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Willian

16th June 1961, Page 32
16th June 1961
Page 32
Page 33
Page 32, 16th June 1961 — Willian
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Keywords : Holmes, Sherlock Holmes

7.,dward Holmes pRACTICAL training has proved the foundation for many a successful career and, despite the fact that " father would have thought these jobs queer stuff," there is little doubt that the early lessons learnt by William Edward Holmes in his parent's business gave him the solid basis on which to build the present successful Homalloy enterprise.

Father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all woodworking men and it is strange that one who must have been born to be a joiner should have done so much to develop the present trend towards light-alloy bodies and, indeed, plastics bodywork also.

Soon after the end of World War I William Edward, having completed his education at the Harris Technical College, Preston, started to serve his time as an apprentice joiner and wheelwright. The late Mr. Holmes, senior, had strong ideas on the matter of good solid construction and would undoubtedly have taken a pretty poor view had he lived to see the plywood panels and the flush doors of the office of present chairman and managing director of Holmes (Preston), Ltd., and associated companies.

In the early days to which we are, referring, the family firm was doing useful business in building bodywork of substantial appearance which the fussier type of motorist could substitute for that provided by the factory on the popular old Ford "Tin Lizzie." They also built bodies for the Briton car. Altogether those five years' training provided valuable practical experience, and W.E, was well qualified when at the age of 22 he decided to fulfil a long-held ambition and set up on his own account. He became a builder and contractor in 1939 and the years that followed, carrying out war contracts for the Ministry of Supply. During that period his business, which included a sawmill, was established as a limited company. The end of World War II brought a situation in which it seemed that building might become largely a matter of direct labour. However, there was obviously going to

„ be an intense demand for new goods vehicles for many years to come, in consequence a decision being taken to resume bodybuilding. In 1945-46 the works were, amongst other things, engaged in machining body sections and making timber packings and squabs for Leyland as well as considerable quantities of squabs for the Duple organization.

At that time, of course, supplies of timber were very strictly controlled and the situation in relation to steel fittings was equally tight. Meanwhile there was much alloy material, the product of stepped-up war-time production, available without restriction. This offered opportunities for an enterprising businessman and plans were set in motion with the object of providing an alloy body that would enable the Leyland Comet as then produced to be turned out at an unladen weight not exceeding 3 tons. Mr. Holmes drew his own sketches of all the sections required at the outset and although prices were high compared with timber—in fact, double the figure—the proposition sooncaught on.

Mr. Holmes set out to make his factory the first quantity producer of light-metal commercial vehicle bodywork but he will never forget Fishers of Workington, who were the first operators to put the Homalloy body into service in this country. Bill Holmes is the first one to agree that something of a gamble provided the turning point for the new policy. One of the biggest operators in the country was decidedly interested in his design but still harboured doubts, so Holmes lent them a dozen bodies for a year in order to prove that 20 cwt. could be saved on the unladen weight of 14-tonners. At the end of the period the users' experience had been so satisfactory that a contract for 150 bodies was placed, this quickly being followed by orders for hundreds of cabs and drop-sided platform bodies for Guys. The demand grew so rapidly that extensions were put in hand in 1948, additional facilities being added each year for the following five years.

Before examining the most recent developments it is worth while observing that, despite responsibility for an exacting and fast-growing business enterprise, Mr. Holmes has maintained a wide range of interests over a long period of years. Ever since he was IO, at ,which age he was paying out his father's workmen in real gold sovereigns, he has been a follower of Preston North End football team. For 30 years he has played golf and is captain of Preston Golf Club. His deep interest in horses has expressed itself in racehorse ownership. That would be enough for most men but Mr. Holmes found time to serve on Fulwood Urban District Council for nine years, at the end of which period he was elected chairman although, owing to a bout of ill health, he could not take up the position. However, in hi S honour one of the new roads in the area was named Janice Avenue after his daughter.

First Plastics Tipper The Holmes acumen led the works to pioneer reinforced plastics cabs in 1950 and they claim also to have constructed the first all glass fibre tipping body. More recently the construction of refrigerated vehicles has been developed. Nearly 500 tons of refrigerated products were completed last year, a figure that is likely to be doubled during the current period.

The public company of Holmes (HomaIloy), Ltd., of which Mr. William Edward Holmes is chairman and managing director, was formed in 1955. Last year saw the initiation of Holmes Alexander, Ltd., a joint organization formed by Holmes (Preston), Ltd., and Walter Alexander and Co. (Coach Builders), Ltd. This company is shortly to open a new body works at Dumfries, where a staff of

200 is likely to be employed. A.T.


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