|
|
Beginnings
The works had an interesting past as it was previously
occupied by the Star Motor Company and Briton Cars. In 1912 Briton
purchased six acres of land alongside the London & North Western
railway line between Lower Horseley Fields and Lower Walsall Street.
The company built new works on the site and moved there in 1913.
Charles Hayward had a sidecar manufacturing business in
Church Street and traded under the name of C. W. Hayward. He had an
arrangement with A.J.S. to produce their sidecars. Business was extremely
good and larger premises were sought for expansion. When Briton moved to
Lower Walsall Street he acquired their old Stewart Street works. The
business thrived, producing sidecars for most of the major manufacturers
including Sunbeam. It became the largest sidecar manufacturing plant in
the world.
|
|
|
The A.J.S. Works
In 1920 the company was taken over by A.J.S. as part of its
expansion programme. A.J.S. also purchased the buildings and allowed the
company to continue trading under its original name. There was a sawmill
and joinery section, an enamelling section, a body building section and
a chassis department. The site occupied over 36,000 square feet.
The sidecars continued to sell extremely well and
Stewart Street works couldn't keep up with the demand. The company
decided that it had to increase production, and as there was no more
space available at Stewart Street for expansion, a new premises was
essential. In 1922 the Briton Car Company went into voluntary
liquidation. Their Lower Walsall Street works was put up for sale, and
Page & Sons, Estate Agents, sold the Walsall Street factory on
October 3rd 1922 for £7,000 to A.J.S..
Sidecar production soon moved to Lower Walsall
Street and in 1923 A.J.S. began to produce wireless receivers to cater for
the new market which was made possible by the formation of the BBC. The
BBC was formed in 1922 and started regular broadcasts before the end of
the year. In 1925 part of the wireless department moved to Stewart
Street as sales were very high and extra space was required to increase
production. Initially only the wireless cabinets and loudspeakers were
produced here, but by 1927 sales had started to fall and the
remaining parts of the Wireless Department also moved here. Sales
continued to fall and in the middle of 1928 production ceased. The works
was sold to the Symphony Gramophone Company Limited, which produced a
range of radiograms and portable receivers. The company also purchased
the remaining A.J.S. wireless spares and used them in its products.
|
