Charlesworth Bodies on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Charlesworth Bodies Limited of Much Park Street,
The company manufactured bodies in short runs for low-volume manufacturers including MG,
When fabric bodies were in fashion in the 1920s and early 1930s they held a licence from Weymann The business was advertised for sale "as a going concern" in April 1927 "due to the death of a director". The description states that the premises are freehold and contain approximately 6,000 square yards in the heart of the city, equipped with all modern machinery for carrying on the trade. "The business shows substantial profits over a considerable period." In 1931 the company was liquidated and a new owner of the business incorporated, Charlesworth Bodies (1931) Limited, which soon was permitted to drop the (1931).
The Charlesworth house style of the early 1930s was low rooflines with compound curves and deep moulded waistlines.
Charlesworth Bodies Limited of Much Park Street, Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its ...
, owned a coachbuilding business that had been founded in 1907 by Charles Gray Hill and Charles Steane.
Principal product
The company manufactured bodies in short runs for low-volume manufacturers including MG, Alvis
Alvis may refer to:
*Alvis Car and Engineering Company, British luxury car and military vehicle manufacturer which later became Alvis plc
* Alvis plc (formerly United Scientific Holdings plc), a defence contractor which acquired Alvis Cars and bec ...
, Armstrong Siddeley
Armstrong Siddeley was a British engineering group that operated during the first half of the 20th century. It was formed in 1919 and is best known for the production of luxury vehicles and aircraft engines.
The company was created following t ...
(at Parkside by Charlesworth), Brough Superior
Brough Superior ( ) motorcycles, sidecars, and motor cars were made by George Brough in his Brough Superior works on Haydn Road in Nottingham, England, from 1919 to 1940. The motorcycles were dubbed the "Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles" by H. D. ...
and Lea-Francis
Lea-Francis was a British motor manufacturing company that began by building bicycles.
History
R. H. Lea and G. I. Francis started the business in Coventry in 1895. They branched out into car manufacturing in 1903 and motorcycles in 1911. Le ...
as well as on mass-market chassis from Hillman
Hillman was a British automobile marque created by the Hillman-Coatalen Company, founded in 1907, renamed the Hillman Motor Car Company in 1910. The company was based in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, near Coventry, England. Before 1907 the company had b ...
and Singer
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
. They also made bespoke bodies on chassis such as Daimler, and light commercial bodies such as vans.
Burlington Carriage
The Burlington Carriage Company Limited, (associated withSiddeley-Deasy
The Siddeley-Deasy Motor Car Company Limited was a British automobile, aero engine and aircraft company based in Coventry in the early 20th century. It was central to the formation, by merger and buy-out, of the later Armstrong Siddeley Motor ...
) although independent, operated from an office in Charlesworth's premises at Parkside around the time of the First World War, then became an Armstrong Siddeley subsidiary.
Sale
When fabric bodies were in fashion in the 1920s and early 1930s they held a licence from Weymann The business was advertised for sale "as a going concern" in April 1927 "due to the death of a director". The description states that the premises are freehold and contain approximately 6,000 square yards in the heart of the city, equipped with all modern machinery for carrying on the trade. "The business shows substantial profits over a considerable period." In 1931 the company was liquidated and a new owner of the business incorporated, Charlesworth Bodies (1931) Limited, which soon was permitted to drop the (1931).
The Charlesworth house style of the early 1930s was low rooflines with compound curves and deep moulded waistlines.
Second World War
During the Second World War Charlesworth manufactured aircraft components; their operations included a factory in Gloucestershire andCecil Kimber
Cecil Kimber (12 April 1888 – 4 February 1945) was a motor car designer, best known for his role in being the driving force behind The M.G. Car Company.
Biography
Kimber was born in London on 12 April 1888 to Henry Kimber, a printing engi ...
was then among their staff. In early 1946 a series of small display advertisements offered "Superior Car Renovation" in the light of the postwar car shortage.
Charlesworth continued to make bodies after the Second World War, including Daimlers of various sizes. It appears the company's records have been destroyed since it went out of business in about 1950.
References
External links
{{Commons category, Charlesworth coachwork Charlesworth Coventry motor companies Manufacturing companies established in 1907 Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1950 1907 establishments in England 1950 disestablishments in England