Who
was He? 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:
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 Stanley Edge 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.
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