Pictures from the Heritage Archives

Armstrong Siddeley in Advertising

The Wolseley Tool and Motor Co. Ltd. with Lionel de Rothschild as a board member and John Siddeley as General Manager was forging ahead and sales turnover was very good indeed.. The advert above indicates a Royal purchase and a list of influential owners as well as a fine range of

Wolseley-Siddeley motor vehicles. Five of the eight models available were shown on Stand 47 of the 1908 London Motor Show held at Olympia.

The commercial business was also thriving, producing taxi cabs, lorries and buses. Buses were built for the London General Omnibus Company and by1908 year end, 88 were in service.

Taxi cabs in London and other British cities were dominated by the French made Renault. In an effort to counter these imports Wolseley- Siddeley produced a very suitable 10hp model for the London and Provincial Cab Co. for use in London, Birmingham, Glasgow and other large cities.

It was not uncommon for smaller town or country garages to have a vehicle for local hire. The one in the picture below was purchased by a Mr. William Morris of The Morris Garage, Holywell Street, Oxford. We shall hear more concerning him in a later jotting.