Chief Architect.
All building at Standard Triumph was designed and produced ‘in-house’ – Standard Triumph had bricklayers/builders/electricians/plumbers etc. Continue reading “Leonard Elwood – Chief Architect”
Dorothy and Geoffrey Hope
I began working at The Standard Triumph at the age of fourteen years. I was originally expected to go into service when I left school, but during the war, each evening we had a family who escaped the bombing by coming to stay with us. It was this family that encouraged me to aim for something better and I applied to work in the offices.
I began working after my initial training just doing basic filing, I then went on to train and work as a Comptometer. I spent a good many years working in the same department, cycling each day from my family home in Balsall Common to Tile Hill Station where the Blacksmith would look after my bike while I finished my journey to work on the train.
Continue reading “Dorothy and Geoffrey Hope”
Edward Ken Wadsworth
My father (Edward Ken Wadsworth) came from Manchester and started working at The Standard Motor Co as a qualified electrician and progressed to the position of Plant Director responsible for all maintenance and tool room departments that included Canley, Fletchhamstead North and South, Radford and Western Avenue.
I ( Peter Wadsworth) first went to visit the Canley factory just after the war in about 1946 at the age of 6 years. It was almost inevitable that 10 years later I would start my Standard Motor apprenticeship training to be a Factory Layout Engineer. The school was located at the Massey Ferguson plant on Banner Lane where I eventually came back to finish my working life. My early recollections are having a ride on the fire engine and going into the boiler house and seeing a row of 13 huge boilers, originally coke fired and later converted to oil fired.
James Harland Willis – 45 years service!
Wonderful to see your website and fascinating photos.
My Dad, James Harland Willis, was born 3/12/1919 in Whitby.
He joined The Standard Motor Company on the Apprenticeship scheme on 21/2/1936 ( a five year scheme as a “Fitter & Machinist” Starting wage for year one 12 shillings a week rising to 24 shillings a week in the final year.
Home Sales, 1960
“I worked in the Home Sales at Canley. I started in 1960. My boss was Mr Rushworth and my under boss was Mr Russell. I was there when the Triumph Herald was built and sold. We sold the cars to the distributers. “
Jimmy Knox
My dad worked at the standard Triumph Plant Canley on, I believe, the final finish line. I am not sure what cars my dad worked on but I believe they included the herald and the spitfire.
My dad worked at the Canley Plant from 1960 to 1980/1 and took redundancy from the plant which I believe at that time was then British Leyland. My dad was from Falkirk in Scotland and came down to Coventry in 1960s to find work. My dad was by trade a coach builder/carpenter. After taking redundancy my dad returned to Falkirk and passed away in 2003.
Thank you.
James Knox (son)