By Robin Hunter
2024 review by Malcolm Bobbitt
That a largely rural area a few miles south-west of London had such importance in the development of the motor vehicle is not easy to comprehend, especially as Birmingham, Coventry and London are considered to have been at the vanguard of Britain’s emerging motor industry. The author’s research reveals that Twickenham’s automotive connections date to 1891 when Gottlieb Daimler’s petrol engine was used to propel a motor launch on the River Thames. Behind the venture was Frederick Simms who had acquired the rights to produce the engine at Eel Pie Island, which is adjacent to Twickenham’s waterfront. The town’s motoring connections involve pioneer motorist The Hon. Evelyn Ellis and Simms’s chief engineer Johannes van Toll, the latter with former Daimler employee Henry Burford establishing the Burford van Toll Company in 1899 before forming Thames Valley Motor Company in 1901 to build the New Orleans voiturette.
Robin Hunter’s delving into the New Orleans and its successor the larger and more powerful Orleans built by the Orleans Motor Company is substantial, and tells of the eventual closure of the business at the end of 1910. The same applies to the building of buses and commercial vehicles in Twickenham courtesy of the Beaufort Motor Company and Scott, Stirling. Though the two firms had gone out of business by 1910, and seemingly might have ended the town’s association with motor manufacturing, the opposite was the case with the establishment of coachbuilders and companies building light cars. There’s thorough investigation on behalf of the author in this respect and he produces a raft of interesting photographs, maps and advertisements in respect of such firms as Corben’s Carriage Factory which built charabancs; Wyvern Light Cars; Palladium Autocars and the Mercury Light Car.
It was not just smaller companies that were attracted to Twickenham, and as the author explains, some prestigious names such as Straker-Squire and Berliet set up business in the borough. Motorcycle manufacturers the like of Grigg also went to Twickenham as did the motor scooter producer WGC Hayward & Co, Argson Engineering and Packman & Poppe Ltd. There is much said about the Carden Monocar, the A.V. Two-Seater and the Tamplin cyclecar. Rarities like the British Anzani Astra have their place, as does AC building the Auto-Carriers Sociable and, later, invalid carriages along with the trains that travelled the length of Southend-on-Sea’s 1.34-mile pier.
There’s much more in way of motor equipment makers, motor dealers and motor sport to include names such as Paul Emery and the Emeryson racing car along with John Willment Automobiles. The last section of the work is given over to a series of appendices which includes a biography of the author’s great grandfather who was a naval architect and boat builder who went to live opposite Eel Pie Island. It was his significant collection of motoring ephemera which inspired the author to research this book.
This is a commendable achievement which adds much to automotive history. It is very affordable and highly recommended, though it is a shame the publisher did not pay more attention to the typesetting, layout and proofreading.
Publisher: Borough of Twickenham Local History Society
Price: £13 including UK postage. Copies are available direct from the author at robin.hunter@sky.com or twickcars@gmail.com
Description: Softback, 191 pages, colour and black & white images.
ISBN:978-1-911145-080
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