1911. October. F. W. Berwick and Co was registered by Frederick William Berwick with financial backing from Alexander Keiller
1913 Agreement to market the Sizaire 20-hp chassis under the Sizaire-Berwick name in Britain
1913 The company took limited status with F. W. Berwick and A. Keiller as directors
1914 The cars, with bodies by H. J. Mulliner, gained a reputation for quality
With the onset of WWI, supply from France ceased and the new factory at Park Royal was used to produce aircraft and engines
Eventually Park Royal had 5,800 employees at its wartime peak. Berwick had planned the new factory with post-war car production in mind and assuming that, after the war, production of the Sizaire-Berwick car would be undertaken in England. Coachbuilding was also carried out on this site (coachbuilders working there included Webb, Park and Ward, both to later have their own coachbuilding firms).
An agreement had been made with the Austin Motor Company during the war to fit bodywork to some Austin models at Park Royal.
1919 October Became a public company with David Dalziel M.P. as Chairman and C. J. Ford of Edison Swan Electric Co joined the board.
1920 October. Receiver appointed. Some 200 cars had been sold before the Official Receiver was called in although production continued until 1922.
1922 September. Herbert Austin and Harvey Du Cros joined the board. The company was producing the 25/50 and added the 13/26 and 23/46 models (these were the Austin 12 and 20 with different radiators and improved coachwork); some cars were offered through the Austin network.
The Sizaire brothers and Berwick had left the company by the end of 1922.
1924 The Park Royal works closed.
1924 February Ceased trading
Berwick was later connected with the Windsor Light Car made at Lancaster Road, London W11. Produced by James Bartle and Co. C. S. Windsor had taken control of Bartle's company in 1910.
Berwick helped to create British Salmson Aero Engines in 1929 to build aero engines. (The first car appeared in 1934).
See Also
Sources of Information
- The Austin 1905-52 by R. J. Wyatt. Published 1981. ISBN: 0 7153 7948 8