Coventry Ordnance Co
Late 19th century: Mr H. H. Mulliner and Mr F. Wigley were in business in Birmingham making scientific measuring instruments and tools for making the more complicated parts of ordnance. They acquired premises in Birmingham to supply ordnance for the Boer War but found problems in supervision so transferred operations to a 60 acre site in Coventry with good rail and canal connections where extensive works for manufacture of ordnance were laid out[1]
1900 Established Coventry Ordnance Co[2]
1903 Further developments were made in ordnance, including a 9.2 inch garrison mounting for the War Office. The need for obtaining special steels led to amalgamation with Messrs Cammell of Sheffield; Mr Mulliner joined the board of Cammells.
Delivered 13 and 18 pounder guns to the Horse and Field Artillery; developed a design of howitzer which was better than any other available in Britain.
1905/6 In order to produce naval ordnance, with its very different requirements, the Ordnance Works were organised into a separate company owned jointly by Cammell, Laird and Co, Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co of Glasgow and John Brown and Co of Clydebank and Sheffield. H. H. Mulliner became managing director; Mr Wigley remained responsible for the technical side of the business. Large capital investment was made in the necessary equipment.
1907 The Coventry Ordnance Co made a car about 1907.
1909 Also made a car for Ariel Motors[3].