The Marlborough was a make of car sold on the British market between 1906 and 1926. For most of its life the cars were made by

Malicet et Blin Malicet & Blin (M.A.B.) was a French manufacturer of bicycles, automobiles, auto components, and aeronautical engines from 1890 until 1925. It expanded into the motor industry in 1897 and aero engines in 1914. They produced both incomplete and en ...

in France, but after World War I they were partially assembled (finished) in London and an increasing number of British parts used.

History

The first cars were probably supplied completely built by the French company

, but over time the British content increased such that the final 2 litre car was made completely in England.Some sources cast doubt over whether complete cars were ever imported, or whether French components were assembled in a workshop in

Notting Hill Notting Hill is a district of West London, England, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Notting Hill is known for being a cosmopolitan and multicultural neighbourhood, hosting the annual Notting Hill Carnival and Portobello Road M ...

, London. () Malicet & Blin were established suppliers to the French automobile industry, including engines, gearboxes and chassis. In 1909 T.B. André, owner of ''Hartford''

Friction disk shock absorber Friction disk shock absorbers or André Hartford dampers were an early form of shock absorber or damper used for car suspension. They were commonly used in the 1930s but were considered obsolete post-war. Origins The friction disk pattern was ...

s, took control of the dealership, and introduced a new range of larger cars with engines ranging in size between 2210 cc and 3617 cc. Although the company survived World War 1, they did not introduce a new model until 1922 when they used a British Anzani engine. This model was short-lived and was superseded by a French CIME powered car which continued in production until the company's demise in 1926. By 1924 T.B. Andre put his main sporting efforts into the

Marlborough-Thomas The Marlborough-Thomas (''possibly a.k.a. Marlborough'') was a British car manufactured in a garage at Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey between 1923 and 1924. It was a joint venture between T.B. André and J. G. Parry-Thomas from Wales, but onl ...

which was built at Brooklands in partnership with

J. G. Parry-Thomas John Godfrey Parry-Thomas (6 April 1884 – 3 March 1927) was a Welsh people, Welsh engineer and motor-racing driver who at one time held the land speed record. He was the first driver to be killed in pursuit of the land speed record. Ear ...

The cars

In 1906 the first model was introduced in Britain, when C.C.C. of

Taunton Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...

(Chassis Construction Company) exhibited at the London Agricultural Hall Motor Show. It was a 7 hp single-cylinder-engined car.Bridgwater Blake Museum, PDF, The Bridgwater Motor Car, pp5
In 1909 a new range of larger cars was introduced by T.B. André with engines ranging in size between 2210 cc and 3617 cc. The 12 hp model was priced at £120 and had a 2.8-litre four-cylinder engine with the cylinders cast in pairs, magneto ignition, a cone clutch driving the 3-speed gearbox, with shaft drive to the rear wheels. The range included a 3.1-litre model with four cylinders, plus a 3.6-litre six-cylinder model which was priced at £350. This range was marketed until 1911. In 1912 the company introduced one of the first

cyclecar A cyclecar was a type of small, lightweight and inexpensive car manufactured in Europe and the United States between 1910 and the early 1920s. The purpose of cyclecars was to fill a gap in the market between the motorcycle and the car. A key c ...

s which was priced at £185 and was mostly French built. It had a 1130 cc four-cylinder, water-cooled engine, a sharp V-shaped radiator and shaft drive to the rear wheels. Its sporting potential was demonstrated when it was driven in the ''Cyclecar Grand Prix'' by Sir Francis Samuelson. The electrically equipped version with a 1.2-litre engine was priced at £275. This model was marketed again after World War I, although the specification also included rounded radiator, increased engine capacity (100cc) and four-speed gearbox. In 1921 the pre-war light car was replaced by a 1496 cc British Anzani engined model which was equipped with rod brakes and a flat radiator. This model was replaced one year later. The ''Roadspeed'' sports version was guaranteed to exceed 60 mph. In 1922 a smaller light car was launched with a French 1100 cc C.I.M.E. engine. By 1924 this was priced at £175. This stayed in production until the company closed in 1926. The last model never reached customer production, but it was a British made sports car capable of 75 mph and fitted with four-wheel braking. It was equipped with a 2-litre, six-cylinder, overhead-valve ''

Coventry Climax Coventry Climax was a British forklift truck, fire pump, racing, and other specialty engine manufacturer. History Pre WW1 The company was started in 1903 as Lee Stroyer, but two years later, following the departure of Stroyer, it was relocat ...

'' engine.

T.B. André

Theodore Bernard André, from Essex, took over the UK dealership in 1909. He was also involved in the manufacture of ''

Silentbloc A bushing or rubber bushing is a type of vibration isolator. It provides an interface between two parts, damping the energy transmitted through the bushing. A common application is in vehicle suspension systems, where a bushing made of rubber ...

'' rubber bushed bearings; ''

Hartford Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

shock absorber A shock absorber or damper is a mechanical or hydraulic device designed to absorb and damp shock impulses. It does this by converting the kinetic energy of the shock into another form of energy (typically heat) which is then dissipated. Most sh ...

s; ''Len Brake Co'' brake shoes; the

from 1923–24; plus the

André André — sometimes transliterated as Andre — is the French and Portuguese form of the name Andrew, and is now also used in the English-speaking world. It used in France, Quebec, Canada and other French-speaking countries. It is a variation o ...

car between 1933 and 1934.Graces Guide, British Industrial History, T.B. Andre
/ref>

Notes

References

Other sources