At 01:38 PM 9/25/97 -0500, you wrote:
>I made a mistake re. the date on which I joined the Sunbeam Bicycle div.
>It was not actually 1904 but was 1906.
>Reason for my error was because I was still recovering from wounds suffered
>in the Boer War, when Churchill and I escaped certain capture by fleeing at
>night in a hail of bullets.
>Like many UK companies, Sunbeam offered veterans employment, as a show of
>appreciation for gallant service to the crown.
>
>Anthony, your visiting uncle may not have been exaggerating when he claimed
>to have been sent down under as a convict. First, they did this for a
>longer time than is officially recorded and second, back then people lived
>to much older ages than now. While 170 does seem a bit high, I would think
>he meant 107 and merely transposed the numbers?
>
>Jeff, I am not related to Mr. Grey although I met him once in Hyde Park,
>London when he made an appearence at "Speakers Corner" (I recognized him
>from his picture). He was arguing in favor of a govt. dole for those who
>were over 100 years of age. This failed to pass muster in the House of
>Commons but did receive a favorable support in Lords (because they were
>mostly old farts themselves and were sympathetic to the idea).
>
>Tony, I am not a Buddhist who believes in reincarnation but your suggestion
>that I might be a reincarnated Lord Rootes does not sit well with me
>because history has shown that the demise of our beloved Rootes Motors is
>mainly due to his personal ineptness and inability to keep the co. moving
>along with the times. He surrounded himself with buddies, cronies and
>chums who themselves were living in a bygone era and out of touch with the
>current reality of the marketplace.
>Chrysler Corp was the kiss of death for Rootes as well as for the French
>SIMCA co. which they also managed to destroy shortly after buying it.
>
>I recall dining with his Lordship on many occasions, during which I pleaded
>with him to hire modern thinking management people. My argument was brushed
>aside and he always changed the subject to a discussion of his latest Port
>Wine accquisitions. Anyhow, in his last years he seemed to have a poor
>regard for my once valued advice. I believe this was due to my using
>ketchup sauce on his roast beef entre once.
>
>The history of the post-war UK auto industry is one littered with the
>demise of many once famous names, such as Jowett, Armstrong Siddley,
>Wolseley, Singer, Allard,Alvis,Bristol, Doretti, Triumph,Hillman,Jensen,
>Standard, Humber,Healey, Frazier-Nash... ad infinitum....
>The Uk once had a great aircraft mfr. business as well but through
>management and technical ineptness this too is virtually vanished.
>Back in the 1950s and 60s we had a joke that read "Give an Englishman a
>piece of sheetmetal and he will do some stupid with it".
>When the Daimler SP250 sports car made it's appearence, we modified the
>remark to read "Give an Englishman a piece of sheetmetal or some
>fiberglass, and he will do something stupid with it".
>In all fairness, no country has been immune from this sillyness of body
>designs, the US has more than a fair share of it's own "stupidity" , its
>just that the English managed to combine the bum styling with shoddy
>workmanship , rotten technical support and troublesome equipment from
>vendors like Lucas, Smiths , Zenith, Solex and etc. This is a combo
>guaranteed to result in closed factories !
>The few UK marques still surviving , have joined forces with US, Jap or
>German partners (or are wholly owned by them) and therefore have the
>benefit of alert experienced international sales, design and technical teams.
>Aside from Rolls/Bentley I do not know of a live," major", UK car maker who
>is not in this situation today !
>FYI, the Rolls-Royce famous "RR" logo may be used now...only on jet
>engines. The seperate car div. has had to design a new logo consisting of
>the Flying Lady figure.
>I am celebrating my birthday soon (somewhere around Oct 2 to 10th. Mum was
>uncertain about this as I looked nothing at all like dad...what a puzzle).
>If I am able to figure out my exact age I will of course post it for all to
>see. The Guinness Book has a wrong age I believe so this cannot be relied
upon.
>Dick T.
>
>Dick: is the "T" in your name short for "tongue in cheek"? Perhaps we
could start a string about the benefits of bayonets used as bumperettes, or
Mongolian yak hair over pot bellied pig skin seat covers. Your musings are
most interesting. Kepp on writing us. Keyboarding is a great exercise for
you old farts (keeps the fingers nimble, and the arthritis at bay).
Terry McKitrick
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