Noel Raymond Chandler
Noel Raymond Chandler (c1884-1952) of Rolls-Royce
1953 Obituary [1]
NOEL RAYMOND CHANDLER, whose death occurred On 29th June 1952, at the age of sixty-eight, was educated at Malvern College and Birmingham University.
He served an apprenticeship with Messrs. Bumsted and Chandler, Hednesford, Staffordshire, high-speed steam engine manufacturers, of which his father was pioneer and partner.
He remained there until 1911 when his keen interest in motor cars attracted him to Rolls-Royce, Ltd., with which firm he remained until his retirement in 1949. His work was primarily associated with the repair and service department but during the 1914-18 war, when automobile work was restricted, he transferred his activities to aero-engines and was also sent to Denmark by the company in connexion with the contemplated production of the Maddison automatic rifle.
In 1929 he was appointed managing director of Allied Motors, Ltd., Bombay and Delhi, the Rolls-Royce motor-car service organization in India, where he remained until 1936. He was a member of the Bombay flying club.
On his return to Derby, and during the 1939-45 war, his services were utilized in the capacity of liaison engineer on aero-engine production problems. Towards the end of his career, by virtue of his long service with Rolls-Royce, Ltd., he became unofficial historian and contributed to numerous films and books on the activities and growth of the firm; in addition he has delivered many lectures both on this subject and on the early history of auto- mobile development.
Mr. Chandler was an enthusiastic member of the Veteran Car Club, and in 1951 was awarded the James Allday Gazette Cup for the best article of the year contributed to the club gazette. The article comprised a technical description of a 1902 Swift motor car owned by his father. Mr. Chandler was always a very active worker for the Institution of Automobile Engineers, prior to the amalgamation, and subsequently for the Automobile Division of the Institution. He was elected an Associate Member in 1922 and transferred to Membership in 1934. He was originally elected to the Derby Centre Committee in 1937 and was appointed honorary secretary in 1938; this office he held until 1945 when the duties were shared by two people. He remained joint honorary secretary and treasurer of the Centre until he resigned in February 1952. Mr. Chandler was also a Member of the Society of Automotive Engineers of America.
(A. J. Lidsey (Associate Member))