Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

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Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 164,572 pages of information and 246,142 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Reginald Maudslay

From Graces Guide

Reginald Walter Maudslay (1871–1934) of the Standard Motor Co

1871 September 1st. Born at Paddington, the son of Athol Edward Maudslay, gentleman, and his wife, Kate, daughter of Sir Thomas Lucas, founder of a large firm of building contractors. His great-grandfather was Henry Maudslay.

Reginald Maudslay was educated at St David's School in Moffat, Scotland, and Marlborough College.

1902 Maudslay moved to Coventry where he leased a small workshop and in the following year he established the Standard Motor Co in Much Park Street.

His cousin, Cyril C. Maudslay, was at this time managing director of the nearby Maudslay Motor Co.

1908 January 30th. Married Susan Gwendolen (b. 1881/2), née Herbert; they had two sons and a daughter.

1911 Patent. "Improvements in cape cart hoods chiefly for use on motor vehicles."[1]

1911 Living at 1 Vicarage Road, Leamington: Reginald Walter Maudslay (age 39 born London), Managing Director of Engineering Company. With his wife (married three years with one child) Susan Gwendolen Maudslay (age 29 born Bebington, Cheshire) and their daughter Margaret Kate Maudslay (age 1 born Lillington, Warks.). Three servants.[2]

1921 Birth of son Henry Eric Maudslay (1921-1943)

1926-27 President of the SMMT

1934 December 14th. After a short illness, Maudslay died at Beaumont House, Beaumont Street, Marylebone, London, survived by his wife.

He was buried at Sherbourne.

1935 Concerning his estate. '...Reginald Walter Maudslay, of The Old Vicarage, Sherbourne, in the county of Warwick, who died at Beaumont House, Beaumont Street, London, W.1, on the 14th day of December, 1934, and whose Will and Codicil were proved on the 14th day of February, 1935, in the Principal Probate Registry by Mrs. Susan Gwendolen Maudslay and Major General William Norman Herbert, O.M.G.. D.S.O....'[3]


1934 Obituary [4]

REGINALD WALTER MAUDSLAY was the founder of the Standard Motor Company.

He was born in London in 1871 and was grandson of Henry Maudslay, M.I.Mech.E., a former Vice-President of the Institution. He received his education at Marlborough College and at the Crystal Palace Engineering School.

He then became a pupil to Sir John Wolfe Barry, K.C.B., M.I.Mech.E., for whom he acted as assistant after the completion of his pupilage, and supervised the construction of the Barry Docks, the Callender and Oban Railway, and the Whitechapel and Bow Railway.

In 1903 he established his motor car manufacturing business, holding the position of managing director until his death, which occurred in London on 14th December 1934. From very small beginnings the firm grew rapidly, several times moving to larger premises, until the 100-acre site at Canley, Coventry, was purchased in 1915. One of the pioneer types of six-cylinder cars was produced by the firm in 1905, and in 1912 a highly successful small four-cylinder car was introduced. Mr. Maudslay was responsible for the replacement of the tonneau by the side-entrance body, for the first really weather-proof type of hood and side screens, and for the sliding roof. He himself carried out trials on his cars, subjecting them to severe tests on mountain roads in Wales and Scotland.

During the War, the works were given up to the production of munitions and aeroplanes, no less than 1,600 of the latter being built there.

In 1919 the works were reorganized, so that they ranked amongst the largest of their kind in the country, with a capacity of 150 cars a day, and in 1927 Mr. Maudslay introduced the well-known "Standard Nine" car, incorporating many features of his own initiation.

He had been a Member of the Institution since 1920.


1934/35 Obituary [5]

Reginald Walter Maudslay was born in 1871 and was educated at Marlborough College and the Crystal Palace School of Engineering.

He received his practical training as a pupil of Sir John Wolfe-Barry and obtained further experience as Assistant Engineer with the Callander and Oban Railway and the Whitechapel and Bow Railway.

In 1903 he founded The Standard Motor Co., Ltd., of which he remained Chairman and Managing Director up to the time of his death. He took an active part in the establishment of The Research and Standardization Committee of the Institution and acted as Chairman of the Committee in 1932-33. He was also a Member of Council for a short time.

He died on 14th December, 1934, at the age of 63.

He was elected a Member of the Institution in 1919.


See Also

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Sources of Information

  1. [1] Gazette Issue 32511 published on the 8 November 1921. Page 26 of 70
  2. 1911 Census
  3. [2] Gazette Issue 34138 published on the 1 March 1935. Page 42 of 88
  4. 1934 Institution of Mechanical Engineers: Obituaries
  5. 1934/35 Institution of Automobile Engineers: Obituaries