In this second article about Coventry’s cycle heritage, Peter James tells us about William Hillman. Peter writes….
William Hillman was born in Lewisham on 30th December 1847 the son of William a Cab master and his wife Mary Taylor. He was brought up at Lewis Grove in Lewisham with his five sisters. After moving to Greenwich he trained at the engineering works of John Penn & Sons. It’s where he had the good fortune to meet James Starley who was employed there as a gardener. James’ ability to invent gadgets and repair watches etc. had been recognised while he worked for John Penn.
Cycling Pioneers
Josiah Turner and James Starley set up Coventry Machinists in King Street Coventry in 1863 and William Hillman joined them there soon after. They were the first British manufacturer of velocipedes. The cycles were based on a French design modified by James Starley.
c1870 William Hillman and James Starley left Coventry Machinists and set up as partners in St. Johns Street Coventry making sewing machines while developing cycles. It is where they patented the Aerial cycle which was an all- metal construction with wire spoke wheels.
The Ariel Cycle was eventually built by Smith Starley & Co in 1871 in St. Agnes Works. A year later in 1872 William Hillman left the company and married Fanny Brockas a farmer’s daughter soon after in 1873.
In 1876 William Hillman and William Henry Herbert joined forces and established the Hillman and Herbert Company. After initially making sewing machines they started to manufacture bicycles. The company became the world’s largest manufacturer of cycles at the time in four factories in Coventry, mainly using the Premier brand name. After becoming Hillman Herbert & Cooper in 1880 this company was wound up in 1891 and was bought as a going concern by the Premier Cycle Company Ltd. During that time in 1886 William also founded Auto Machinery Co. Ltd. in Read Street. Later in 1902 a motorcycle was launched and actually branded Hillman, it was the only model ever built.
Motor cars
In 1907 William formed a partnership with Louis Coatelen a Frenchman to manufacture motor cars. The company was known as Hillman-Coatalen later becoming the Hillman Motor Company in 1909 when Louis left and joined Sunbeam. William lived at Abingdon House in Stoke Aldermoor and car production was at a factory in the grounds of the house.
In 1928 Hillman cars merged with Humber and in 1931 became part of the Rootes Group. They then changed emphasis and became a manufacturer of small cars. In 1894 William and his family moved to Keresley near Coventry where he purchased land and a country manor Keresley Hall was built. He was still living there with his wife in 1921 when he passed away on the 4th February. He was buried locally at Keresley Church after being conveyed there on the chassis of a Hillman car.
Motoring Dynasty
William had five daughters and his eldest Evelyn married Percy Rowland Hill who ran an Aluminium Foundry employing around 50 men.
His daughter Dorothy married Thomas Sidney Dick who was initially joint manager of Auto Machinery Co. but later became its chairman. He was the uncle of Alick Dick at one time chairman of Standard Triumph.
Margaret Hillman married John Paul Black who was also a chairman of Standard Triumph.
His youngest daughter Edith married Spencer Bernard Wilks who joined Rover in 1929 as General Manager and later became Chairman from 1958 to 1962.