Standard Triumph welcomed a huge number of visitors to the works with many famous faces amongst the visitors warranting an official photograph or two.
Continue reading “The Big ‘O’”
TR2 MVC575 Jabbeke speed test
A unique piece of Triumph history has gone on display at the RAC Club in Pall Mall, London, this week. There aren’t many bits of early Triumph TR history left. Of the genesis of the Standard Triumph range of sports cars, from TRs to Spitfires, Stags and GT6s, we have little to point at and say, “That’s the start of it all”
Arthur Frost – and Hirohito
This photo shows the visit of the then Crown Prince Hirohito’s visit to the Standard Motor Works in around the early to mid 1920’s*. The smartly uniformed chap saluting (1) the Crown Prince (2) was none other than my grandad Arthur Frost (1900 – 1969) who was the companies Commissionaire. Sir John Black can also been seen in this photograph.
Walter Belgrove
Born in Liverpool, where he attended the Liverpool College of Art, in 1927 Walter Belgrove moved to Coventry where he was hired by Triumph, after some years of apprenticeship first at the “J. Blake and Co.” body shop in Liverpool, then at “Windovers” in London, where he practiced both the design and the bodyworks modeling. In 1931 Belgrove moved from the Experimental Department, where he spent his initial period in Triumph, to the Styling Department, newly conceived by Triumph as an autonomous function and headed by Frank Warner; Frank asked Belgrove to join the new Office, impressed by the skills of the young Belgrove to create three-dimension models.
Continue reading “Walter Belgrove”
Canley Halt – the Railway
Canley Halt was opened for passengers on 30th September 1940, primarily to serve the nearby Standard Motor Company’s Works. The crossing had previously been known as Canley Gates from its inception when the London & Birmingham Railway first provided a gate keeper’s house in 1838 to man the gates.
George Turnbull
George Henry Turnbull, motor industry executive, born 17 October 1926, General Manager Standard Motors 1959-62, Deputy Managing Director British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd 1968-73, Managing Director 1973, Vice-President Hyundai Motor Motors 1974-77, Managing Director Iran National Motor Corporation 1977-78, Chairman Talbot UK 1979-84, Group Managing Director Inchcape plc 1984-86, Chairman and Chief Executive 1986-92, Chairman Industrial Society 1987-90, Director Kleinwort Benson Group plc 1988-92, Kt 1990, married 1950 Marion Wing (one son, two daughters), died 22 December 1992.
