![1922 Star 11](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/1922_Star_11.9hp_saloon_%2830696392142%29.jpg)
The Star Motor Company was a British car and commercial vehicle maker based in
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton () is a city, metropolitan borough and administrative centre in the West Midlands, England. The population size has increased by 5.7%, from around 249,500 in 2011 to 263,700 in 2021. People from the city are called "Wulfrunians ...
and active from 1898 to 1932. At its peak Star was the UK's sixth largest car manufacturer and produced around 1000 cars a year.
[Collins, Paul & Stratton, Michael, "British Car Factories from 1896", Veloce Publishing, ]
Star was founded by the Lisle family who like many other vehicle makers started by making
bicycles, in their case in 1893 as Sharratt and Lisle. In 1896 this was changed to the Star Cycle Company.
History
Foundation and bicycles
![Star tricycle 1899](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Star_tricycle_1899.jpeg)
Edward Lisle built his own first bicycle in the early 1870s and had enough success racing it that he began to build additional bicycles to order. In 1876, he partnered with William Sharratt to increase production, but that partnership only lasted three years. In 1883, Edward Lisle founded the Star Cycle Company. Besides
safety bicycle
A safety bicycle (or simply a safety) is a type of bicycle that became very popular beginning in the late 1880s as an alternative to the penny-farthing ("ordinary") and is now the most common type of bicycle. Early bicycles of this style were know ...
s, models included
tandems and a
Pedersen Pedersen () is a Danish and Norwegian patronymic surname, literally meaning "son of Peder". It is the fourth most common surname in Denmark, shared by about 3.4% of the population, and the sixth most common in Norway. It is of similar origin as th ...
.
[Wolverhampton History and Heritage]
Star Cars
, retrieved September 2012 In 1889 the company purchased a factory on Stewart Street and by 1899, production reached 10,000 cycles per year, and by 1904 Star was the largest Wolverhampton based bicycle manufacturer.
Expansion and automobiles
![1898 Star motor car, the first motor car in Auckland](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/1898_Star_motor_car%2C_the_first_motor_car_in_Auckland.jpg)
Planning for the Star car began in 1897 when the company acquired a 3.5 hp
Benz car and used it as the basis for the design of their own car. The early vehicles were heavily influenced by existing car makers and the 1898 3.5 was essentially a single-cylinder 3.5 hp Benz and often called the Star-Benz; it had two speeds, chain drive, wire spoke wheels,
acetylene lighting, electric ignition, and
Clipper pneumatic tires standard, for
£189.
[Wise, David Burgess. "Star: W’hampton’s Bright Lights", in Northey, Tom, ed. ''World of Automobiles'' (London: Orbis Publishing, 1974), Volume 19, pp.2161.] Star then purchased the rights to produce Star-Benz cars in Wolverhampton and began production at the Stewart Street Works. The cars were now being sold under the Star Motor Company name, a registered subsidiary of Star Engineering Limited, who adopted a policy of building as much as possible in-house. The Star-Benz model sold well and around 250 were made. The cars initially sold for £189 but in 1900 they were selling for £168 and the company was producing 20 a week.
![Star 1904 on London to Brighton VCR 2008 (2996697471)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Star_1904_on_London_to_Brighton_VCR_2008_%282996697471%29.jpg)
One a week was being made in 1899,
[ and in the first year, they made their first export sale, to ]Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
, New Zealand. Exports became a major part of Star's business, particularly to Australia and New Zealand. In 1891 Lisle had adopted a 6 pointed star as their logo which led to a successful suit against Mercedes in 1902 where it was found they had infringed Star's copyright with their 3 or 4 pointed star emblem. In 1900, production had expanded to facilities in Dudley Road and Nelson, Stewart, Ablow, and Dobb Streets. A two-cylinder three-speed model appeared that year, also, at the Richmond Automobile Club Show. Encouraged by founder Edward Lisle
Edward Lisle (17 May 1692 – 1753), of Moyles Court, Hampshire, was an English landowner and Tory politician, who sat in the House of Commons between 1727 and 1741. He fled to France to escape a creditor, before the end of his parliamentary term ...
, they were also being entered in the 1000 Miles' Trial
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1 ...
(where it proved fragile), along with "every test or competition for which they were eligible".[ In 1901, the 7 and 10 with vertical twin De Dion engines and in 1902 a four-cylinder 20 hp appeared. In 1903, copying the leading maker, Mercedes, Star introduced a 12 hp four, and set a record of 39 mph (63 km/h) on a 2-mile (3.2 km) run in ]County Cork
County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns a ...
, Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, under the auspices of the Irish Automobile Club
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
. In addition, two Stars ran in the Isle of Man
)
, anthem = "O Land of Our Birth"
, image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg
, image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg
, mapsize =
, map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe
, map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green)
in Europe ...
qualifying races for the Gordon Bennett Cup; neither 10-litre car made it.[ From 1904 only four-cylinder models were made.
In 1902 the Star Motor Company changed its name to the Star Engineering company. The company rapidly expanded and diversified, expanding the Stewart Street works and obtaining additional premises in neighbouring streets. The company built a new factory in 1903 on a 40,000sq.ft. sit on Frederick Street. Star began to create their own more advanced designs and in 1903 several new models were released. Particularly popular was the 'Little Star' model released in early 1904 which had a 7 hp. twin cylinder engine and sold for £175.]
For 1906, there was a new 3261 cc (200 ci) 14 hp four,[ as well as a new six, the 6227 cc (380 ci) 30 hp; the six, increased in ]displacement
Displacement may refer to:
Physical sciences
Mathematics and Physics
* Displacement (geometry), is the difference between the final and initial position of a point trajectory (for instance, the center of mass of a moving object). The actual path ...
to 6981 cc (426 ci) in 1909, lasted until 1911.[ The main Star company continued to make well engineered models up to the outbreak of war in 1914 adding a range of vans and trucks to the output and became one of the six largest British car makers.][
The Star Cycle Company run by Lisle's son, also called Edward, had continued in business building bicycles and ]motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...
s and in 1905 entered the car industry in its own right. The company was affected by the deep depression that hit the bicycle industry in 1905. In order to combat the decline in sales Star decided to produce a cheaper car called the 'Starling' that sold for £110. Although the name of these cars was changed to 'Stuart' the 'Starling name was readopted in 1907 and production continued until 1909. In 1907, there was a 1296 cc (79 ci) single and a 1531 cc (94 ci) twin and the Stuart (Starling after 1907), with chassis from Hopper
Hopper or hoppers may refer to:
Places
*Hopper, Illinois
* Hopper, West Virginia
* Hopper, a mountain and valley in the Hunza–Nagar District of Pakistan
* Hopper (crater), a crater on Mercury
People with the name
* Hopper (surname)
* Grace H ...
, a Barton-upon-Humber
Barton-upon-Humber () or Barton is a town and civil parish in North Lincolnshire, England. The population at the 2011 census was 11,066. It is situated on the south bank of the Humber Estuary at the southern end of the Humber Bridge. It is ...
cycle maker (which sold them as Torpedoes).[Wise, ''loc.cit''.] The decision was taken in 1909 to make the Star Engineering Company a limited liability company with the Star Cycle Company becoming a subsidiary company. Joseph Lisle, one of Edward's sons, was appointed managing director of the company. To avoid confusion a new company, the Briton Motor Company
The Briton Motor Company was a Wolverhampton-based car manufacturer that produced cars from 1909 to 1919 then from 1922 to 1929. The company produced a number of models ranging from 7 to 16 horsepower and played an important role in the Wolverhamp ...
[As if things were not complicated enough, the U.S. Star was also sold in Britain, as the Rugby. G.N. Georgano ''Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886-1930''. (London: Grange-Universal, 1985)] was formed in 1909 and the products were badged as Britons. Briton took control of production of the 'Starling' and 'Stuart' and the first two cars were a 2282 cc (139 ci) 12 hp twin and a 2413 cc (147 ci) 14 hp four; the became available as a Star in 1910.[Wise, ''loc.cit.'']
Star proper took advantage of export sales, and saw racing success in South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
, a winning the Transvaal Transvaal is a historical geographic term associated with land north of (''i.e.'', beyond) the Vaal River in South Africa. A number of states and administrative divisions have carried the name Transvaal.
* South African Republic (1856–1902; af, ...
Automobile Club hillclimb, and the New Zealand national hillclimb championship.
For 1913, there was a 1743 cc (106 ci) Briton, which became the 10/12 in 1914.[ Stars accorded themselves well in the 1909 Irish Reliability Trial, while a won its class in all the hillclimbs of the ]Scottish Automobile Club
Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including:
*Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland
*Scottish English
*Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
trial, where a new 2862 cc (175 ci) '15 hp' (actually 19.6 hp) debuted; it would persist three years.[
In 1912, Star introduced the ]torpedo
A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, s ...
-bodied 15.9 hp, with a 3016 cc (184 ci; 80x150mm) four and new bullnosed radiator; originally for export, it proved aesthetically pleasing, and was adopted for all models. It was quick, as well, running an RAC trial of 801 mile (1289 km) at Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfie ...
at an average 66.75 mph (107.42 km/h) that year. The 15.9 would remain in production until 1922.[
]
First World War and after
Like many companies during the First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
Star came under control of the government, devoting their output to the war effort. Commercial vehicles were made for the British, French and Russian armies but Star's main contribution was the production of aircraft wings and parts for mines. In 1918 the company accepted an order to produce 400 V8 Renault
Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufacture ...
engines but had only built 12 by the time the war ended and military contracts were cancelled.
Following the war, prices in the car market fluctuated greatly. Post-war inflation pushed prices up with the cost of some Star cars reaching above £1000, making them effectively unsaleable. However, as the economy entered recession prices dropped dramatically and Star was able to introduce a new range of models at cheaper prices. The 11.9 hp model performed well, selling at a rate of 20 a week for the next few years.
Post-war car production resumed in 1919 with the pre-war and 3815 cc 20.1 hp Star, and the 10/12 Briton, models and in the early 1920s Star were making 1000 cars a year[ from their cramped workshops. Briton, however, went under in 1922, a victim of the postwar economic slump, being bought by C.A. Weight; the last four Britons were exported to Australia in 1929. A more up-to-date model, with a 1795 cc (110ci) ]sidevalve
A flathead engine, also known as a sidevalve engine''American Rodder'', 6/94, pp.45 & 93. or valve-in-block engine is an internal combustion engine with its poppet valves contained within the engine block, instead of in the cylinder head, as ...
was introduced in 1921, with the same high quality.[
]
The death of founder Edward Lisle in 1921 was a major blow for Star. At the time Star had been attempting to bail out the ailing Briton Motor Company which put the company under a lot of pressure. Edward was succeeded by Joseph [ (formerly head of Star Engineering).][''ibid.'', p .2162] Despite these setbacks, Stars entered two 11.9hps in the Scottish Six Days' Light Car Trials, placing first and second in the hands of R. Lisle and G.G.Cathie; the winner was sold to New Zealand, where it proved dominant in local racing, while a different 11.9 swept the Australian 1000 Mile Alpine Test.[ This car developed into the 1945 cc (119ci) 12/25 in 1924, followed by a pushrod ]overhead valve
An overhead valve (OHV) engine, sometimes called a ''pushrod engine'', is a piston engine whose valves are located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier flathead engines, where the valves were located be ...
12/40 with four-wheel brakes (then a rarity) and four-speed gearbox, capable of 80 mph (129 km/h).[ It was joined by an 18/40 six, as well as lorries of 25 cwt, 34-40cwt, and 50-60cwt, all powered by the 12/25 engine.][ Star avoided any major damage as the Briton Motor Company name and facilities were sold off, allowing production levels at Star to continue rising.]
Later years and takeover
Despite producing at record levels between 1921 and 1925, making around 1000 cars a year, Star was still not making much of a profit on their sales. The company continued to release upgraded new models but the time spent making the components and assembling the cars meant Star cars were very expensive in comparison to companies such as Austin
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
and Morris
Morris may refer to:
Places
Australia
*St Morris, South Australia, place in South Australia
Canada
* Morris Township, Ontario, now part of the municipality of Morris-Turnberry
* Rural Municipality of Morris, Manitoba
** Morris, Manitob ...
. The mass production
Mass production, also known as flow production or continuous production, is the production of substantial amounts of standardized products in a constant flow, including and especially on assembly lines. Together with job production and batch ...
techniques embraced by these companies allowed them to produce their cars a much cheaper prices, so while Star continued to produce cars of the same quality and reliability they eventually found themselves squeezed out of the market.[Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, "Lost Causes of Motoring" Cassell & Company Ltd., 1960] Combined with the recession of the late 1920s this meant that Star could only produce 105 cars in 1927.
As a result of this Star entered a financially precarious state and in 1928 fellow Wolverhampton manufacturer Guy Motors
Guy Motors was a Wolverhampton-based vehicle manufacturer that produced cars, lorries, buses and trolleybuses. The company was founded by Sydney S. Guy (1885–1971) who was born in Kings Heath, Birmingham. Guy Motors operated out of its Falling ...
took control through an exchange of shares. Star did continue to exist as a separate company, operating under the name of the ''Star Motor Company Limited''. As part of this new arrangement Star's old factory on Frederick Street was closed down and sold off and production was moved to another of Star's sites on Showell Lane in Bushbury
Bushbury is a suburban village and ward in the City of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, England. It lies two miles north-east of Wolverhampton city centre, divided between the Bushbury North and Bushbury South and Low Hill wards. Bushbury ...
near the Clyno
Clyno Engineering Company, later Clyno Engineering Company (1922) Ltd, was a motorcycle and car manufacturer that operated in Thrapston from 1909 to 1910 and then in Wolverhampton from 1910 to 1929. During this time they produced over 15,000 mo ...
factory. From here came the new 18/50, a 2470 cc (ci) six, with wet cylinder liners, duralumin
Duralumin (also called duraluminum, duraluminium, duralum, dural(l)ium, or dural) is a trade name for one of the earliest types of age-hardenable aluminium alloys. The term is a combination of '' Dürener'' and ''aluminium''.
Its use as a tra ...
connecting rod
A connecting rod, also called a 'con rod', is the part of a piston engine which connects the piston to the crankshaft. Together with the crank, the connecting rod converts the reciprocating motion of the piston into the rotation of the cranksh ...
s, aluminium piston
A piston is a component of reciprocating engines, reciprocating pumps, gas compressors, hydraulic cylinders and pneumatic cylinders, among other similar mechanisms. It is the moving component that is contained by a cylinder and is made gas-tig ...
s, seven bearing crankshaft
A crankshaft is a mechanical component used in a piston engine to convert the reciprocating motion into rotational motion. The crankshaft is a rotating shaft containing one or more crankpins, that are driven by the pistons via the connecting ...
, which in 1930 were redone as the Comet and Planet.[ Star cars were now built entirely under one roof while the workforce was reduced to 250 and the range of models reduced in order to reduce competition with Guy products.
Under the management of Guy, Star continued to produce quality cars although they proved to be far too expensive for ordinary people. The 'Comet', 'Planet' and 'Jason' models were introduced in 1930, the 18/50 hp. 'Jason' proving the most popular, selling at £595. Various versions of these models were released, including coupés, limousines and tourers. However a loss was still being made on every model sold and with Guy having their own financial troubles they could not afford to modernise Star's Bushbury plant. With nowhere left to turn a receiver was appointed for Star in March 1932.] The spares and manufacturing rights of the company were sold off to McKenzie and Denley (Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
), which continued to have Star cars and NOS parts catalogued in 1962.,[ while the Bushbury factory was acquired by Manley & Regulus, who produced plumbing fittings.]
Star cars (main models)
See also
* List of car manufacturers of the United Kingdom
:''This list is incomplete. You can help by adding correctly sourced information about other manufacturers.''
As of 2018 there are approximately 35 active British car manufacturers and over 500 defunct British car manufacturers. This page lists ...
References
External links
{{Commons category, Star Motor Company
Black Country History Website
*For a complete list of surviving cars, see https://web.archive.org/web/20061008194346/http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/Museum/Transport/Cars/staregister/starreg00.htm
Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of England
Manufacturing companies based in Wolverhampton