4.3.1        William Hillman – “The Humble Hillman”

William Hillman was born on 30^th Dec 1847 in Lewisham, Kent, to William Hillman, cabmaster & Mary Taylor[1]. (However, the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography[2] has a different record).

He started his working life as an apprentice in Greenwich, London, then with the Coventry Sewing Machine Company. He then established his own company along with James Starley – the Coventry Machinist Company, producing bicycles. In 1884 they exhibited the first “Kangaroo” bicycle with chain gears and chain drive all fitted on the larger front wheel[3] (“Penny-Farthing” style). Their all-metal Ariel model had an improved steering column over other machines of the time, with a hollow “backbone”, solid fork and a new wire-wheel system. It was an early “high-wheeler” like the so-called “penny-farthing” with a 48-inch-high driving wheel. The wheel spokes tension was managed in one go with the tangential “lever bar”. All this for only £ 8.00[4] at the time. They claimed to be the “the largest cycle manufactory in the World“. They also pioneered the manufacture of ball and roller bearings with four plants in Coventry, and another in Nuremburg Germany in 1896. William Hillman registered a number of patents in Britain, Germany and the USA. These were for a “machine for making balls” in 1885, in 1886 for a tubular steel “tennis bat”, and in 1890 relating to various aspects of “velocipede” (bicycle) design & manufacture[5]. He also invented an “automatic steel music stool” of a clever design. In 1886 they were turning out 212 different bicycle models.

William Hillman was a qualified engineer and prior to producing cars, Hillman worked with W.H. Herbert, forming the Hillman and Herbert Cycle Company in 1875. This later became the Premier Cycle Company, then Coventry Premier. William Hillman was also an associate of James Starley, and of Cooper (of early bicycle manufacturing fame).

Before the end of the century William Hillman was a millionaire. He moved and built Abingdon House (also called Pinley House) at Stoke Aldemoor, near Coventry in 1894 and decided to build his car manufacturing plant in the grounds, producing his first car in 1907, designed by the French Breton –  Louis Coatalen – hence the name Hillman-Coatalen for the model. Later manufacturing moved to the “Auto Machinery Works” in Hood Street, where cycles, sewing machines and roller skates were already in production.

The Abingdon House, Aldemoor site produced engines for bombers during WWII, then later became headquarters for the Peugeot UK motor company. Today it is a luxury country house hotel – the Royal Court Hotel.

At the same time as beginning to produce motor cars, William Hillman was involved in producing motorcycles in 1908, and four wheel “cyclecars” with a small engine in 1912.

William Hillman married Fanny Moreton Brockas, a farmer’s daughter in 1873 in Coventry. She was six years his junior and they had six daughters –  Fanny Mabel, Mary Beatrice, Evelyn (married Percy Rowland Hill), Dorothy Annie (married Thomas Sidney Dick), Margaret Verena (married John Paul Black), Kathleen Edith (married Spencer Barnau Wilks) – and one son, who sadly died soon after his birth in 1876.

William Hillman’s sons-in-law – John Black and Spencer Wilks – became directors of the Hillman Car Company, positions they held when it was taken over by the Rootes Group in 1928. John Black then moved to the Standard marque and Spencer Wilks to the Rover marque. Major B.H. Thomas, Hillman’s engine designer, also moved to Rover with Wilks.

William Hillman died on 4 Feb 1921, at his home – then at Keresley Hall, Coventry – when he was 72 years old^1,2. He was said to be of a quiet and retiring personality, endeared to his employees and friends.

4.3.2        The Hillman Motor Car Company Ltd., Coventry, UK

The company was founded as the Hillman-Coatalen Motor Car Company in 1906-7 by William Hillman and Louis Coatalen. The initial production of cars grew out of a project in the Hillman and Herbert Cycle Company, when Hillman and Cooper hired Louis Coatalen as technician to design a motor vehicle. Coatalen had previously worked in the De Dion-Bouton and Humber factories.

Coatalen designed the early cars and married one of Hillman’s six daughters. He sold his shares in the company back to Hillman in 1909 and moved to work with the Sunbeam company.

The earliest vehicles were built at Hillman’s home called Abingdon House in Stoke, Coventry, also known as Pinley House. Later production moved to Hillman’s Auto-Machinery Works at 9-11 Hood Street, in the Hillfields area of Coventry. This was already an established facility for making cycles, sewing machines and roller skates.

The Rootes Group was formed by brothers Billie and Reggie Rootes through purchasing Hillman, Humber (including Commer), and Singer motor manufacturers. This was in 1928-9. Later they acquired Karrier, Talbot and Sunbeam. They continued to produce cars with those original manufacturers names including Hillman, until 1976 when the last Hillman-badged car was made – the Avenger.

Chrysler of the USA purchased the Rootes Group of UK in 1967.

4.3.3        Hillman Models

(see general references at end of this section)

Early Hillman models typify the perception of vintage vehicles – the “proper” Hillman cars. Once taken over by the Rootes Group, in 1928, more modern models were produced with the introduction of the Hillman Minx at the London Motor Show at Olympia in 1931.  

• The Hillman-Coatalen prototype appeared in 1907 at the time of the “Tourist Trophy” motor race.
• The Hillman 25 HP was the first production model, a large 4 cylinder engine vehicle, each cylinder a separate entity. Its total engine displacement was 6.2 litres.
• The earliest models included a six-cylinder Hillman Model 40 with a massive 9,654 cc engine in 1911; a similar four-cylinder model ; and several other 9 – 12 HP models. They were built on a small scale in the period 1907-9.
• Coatalen 12/15: Produced in 1908 this had a 12 HP engine, with a four-seater body designed by Charlesworth of Coventry. It had a top advertised speed of 50 mph. The individual now preserved in Coventry was produced in 1908 and is believed to be the earliest surviving Hillman car. Production of this and the 25 HP continued to the end of 1911.
• Two new models appeared in 1913 – a two gear, twin cylinder model of 1.8 litres displacement, and a very conventional three gear, 9 HP four cylinder model, for the price of £ 200. This was the basic car produced until 1915.
• A small six-cylinder engine of 2.063 litre displacement followed, and an experimental car with an eight-cylinder engine, the “pots” organised in two rows of four. This was demonstrated on the Brooklands Circuit in 1914.
• The Hillman 11 HP model appeared in 1916 under a new Technical Director at Hillman called A.J. Dawson. This had a 1.6 litre engine. The coach body was attached to the chassis in four places, the pistons were aluminium, there was a handbrake, and the gear lever was centrally located – all innovations for the time. This did not come into production until 1919.
• The Hillman Speed: Produced in 1920 with an engine size of 1.122 litres.
• Production of cars in these early days was never great – only 600 units were produced in 1921.
• Further innovations ensued. In 1922 an 11 HP model was produced with a demountable cylinder head until 1925. After 1923 all models were offered in cabriolet (convertible) version with side windows operated by a crank handle.
• Between the years 1919 to 1922 a sport model derived from the 11 HP was produced but with an engine of 1.5 litres. This little 28 HP side-valve engine with an aerodynamically shaped aluminium body was able to exceed 100 kph (62 mph). A single seat version driven by the company driver George Bedford, finished well (6^th and 7^th in its class) in two races in 1921 – The International Cup for Small Cars, and the Two Hundred Mile Race at Brooklands.
• The famous race driver Raymond Mays (see below) did much for the popularity of the Hillman Brookland Sport through his initial use of it, but this was probably the first and last true Hillman “Sport“. After this Hillman dedicated itself to the production of everyday vehicles.
• In 1926 the Hillman 14 HP, with a 2 litre four-cylinder side valve engine, and with brakes on all four wheels, was put in place as standard.
• Hillman Wizard: This model was launched in 1929 by the Rootes Group. It had a choice of either a 2.1 or a 2.8 litre engine.
• Hillman Minx: When introduced by the Rootes Group at the 1931 Motor Show as a new concept in light car design, this was the sensation of the Show. It could carry four adults, could travel at 60 mph, and had a fuel consumption of between 36 and 40 mpg. The Minx was produced in various versions for the next 40 years and exported to over 160 countries.
• Hillman Husky: the estate car smaller than the Minx that became the “farm and commercial van” and was similarly as well known as the Minx.
• Hillman 80, Hawk: This model appeared in 1936 with a 3.181 litre engine, one version being known as the Hawk.
• During the Second World War Hillman vehicles were evident. David Shepherd, the train and animal artist, depicts a 1943 Hillman pickup being used in the bombing-up and maintenance of a Lancaster aircraft in his painting “Winter of ’43 Somewhere in England“. Sir Winston Churchill used a Hillman staff car which is now preserved at the Jersey Motor Museum.
• Hillman Imp: This was produced in 1963 as a competitor with the Ford Anglia and the BMC (Morris) Mini. It began life as “Little Jimmy“, but as the Imp when produced in a new factory built for the purpose at Linwood, near Glasgow, Scotland. It was a successful rallying car, taking first and second places in the Rally of the Tulips in 1965.
• Hillman Hunter: This model appeared in 1969 at Linwood, and continued to be produced as a Hillman in Iran until the 1980s.
• Hillman Avenger: Produced in 1970-75, also at Linwood, this was a sporty coupé version of the Minx.

Although rallying and racing were never priorities with the Hillman Company, Hillmans have been rallied successfully:

• Raymond Mays who founded English Racing Automobiles and British Racing Motors, started his racing career with a “Speed Model Hillman” or “Hillman Brooklands Sport” car in the 1920s.
• The London to Sydney Marathon in 1969 was won by Andrew Cowan, Brian Coyle and Colin Malkin in a Hillman Hunter.
• As noted above the Hillman Imp was a very popular rallying car, and remains so to this day, albeit with all sorts of other engines installed!

Sources:

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[1] Grace’s Guide, British Industrial History, 2018. https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Hillman

[2] Adeney, Martin. 2008. Hillman, William 1848-1921. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford Univ. Press

[3] Kangaroo, Dwarf Safety bicycle https://www.sterba-bike.cz/item/kangaroo-dwarf-safety-hillman-herbert-cooper-england?lang=EN

[4] Herlihy, David. 2004. Bicycle: the History. Yale University Press.

[5] United States Patent Office No. 333,301, 29 Dec 1885. Machine for Making Balls. William Hillman, Premier Works, Coventry, Warwick, England.; No. 346,751, 3 Aug 1886. Tennis-Bat. William Hillman, Hillman, Herbert & Cooper, Coventry, Warwick, England.;No. 430,019, 10 Jun 1890. Velocipede. William Hillman of Coventry, Warwick, England, Hillman, Herbert & Cooper, Ltd..

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Links to web sites on the Hillman marque of cars:

http://freespace.virgin.net/hillman.hunter/ has some information on the Hillman Hunter.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andymurkin/Hillman/Hillinfo/SeriesMinx.html has information on the later model (Rootes Group) Hillman Minx and Husky.

http://www.brit-cars.net/hillman

http://www.dincum.com/library/lib_little_maid.html

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Hillman

www.british-marque.web1000.com/MAIN.htm

www.britishmm.co.uk/clubs.asp

www.britishmm.co.uk/history.asp?id=445

http://brunelleschi.imss.fi.it/biciclette/ebiciclo.html

www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/?man=2812 provides a useful summary of later (mainly Rootes Group Hillman) models, years of manufacture, and engine sizes used.

www.charm.net/~pdbragg/whatsahillman/

www.colin99.co.uk/avenger.html has a lot of information on the Hillman Avenger.

www.discover.co.uk/~motor/rootes.html has a picture of the earliest surviving Hillman (1908) in the Museum of British Transport.

www.exponet.co.uk/hstoric-Cov

www.hillfields.org.uk/History/Car_history/Hillman.htm Information on William Hillman and the evolution of the company and its cars.

www.imps4ever.info/marques/hillman.html

www.krbaker.demon.co.uk/britcars/h/hillman.html shows some models and gives a brief history.

www.motorbase.com/manufacturer/by-id/42/

www.motorlegend.com/new/histoire/hillman/ A very informative French site with useful information on the earlier (pre-Rootes) Hillman models.

http://www.nettravel.ro/royal.court.hotel.coventry.united.kingdom/

www.rover.org.nz/pages/histpic/hind4.htm

www.team.net/www/rootes/history.html provides some Hillman information in relation to the Rootes Group history.