Wolseley Owners Group

The origins of the company as an automobile brand was in about 1895-96 when 30 year old Herbert Austin, then employed as a works manager at the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Company, became interested in engines and automobiles. During the winter of 1895-96 he made his own version of a design by Léon Bollée that he had seen in Paris. Later he found that another British group had bought the rights so Austin had to come up with a design of his own. In 1897, the second Wolseley car, the Wolseley Autocar No. 1 was revealed. It was a three wheeled design (one front, two rear) featuring independent rear suspension, mid engine and back to back seating for two adults. It was not successful and although advertised for sale, none were sold. The third Wolseley car, the four wheeled Wolseley "Voiturette" followed in 1899. A further four wheeled car was made in 1900, this time with a steering wheel instead of a tiller. The first Wolseley cars sold to the public were based on the "Voiturette", but production did not get under way until 1901, by which time the company had changed hands. In that year the automobile division was spun off (with financing from Vickers) as an independent concern in Adderley Park, Birmingham. Austin managed the new Wolseley company for a short time before resigning to form his own concern, the Austin Motor Company, in 1905.

Wolseley purchased the Siddeley Autocar Company, with founder John Davenport Siddeley in charge. Siddeley (later Baron Kenilworth) took control of the merged concern, renaming the marque Wolseley-Siddeley until his resignation in 1910. He went on to manage the Deasy Motor Company, which became Siddeley-Deasy. This later merged with Armstrong-Whitworth to become Armstrong Siddeley. In 1912 they were commissioned by the Russian Count Peter P Schilovski, a lawyer and member of the Russian royal family, to build the Schilovski Gyrocar.


[edit] Wolseley Motor Company
The company officially became the Wolseley Motor Company in 1914. It also began operations in Montreal and Toronto, Canada as Wolseley Motors Limited. This became British and American Motors after World War I.

In 1918, Wolseley began a joint venture in Tokyo, Japan with Ishikawajiama Ship Building and Engineering. The first Japanese-built Wolseley car rolled off the line in 1922. After World War II, the Japan venture reorganized, renaming itself Isuzu Motors in 1949. Isuzu was part of General Motors for a time, but has recently returned to independence and a focus on the commercial truck market.

In 1919 Wolseley also took over the Ward End, Birmingham munitions factory from Vickers.

Wolseley grew quickly selling upmarket cars, and even opened a lavish showroom, Wolseley House, in Piccadilly (next door to the the Ritz Hotel, now housing a restaurant called The Wolseley). Finances were strained, however, and the company faced receivership in October, 1926 with debts of £2 million.