Rootes of Success

Dene Bebbington traces the history of Hillman cars

- Dene Bebbington

One of Britain's fondly remembered car brands owed its existence to cycle-making. William Hillman became a millionaire in the 19th century from making bicycles and, among other things, became the first British mass producer of ball bearings. His expansion into car-making in 1907 gave birth to the Hillman marque, famous for its popular Minx model which had several incarnations over nearly 40 years.

With designer Louis Coatalen, Hillman founded the Hillman-Coatalen Car Co Ltd based at Ryton-on-Dunsmore, near Coventry. The first cars they made and sold were beasts by modern standards: one with a 6.4-litre engine and the other a massive 9.7 litres. Typical for the era, their first car had running boards and was open to the elements with leather seats.

By 1910 the company was renamed Hillman Motor Car Co Ltd after the departure of Coatalen to Sunbeam. Smaller engine cars were then introduced starting with the “small six”, giving Hillman a foothold as one of Britain's burgeoning car-makers. Sadly, William Hillman didn't see the full fruits of his company, dying on 4 February 1921, aged 72. His sons-in-law John Black and Spencer Wilks ran the company after his death. Under their leadership the Hillman Fourteen, brought to the market in 1925, saw the company gain a greater market share.