Grace's Guide
British Industrial History
Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 148,535 pages of information and 233,960 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.
Commer
From Graces Guide
Commercial Cars Ltd of Biscot Road, Luton, were a producer of commercial vehicles from 1907 to 1976. Until they became part of the Rootes Group in 1927 the company name was Commercial Cars Ltd and the trade name used was Commer
See also -
1905 Company founded as Commercial Cars. [1] Based at Lavender Hill, London
1906 Factory opened at Biscot Road, Luton, producing trucks.
1910 Showed three vehicles at the Manchester Commercial Motor Show. [2]
1913-1917 For a list of the models and prices of Petrol Motor Commercial Vehicles see the 1917 Red Book
1914 Manufacturers of petrol motor vehicles for goods and passengers. [3]
1919 A public company formed of the same name Commercial Cars Ltd: Directors are W. C. W. Egerton, Horace G. Hutchinson and H. C. B. Underdown (Chairman and MD). [4]
Raised additional capital. [5]
From 1922 the company hit a postwar slump and was run by a receiver and manager
1923 The company was put into liquidation[6]
1924 W. C. W. Egerton, who had become a director in 1906, was declared bankrupt[7]
1926 the company was sold to Humber and later the name was changed to Commer Cars.
1928 November. Formation of the Humber Combine by merging Humber and Commer with Hillman. Head of new concern was Lieut-Col. J. A. Cole (MD of Humber), Captain S. Wilkes (Joint MD of Hillman) and Captain J. Black (Joint MD of Hillman). Also on board were S. Brotherhood and Sir Henry McMahon. Rootes who had handled the export sales provide the cash and own 60% of the shares. [8] [9]
1934 Karrier Motors of Huddersfield was purchased by Rootes Securities [10] who moved production to Luton, closing the Huddersfield operation.
WW2 Produced some 20,000 vehicles. A move from Luton to nearby Dunstable was made.
1953 A two stroke diesel marketed with two horizontally opposed piston in each of the three cylinders.
1961 Listed as a subsidiary of Humber. [11]
1961 Manufacturers of commercial vehicles and motor coaches. [12]
1966 Entered heavier market with a 16ton gvw chassis and cab.
1964 Chrysler bought in to Rootes Group.
1973 Chrysler gain full control of the company.
1976 The name was discontinued.
1979 The company was sold to the Peugeot-Citreon group.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ The Times, Friday, Dec 19, 1919
- ↑ The Times, Wednesday, Feb 23, 1910
- ↑ 1914 Whitakers Red Book
- ↑ The Times, Friday, Dec 19, 1919
- ↑ The Times, Monday, Jul 26, 1920
- ↑ The Times Sep 25, 1923
- ↑ The Times, Thursday, Feb 07, 1924
- ↑ The Times, Wednesday, Nov 21, 1928
- ↑ The Times, Monday, Nov 21, 1949
- ↑ The Times, Friday, Aug 10, 1934
- ↑ 1961 Guide to Key British Enterprises: Motor, Motor-Cycle and Commercial Vehicle Manufacturers
- ↑ 1961 Dun and Bradstreet KBE
- British Lorries 1900-1992 by S. W. Stevens-Stratten. Pub. Ian Allen Publishing
- Ian Allan - British Buses Since 1900 - Aldridge and Morris
- Trademarked. A History of Well-Known Brands - from Aertex to Wright's Coal Tar by David Newton. Pub: Sutton Publishing 2008 ISBN 978-0-7509-4590-5