Mann, Egerton & Company Ltd. was an automotive and aerospace company which was headquartered in

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the Episcopal see, See of ...

, United Kingdom. During its history the company was variously active in automotive retailing, aircraft manufacturing, automotive coachbuilding, and electrical services. It was formally founded in 1905 by Gerald Mann, an electrical engineer and Hubert Egerton, although the two had been working in partnership for a number of preceding years (the logo “Tern” used in the 1960s was often accompanied by the statement “ESTD. 1898”). Besides car dealing the company continued electrical installation work.

History

The company supplied its first custom built car body in 1909 for a Rolls-Royce chassis. By 1913, it had branches across East Anglia and in London. Starting in 1915, the company was required to build aeroplanes for the national war effort. Most of the aircraft were built under licence, including 22 Short Admiralty Type 184s and 20

Short Bomber The Short Bomber was a British two-seat long-range reconnaissance, bombing and torpedo-carrying aircraft designed by Short Brothers as a land-based development of the very successful Short Type 184 (of which more than 900 were built and many ex ...

s. Towards the end of the conflict the firm built 100

SPAD S.VII The SPAD S.VII was the first of a series of highly successful biplane fighter aircraft produced by ''Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés'' (SPAD) during the First World War. Like its successors, the S.VII was renowned as a sturdy and rug ...

French designed fighters. The company also produced ten examples of its own Type B the further development of the Short Type 184.Mason 1994, p.72. In the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

they built vehicle bodies for the Government, especially the ambulance

Austin K2/Y The Austin K2/Y is a British heavy military ambulance that was used by all Commonwealth services during the Second World War. Built by Austin, it was based on the 1938 Austin K30 30-cwt light truck which as the K2 chassis was built during the w ...

. The headquarters were in ''Prince of Wales Road''

where they had one dealership of

British Leyland British Leyland was an automotive engineering and manufacturing conglomerate formed in the United Kingdom in 1968 as British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd (BLMC), following the merger of Leyland Motors and British Motor Holdings. It was partly ...

. The garage in Surrey Street, Norwich had one dealership of Ford and commercial vehicles and the woodworking business were run from premises on Cromer Road, Norwich. Over the years garages in several other towns were opened or acquired, including

Central London Central London is the innermost part of London, in England, spanning several boroughs. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local government. Its characteris ...

where they sold cars of Rolls-Royce and Bentley, Finchley, Lowestoft, Uttoxeter, Leicester, Nottingham (formerly Atkeys), Derby and Worcester. The electrical department was sold to the

Westinghouse Brake and Signal Company The Westinghouse Brake & Signal Company Ltd was a British manufacturer of railroad signs. Founded by George Westinghouse, it was registered as "Westinghouse Brake Company" in 1881. The company reorganised in 1920, associating with Evans O'Donnel ...

in 1964. Mann Egerton was acquired by Inchcape plc in September 1973, although its woodworking business continued until it was bought out by the management in 1986. The woodworking business made school furniture. The vehicles made by the coachbuilding business included refrigerated vehicles for companies such as Findus and Birds Eye. The business was sold to ''Bonallack Coachbuilders''.

Aircraft Manufacture

* Short Type 184 (22 Aircraft) *

(20 Aircraft) *

(100 Aircraft) * Mann Egerton Type B (1916) * Mann Egerton Type H (1917)

References

* * {{Defunct aerospace companies of the United Kingdom Defunct aircraft manufacturers of the United Kingdom Companies based in Norwich British companies established in 1905 Manufacturing companies established in 1905 Retail companies established in 1905 Auto dealerships of the United Kingdom Coachbuilders of the United Kingdom 1905 establishments in England

History

Aircraft Manufacture

See also

References