drama and in building political support for The Royal National Theatre . The new Crayford Community Centre, located above the library, is the venue for many groups. Nearby Hall Place
1512-639: The Birmingham Corporation. They also built many specials such as electric lighting sets and motor boat engines – catalogued sizes were from 12 hp to 250 hp with up to twelve cylinders and complete with gearboxes. Fire engines too and special War Office vehicles being a subsidiary of a major armaments firm. As befits a company with tool in its name they built machine tools including turret lathes and horizontal borers though chiefly for their own use or for group members. Large engines were made to power petrol-electric railcars, such as those used by
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#17328697660781584-562: The Drapers. The ownerships subsequently passed to Robert Draper's son William, who was selected to be the Sheriff of the County of Kent but died in 1650 before taking office, and then to Robert's grandson, parliamentarian Cresheld Draper . On the death of Cresheld Draper in 1694, his heirs sold all the properties to Sir Cloudesley Shovell '. Crayford Manor House was rebuilt in the eighteenth century, at
1656-523: The First World War. In January 1914 the chairman, Sir Vincent Caillard , told shareholders they owned probably the largest motor-car producing company in the country and that its factory floor space now exceeded 17 acres. Entering wartime as Britain's largest car manufacturer Wolseley initially contracted to provide cars for staff officers and ambulances. Government soon indicated their plant might be better used for supplies more urgently needed. Postwar
1728-609: The Morris Organisation later promoted as the Nuffield Organization After the war Wolseley left Adderley Park, Morris and Wolseley production was consolidated at Cowley . The first post-war Wolseleys, the similar 4/50 and 6/80 models used overhead camshaft Wolseley engines, were otherwise based on the Morris Oxford MO and Morris Six MS but given the traditional Wolseley radiator grille. The Wolseley 6/80
1800-642: The North-Eastern Railway Company in 1904, and still larger engines were made for the Delaware and Hudson railroad. In 1905 they also offered petrol narrow-gauge railway locomotives. The amazing Brennan mono-rail truck which gave rides at the Japan–British Exhibition at Shepherd's Bush in 1910, used a 20HP engine manufactured by the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car company to power the gyroscopic stabilisation and an 80HP Wolseley engine for
1872-515: The Olympia Show in November 1919. The design of the 10 hp and 15 hp engines closely followed their wartime Hispano aero engine using an overhead camshaft. The public considered the 15 hp was too innovative and a new "14 hp" car using the same engine was hastily created to fill the gap. Wolseley duly took over the Ward End, Birmingham munitions factory from Vickers in 1919 and purchased
1944-439: The business a new lease of life. At the November 1905 Olympia Motor Show , the first at the former National Agricultural Hall, two small 6 hp and 8 hp cars were still exhibited with horizontal engines but there were also Siddeley's new 15, 18 and 32 hp cars with vertical engines. This switch to vertical engines brought Wolseley a great deal of publicity and their products soon lost their old-fashioned image. However
2016-462: The car allowing a simple belt or chain-drive to the rear axle: in 1904 Queen Alexandra bought a 5.2-litre 24 hp landaulette with coil ignition, a four-speed gearbox and chain drive. John Siddeley (1st Baron Kenilworth) founded his Siddeley Autocar Company in 1902 to manufacture cars to Peugeot designs. He had Peugeot-based demonstration cars at the Crystal Palace in 1903. By 1905,
2088-418: The chairman, Sir Vincent Caillard, was able to report Wolseley had provided, quantities are approximate: Aero engines produced in wartime included: The Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade 's Field Ambulance developed an operating car, designed by Colonel H. Wade in 1914, which enclosed an operating table, sterilisers, full kit of instruments and surgical equipment, wire netting, rope, axes and electric lighting in
2160-746: The company had a dozen models for sale and some of them were built for him at Vickers' Crayford, Kent factory. During 1905 Wolseley—which then dominated the UK car market—purchased the goodwill and patent rights of his Siddeley Autocar Company business and appointed Siddeley London sales manager of Herbert Austin 's The Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company Limited owned by Vickers, Sons and Maxim . A few months later Herbert Austin left Wolseley to found his own Austin Motor Company due to resolute refusal to countenance new vertical engines for his Wolseleys, whatever his directors might wish. Austin handed in his resignation
2232-592: The early 1890s by the now 33-year-old Austin. Wolseley's board had decided not to enter the business and Maxim and the Vickers brothers picked it up. After his five-year contract with The Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company ended Austin founded The Austin Motor Company Limited . Austin had been searching for other products for WSSMC because sale of sheep-shearing machinery was a highly seasonal trade. About 1895–96 he became interested in engines and automobiles. During
Wolseley Ten - Misplaced Pages Continue
2304-422: The export market and named Wolseley Messenger there. It remained in production until 1935. The Messenger was noted for its robust construction. A very deep section frame reached the full width of the body – incidentally providing the sill between running boards and body. The body itself was all-steel and its prototype was first in UK to have its whole side pressed in one. Wolseley's postwar engines were all of
2376-520: The ground and was at the time of its expansion (2010) the largest Sainsbury's in England. The Tower Retail Park is opposite Crayford Town Hall. The High Street is partly one-way for motor traffic. Crayford railway station connects the town with Southeastern services to London Charing Cross via Sidcup , London Cannon Street via Sidcup and Lewisham , London Cannon Street via Woolwich Arsenal and Greenwich , Dartford and Gravesend . Crayford
2448-692: The hamlets of Northend , Perry Street and Slade Green which lie to the north. In 1831, the population of the parish was 2022 people. For centuries it was strongly associated with brick-making, the printing of silk scarves, ties and calico cloths, and for a short period carpet-making. There were two main Manor Houses in the area during the Middle Ages , Newbery Manor on the site of what is now Crayford Manor House, and Howbury Manor next to Slade Green. Roger Apylton had served Kings Henry V and Henry VI as auditor, and resided at Marshalls Court, Crayford. Late in
2520-468: The line in 1922. After World War II the Japan venture was reorganized, renaming itself Isuzu Motors in 1949. Thomas Vickers died in 1915, and Albert Vickers in 1919, both having reached their eighties. During the war, Wolseley's manufacturing capacity had rapidly developed and expanded. Immediately postwar, the Vickers directors decided to manufacture cars in large quantities at relatively cheap prices. Demand
2592-604: The merger of BMC and Leyland to form British Leyland in 1969 the Riley marque, long overlapping with Wolseley, was retired. Wolseley continued in diminished form with the Wolseley Six of 1972, a variant of the Austin 2200, a six-cylinder version of the Austin 1800. It was finally killed off just three years later in favour of the Wolseley variant of the wedge-shaped 18–22 series saloon, which
2664-514: The model had been made before production ceased in early 1941. Production restarted in September 1945 but without the drophead version. The price had risen considerably to £474 (partly due to higher taxes) against the Morris's £378. The Ten was discontinued in 1948 after 2715 more had been built when the first of the post war designs arrived. The new small Wolseley was the 4/50 but with a 1.5 litre engine
2736-445: The new Stellite model which was instead produced and marketed by another Vickers subsidiary, Electric and Ordnance Accessories Company Limited. Wolseley was not then as specialised in its operations as members of the motor industry were to become. For other members of the Vickers group they were general engineers and they also handled engineering enquiries directed on to them by other group members. Wolseley built double-decker buses for
2808-461: The outbreak of war in 1914 Wolseley offered six types of commercial vehicle from 12 cwt delivery van to a five-ton lorry with a 40 hp engine. By 1913 Wolseley was Britain's largest car manufacturer selling 3,000 cars. The company was renamed Wolseley Motors Limited in 1914. It also began operations in Montreal and Toronto as Wolseley Motors Limited. This became British and American Motors after
2880-653: The petrol-electric propulsion of the 22 ton vehicle. While at first Wolseley supplied engines for launches, made for them by Teddington Launch Works, they moved on to small river craft and light coasting boats. The demand for engines for larger vessels grew. It was not uncommon for orders to be booked for 70-foot (21 m) yachts, racing launches and ferry boats to carry fifty or more passengers. These were manufactured by S E Saunders Limited at Cowes, Isle of Wight. Special engines were made for lifeboats. In 1906 horizontal engines of sixteen cylinders were designed and constructed for British submarines. They were designed to run at
2952-500: The reign of Elizabeth I Henry Partich sold Newbery Manor to Henry Apylton of Marshalls Court, and Apylton built May Place close by. Hall Place , which lies alongside the River Cray, was built for Lord Mayor of the City of London Sir John Champneis in around 1537. There was also an Iron Mill, which was later replaced by a saw mill (in 1765), which produced the timber for the floor of Buckingham Palace . In 1551 Francis Goldsmith bought
Wolseley Ten - Misplaced Pages Continue
3024-513: The right moment and, impressed by Austin's achievements at WSSMC, they took on his enterprise. When Austin's five-year contract officially ended in 1906 they had made more than 1,500 cars. Wolseley was the largest British motor manufacturer and Austin's reputation was made. The company had been formed in March 1901. By 1 May 1901 Austin had issued his first catalogue. There were to be two models, 5 hp and 10 hp. They were both available with either
3096-411: The right policy. Morris changed this policy before the Wolseley brand might have lost all its luxury reputation. After lengthy deliberation and re-tooling of the works he kept the 2-litre six-cylinder 16–45 Silent Six and introduced a four-cylinder version calling it 12–32. Then an eight-cylinder car was brought to market named 21–60. In September 1928 a six-cylinder 21–60 was announced primarily aimed at
3168-424: The single overhead-camshaft type, the camshaft driven by a vertical shaft from the crankshaft. The eight-cylinder 21–60 held the vertical shaft in the centre of the engine, and both crankshaft and camshaft were divided at their midpoints. Their smallest engine of 847cc was designed and made for Morris's new Minor at Ward End with the camshaft drive's shaft the spindle of the dynamo driven by spiral bevel gears. But it
3240-540: The site of Noviomagus Cantiacorum , a place mentioned in the Antonine Itinerary as being on the Roman equivalent of the later Watling Street . Crayford is also plausible as the site of the bloody battle of Crecganford ("Creeks ford ") in 457 in which Hengist defeated Vortimer to become the supreme sovereign of Kent . The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle written around 400 years later describes how Hengist and Æsc defeated
3312-459: The speed of his Wolseley engines, avoided the short life of competing engines that ran between 1,000 and 2,000 rpm." The association with Vickers not only helped in general design but in the speed of production and provision of special steels Engines were horizontal which kept the centre of gravity low. Cylinders were cast individually and arranged either singly, in a pair or in two pairs which were horizontally opposed. The crankshaft lay across
3384-643: The summer of 1910 Wolseley were able to supply the following specially designed water-cooled aero-engines: Caterpillar tracked tractors were designed and supplied to Robert Falcon Scott for his ill-fated second expedition to the Antarctic. Orders were also received for use by the Deutsche Antarktische Expedition. In 1914 Wolseley produced a two-wheeled gyroscopically balanced car for the Russian lawyer and inventor Count Pyotr Shilovsky . This resembled
3456-538: The time essentially a farmhouse until it was remodelled in 1816 for the Rev. Thomas Barne. Historic England state it was built piecemeal over several periods, with a porch and Italianate features being added to the 1816 building. Other notable 19th-century local houses included Shenstone (built around 1828 and demolished 1974, the site is now Shenstone School, with Shenstone's former grounds now being Shenstone Park), Stoneyhurst (which became Stoneyhurst Convent High School and
3528-401: The up-market sector, it was well equipped with leather upholstery, pile carpets and walnut trim. The seats were early users of Dunlopillo foam rubber, rather than traditional metal coil springs, possibly the first mass-produced car to use this new material. The steering column was adjustable for both angle and reach. At launch the car was priced at £215, £40 more than the Morris with the option of
3600-518: The whole business failed to cover overheads. A board member, Walter Chetwynd, was set to find a solution. It was decided the business operated from too many different locations. First the board closed the Crayford Kent works, moving the whole operation back to Birmingham and dropping production of commercial vehicles and taxicabs – a large number of which, 500+, were made during Siddeley's time including an early 10 hp taxicab made in 1908 sold to
3672-518: The winter of 1895–96, working in his own time at nights and weekends, he made his own version of a design by Léon Bollée that he had seen in Paris. Later he found that another British group had bought the rights and he had to come up with a design of his own, having persuaded the directors of WSSMC to invest in the necessary machinery. In 1897 Austin's second Wolseley car, the Wolseley Autocar No. 1
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#17328697660783744-429: The year before his contract ended. and Siddeley was appointed manager of Wolseley in his place and, without authority, added Siddeley to the badge on the Wolseley cars. Siddeley, on his appointment to Austin's former position, promptly replaced Austin's horizontal engines with the now conventional upright engines. With him he brought his associate Lionel de Rothschild as a member of the Wolseley board. Together they gave
3816-411: Was 4 in (100 mm) shorter than the Morris. Suspension was not independent and used semi elliptic leaf springs all round. Lockheed hydraulic drum brakes were fitted. The 1140 cc engine designated XPJW was also slightly more powerful than the one in the Morris delivering 40 bhp (30 kW; 41 PS) as against 37 bhp (28 kW; 38 PS). As the car was intended to compete in
3888-467: Was Dussek Brothers (part of Burmah- Castrol since the 1960s) who operated their oils and waxes blending business on Thames Road from around 1928 until the site was bought by BP and subsequently closed down in 2001. The entire site was demolished in early 2010. The David Evans silk works is another recent closure, in 2002. In 1982 a housing cooperative was built at Craymill next to the A206 road. According to
3960-533: Was a larger car and not a real replacement. With Morris Motors (owners of Wolseley's parent company the Nuffield Organization ) merging with the Austin Motor Company to form the British Motor Corporation in 1952, this sector of the market would be left to Austin and Morris. Wolseley Motors Wolseley Motors Limited was a British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in early 1901 by
4032-626: Was also a major employer, until taken over by the Vickers Company in 1897. Vickers built military aeroplanes and armaments and became the dominant employer, building homes, a theatre and a canteen close to many workshops. The canteen (built during the First World War ) was converted for use by the Crayford Urban District Council as Crayford Town Hall and is a locally listed building. Another former major employer in Crayford
4104-597: Was appointed managing director in August 1909. Wolsit Officine Legnanesi Autmobili was incorporated in 1907 by Macchi Brothers and the Bank of Legnano to build Wolseley cars under licence in Legnano , about 18 kilometres north-west of central Milan. A similar enterprise, Fial , had started there a year earlier but failed in 1908. Wolsit automobile production ended in 1909, the business continued but made luxury bicycles. Emilio Bozzi made
4176-468: Was bought from Vickers Limited by William Morris as a personal investment. He moved it into his Morris Motors empire just before the Second World War . After that, Wolseley products were "badge-engineered" Morris cars. Wolseley went with its sister businesses into BMC, BMH and British Leyland, where its name lapsed in 1975. Hiram Maxim , inventor of the machine gun that bears his name, and by then
4248-791: Was decided to continue the manufacture of other parts. Then a short, sharp general trade slump peaked in July 1920 and almost every order Wolseley had on its books was cancelled. In 1920 Wolseley had reported a loss of £83,000. The following years showed even greater losses. Next, in October 1922, W R Morris startled the whole motor industry by a substantial reduction in the price of his cars. In 1924, Wolseley's annual loss would reach £364,000. Ernest Hopwood had been appointed Managing Director in August 1909 following Siddeley's departure. He had resigned late in 1919 due to ill-health. A J McCormack who had been joint MD with Hopwood since 1911 resigned in November 1923 and
4320-507: Was followed by similar vehicles from five marques within the year. The Wolseley Hornet was based on the Austin and Morris Mini with a booted body style which was shared with Riley as the Elf . The 1500 was replaced with the Wolseley 1100 ( BMC ADO16 ) in 1965, which became the Wolseley 1300 two years later. Finally, a version of the Austin 1800 was launched in 1967 as the Wolseley 18/85 . After
4392-605: Was good. They would borrow money, purchase the whole Ward End site and further expand Wolseley's works. Vickers also decided to consolidate their motor car interests in one company. Wolseley accordingly purchased from within the Vickers group: Electric and Ordnance Accessories Company Limited, the Motor-Car (Stellite Car) Ordnance Department and the Timken Bearing Department and announced Wolseley's future car programme would be: Examples of all these models were exhibited at
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#17328697660784464-454: Was in the historic county of Kent until 1965. The settlement developed by the river Cray , around a ford that is no longer used. An Iron Age settlement existed in the vicinity of the present St Paulinus Church between the Julian and Claudian invasions of Britain , from roughly 30 BC to AD 40. Roman ruins have been discovered and Crayford is one of several places proposed as
4536-472: Was made and agreement quickly reached. The Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company of Adderley Park Birmingham was incorporated in March 1901 with a capital of £40,000 by Vickers, Sons and Maxim to manufacture motor cars and machine tools. The managing director was Herbert Austin . The cars and the Wolseley name came from Austin's exploratory venture for The Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Company Limited, run since
4608-399: Was made in three different sizes and its camshaft drive continued to evolve from the dynamo's spindle to, in the end, an automatically tensioned single roller chain. Morris transferred his personal ownership of Wolseley to Morris Motors Limited as of 1 July 1935 and shortly all Wolseley models were badge-engineered Morris designs. Wolseley joined Morris, MG and later Riley/Autovia in
4680-595: Was never even given an individual model name, being badged just "Wolseley", and sold only for seven months until that range was renamed as the Princess . This change thus spelled the end of the Wolseley marque after 74 years. Crayford Crayford is a town and electoral ward in South East London, England, within the London Borough of Bexley . It lies east of Bexleyheath and north west of Dartford . Crayford
4752-490: Was not until February 1939 that Wolseley introduced the Ten as a replacement. The new car was again based on the Morris Ten, this time the 1938 Series M but with an important difference. Whereas the Morris car had a semi unitary construction, the Wolseley had a substantial steel section chassis with cruciform bracing. Many of the steel body pressings were shared. To keep the weight down, the wheelbase at 90 in (2,300 mm)
4824-423: Was purchased by William Morris, later Viscount Nuffield for £730,000 using his own money. Possibly Morris acted to stop General Motors who subsequently bought Vauxhall. Other bidders beside General Motors included the Austin Motor Company . Herbert Austin, Wolseley's founder, was said to have been very distressed that he was unable to buy it. Morris had bought an early taxicab; another Wolseley link with Morris
4896-506: Was relatively expensive to build and inclined to oil leaks, so its design was modified to a conventional side-valve layout by Morris Engines, which was put into production just for Morris cars in 1932. Meanwhile, Wolseley expanded their original design from four to six cylinders. That six-cylinder single OHC engine announced in September 1930 powered the Wolseley Hornet and several famous MG models. This tiny 6-cylinder SOHC engine eventually
4968-458: Was replaced by a committee of management. Then, at the end of October 1926, it was disclosed the company was bankrupt "to the tune of £2 million" and Sir Gilbert Garnsey and T W Horton had been appointed joint receivers and managers. It was described as "one of the most spectacular failures in the early history of the motor industry". When Wolseley was auctioned by the receivers in February 1927 it
5040-399: Was revealed. It was a three-wheeled design (one front, two rear) featuring independent rear suspension, mid-engine and back to back seating for two adults. It was not successful and although advertised for sale, none were sold. The third Wolseley car, the four-wheeled Wolseley "Voiturette" followed in 1899. A further four-wheeled car was made in 1900. The 1901 Wolseley Gasoline Carriage featured
5112-416: Was that his Morris Garages were Wolseley agents in Oxford. Morris had unsuccessfully tried to produce a 6-cylinder car . He still wanted his range to include a light six-cylinder car. Wolseley's 2-litre six-cylinder 16–45, their latest development of their postwar Fifteen, "made a deep impression on him". Morris incorporated a new company, Wolseley Motors (1927) Limited, he was later permitted to remove
5184-491: Was the flagship of the company and incorporated the best styling and features. The Wolseley engine of the 6/80 was also superior to the Morris delivering a higher BHP. The car was well balanced and demonstrated excellent road holding for its time. The British police used these as their squad cars well into the late sixties. Following the merger of Austin and Morris that created the British Motor Corporation (BMC), Wolseleys shared with MG and Riley common bodies and chassis, namely
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