The thought occurred to me, after I had published some
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stray notes under " Out and Home" a fortnight ago concerning Mr. Frank Churchill, that a portrait of this gentleman would be of much interest, and then my trouble commenced. I won't say that an unsuspected strain of diffidence was discovered, for I think in my inmost heart that Churchill has paid me the compliment of having one taken specially : hence the delay. Many people would have blithely sent a photo of ten years ago, but that is not Churchill's way ; he prefers, tightly, that " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR" shall depict him as he is— looking rather " frosty on theoof," as he puts it fear he is correct, when he says, also, that he is not the only one who has been turned grey by the motor trade, for he is really one of the young men, being only just 34. He has become thoroughly acclimatised to Sheffield by this time, and one even notes slight traces of the Yorkshire in his talk, but he was, as a matter of fact, horn in London. It is interesting to know that the original business of Durham, Churchill and Co. was founded by the father in the " 'seventies," and was connected entirely with marine engineering (Churchill tkre was a Vice-President of the Institute of Marine Engineers), and it was in connection with this branch that Frank Churchill received his early training. The firm took up other branches of engineering, manufacturing various specialities, and eventually drifted into the motor trade through the "Champion" friction clutch, by reason of its special adaptability for motor work generally. This soon led to launch reversing. gears. then to pleasure cars, and
finally to the Churchill lorries and chars-k-bancs.
As I have said, Churchill has absorbed some of the Yorkshire spirit and some of its doggedness. I noticed, with something akin to joy, the other day, when this paper had inadvertently left his vehicles out in a list of Yorkshire-made lorries, that he indited an indignant remonstrance. From what I have observed, Churchill's aim has always been to make a reputation for first-class stuff, and I know he has always impressed me with his endeavours to organise his works so that customers can at all times obtain parts for their standard vehicle at call. In this connec
tion, Churchill pays a compliment to our occasional contributor "Homoc," averring how thoroughly he knows the inside of the trade, and how well he will appreciate the difficulties of supplying from stock interchangeable parts; incidentally, there are some others who realise it too. To my mind, it is a great point in Churchill's favour that he takes, as I have acknowledged he does, endless trouble to satisfy his clients.
I hope and believe I am as loyal as most British subjects : I do not rhapsodise over baby princes and prinoesses, and incidents concerning these little royalties fail entirely to raise a throb of excitement in me as they do in some estimable ladies of my acquaintance. I feel, in one respect, like a wild Irishman whom I know very well. He was a pao-Boer, and he seems to be constantly up against the English, but he has, he tells me, a profound affection for the English.
sovereign. I have had my pulses quickened, however, during this last week, by the utterances of the Prince of Wales. He has made what the papers call another "rousing speech," and this time he has fully enlisted my strayingsympathies. He has "found himself," when he has realised that advertising means sales, and when he says explicitly : " Experience has shown that, even in the case of firms having an established reputation and world-wide connection, attempts to discontinue advertising have usually been followed by a diminution of the sales effected." Now he is talking, say I, though I have a natural reluctance to breathe a word about advertising. Without disrespect : the Heir to the Throne is " my man."