Lord Austin's Office
The
Austin Motor Company moved into the Longbridge premises, which had
been unoccupied for some four years. Herbert Austin moved his
effects into one of the offices, which was to remain his personal
office throughout the rest of his life. Austin's office was located
at the front of the factory, adjacent to the front door,
overlooking the main factory entrance of the time (now known as 'K'
Gate). Through the office window Austin would have looked down the
Bristol Road South towards the village of
Rubery.
Austin
used his office until his death in May 1941. Subsequently Leonard
Lord (Lord Lambrey) and Bill Davis both used the office
briefly.
In
the 1950's, when the Austin Motor Company was part of the British
Motor Corporation and Longbridge was the headquarters, there was
money for development. Much of this investment can be seen in the
form of the Conference Centre (previously know as the Exhibition
Hall), Assembly A (Car Assembly Building 1), the Sales and
Marketing building, the Product Development Centre (Designs block),
South Engineering Block and International Headquarters.
In order to build the South Engineering Block, the old Showroom had
to be demolished. Bill Davis, then a B.M.C. board member, asked
Leonard Lord where he should work, as his office was to be
relocated. He was told to move into 'The Old Man's' office, which
he did for some months until his new office was
built.
Bill
was the last user of the office. It was on his instruction, when
the front of No.1 shop including the Old Man's office, had to be
demolished, in the late 1950's, that provision be made in the new
South Engineering Block to relocate 'The Office'. It remained until
the spring of 2003, when it was incorporated into the Conference
Centre, as part of the archive centre.
Walk
this way to another world
Sited
to the right-hand-side of the Conference facility, it is possible
to switch the lights on from the outside and peer through the
windows as if you were walking by. Access to the room remains
through a door in the museum, which houses a small collection of
cars associated with Longbridge.
Austin,
MG and Rover cars are represented and include a 1935 Austin 16/6
still fitted with its Austin Hayes automatic transmission (at one
time owned by Bob Wyatt the Austin Historian and writer, and kindly
donated to the museum by GKN Technology) and a 1959 Austin Se7en
(one of the original Mini’s).
Once
in the office, the period atmosphere is protected in time, indeed
as 1930’s photographs prove, the office is comfortable but not
lavish.
Inside
the room in the corner is a small door, this used to lead to the
most important room in the factory - the Chairman's' throne room
(toilet)! Along side this door is a framed drawing of a railway
locomotive and carriage, with the words below: 'Most everything
worthwhile is born of some dreamers dream'. It was Austin's dream
to make motorcars and that belief continued in all the cars that
were built at Longbridge.
The fireplace occupies the centre of this wall. The mantelpiece has
a dip towards the right hand end. This was probably caused by
Austin leaning on it over many years whilst talking to visitors in
his office. Under the lights is a photograph of a white haired
gentleman and signed by the subject 'From your friend, Henry Ford'.
Henry would visit his factory at Trafford Park, Manchester and stay
with the Austin's at Lickey Grange, probably no doubt spending time
comparing notes and exchanging ideas. Below Henry Ford's
photograph, there is a period air conditioning unit made by Carrier
in the United States. Most visitors to the office, when asked,
suggest that it looks like a stereo or a radiogram. With the looks
of a fine piece of cabinet making, it is in fact pressed steel
painted to great effect.
In the centre of the mantelpiece is a picture of St. George slaying
the dragon (see in colour picture) . On the shelf above is an Onyx
ashtray, a souvenir from the World's first purpose built motor
racing track at Brooklands. Austin's son in law, Colonel Arthur
Waite, led the Austin Seven racing team against many other
manufacturers' products including MG.
Also of interest on the mantelpiece are two shells, produced by the
Austin Motor Company during World War 1. Austin expanded his
factory between 1914 and 1918 in order to help supply the military
needs of the country. North Works had been built on the other side
of the railway with West Works on the other side of the Bristol
Road. The South Works, which included the original White and Pike
factory, was extended back to the Birmingham-Gloucester railway
line.
As soon as the Armistice was signed all Government Contracts were
cancelled. This left Austin with 20,000 employees and little work.
The Austin 20 was put into production designed for the world
market. This fine car suffered the imposition of taxation in the
home market based on the bore of the engine whilst ignoring the
stroke. This lead to the introduction of long stroke engines
unsuitable for the rest of the world and in 1921 Austin was forced
to rush the 12 into production.
The sales of these two models did not raise sufficient cash flow to
maintain the factory and the administrators were called in to help
Austin turn the Company round. Sadly the day came when Austin had
to decide if the factory gates should be closed for the last time,
or if he should put his alternative plan to the workforce.
Does anybody
know the date of the coin
One story tells us that in order to make the decision, as any
Chairman would, he took a coin from his pocket and tossed it. Heads
to stay, tails to close. It landed heads up, so Austin went and
spoke to the workforce himself. He explained that the Company
finances were not healthy, but that the problems could be overcome.
He required help from the workers though. If they were prepared to
work for one month without pay, the Austin Motor Company could
survive.
Austin appreciated that he could not ask this of the workers
without giving something in return and he offered those making the
sacrifice, a job for life as long as the Company was there. In the
1970's there were still some of these workers, past retirement age
in their 70s, working their 'Job for Life'. That coin, a half crown
(two shillings and six pence which is now twelve and a half pence
to those who don't remember real money) is mounted in the wooden
panelling behind Austin's desk.
Below
the window opposite the door into the office, on a delightful
cabinet, is a clay bust of the 'Old Man' in his latter years. This
is the artwork for the bronze bust that has recently been returned
to the Conference Centre to stand in the entrance foyer to the
museum. The bronze bust to the right of the picture shows Austin in
his younger years.
On the Old Man's desk are three inkwells. The one, presented to him
by Rudge Whitworth, is made from the wheel nut for a wire wheel. In
the red-topped ink well of the other pair is an old fifty pence
piece placed there on a visit by Sir Michael Edwardes, when he was
the Chairman of British Leyland in the
1970s.
Behind
the desk, above the famous half crown, is a plaque commemorating
Austin exhibiting his cars at a motor show in Turin in 1911. Just
six years after opening his factory, Austin was exhibiting his cars
across Europe.
To the right of the door into the room is a bench where, it is
believed, shop stewards sat on visits to the ‘Old Man’. Above it is
a beautiful barometer and thermometer on an intricately carved
mounting. This was presented to Austin by his senior staffs for
Christmas in 1933. They clearly thought highly of him.
Within the room all the fixtures and fittings are original, from
the light in the ceiling to the carpet on the floor. Going out
through the doors into the Conference Centre returns visitors to
the modern world, leaving behind the history encapsulated in the
single room that was Lord Austin of
Longbridge.
Information supplied by Tony Osborne