Re: Packard's Imported to England

Posted by Guscha On 2019/9/4 22:12:03
Quote:
Here is a question: If the Leonard Williams building was destroyed by a bomb and a V2 during the war, how is it the Clipper was imported by the firm? Did they rebuild that quickly, or was there another location? Just curious. JWL


John, that's what I found:

Philip Belcher says
March 7, 2015 at 4:04 pm
Just came across your question of 2012- I hope this isn't the first response!
My Dad worked at Leonard Williams before and after ww2. He was drafted into the Fairy Aviation factory throughout the war at nearby Heston. He went to see his old colleagues at Packards (as we used to call it) the day the V2 hit- he was cycling home westwards down the Great West Road when he heard it explode. He didn't know where it had hit until later. After the war they moved next door, on the south side of the road (A4). In the summer school holiday in 1954 when I was 15, I helped out there cleaning cars and doing odd jobs. I was sent to the stores for a "long weight", and was there for ages! Dad was a diagnostic and test engineer. When road testing he brought home some great cars, including J.Arthur Rank's Packard Patrician, and gave us rides. Nearest tube (actually above ground there) is Boston Manor. Let me know if I can help further.


Philip Belcher says
July 31, 2015 at 5:06 pm
I was wrong in my comment about Packards moving next door. From photographs after the war the building looked much as it did before the V2 disaster, so must have been rebuilt. The only difference seems to be that the recessed part at the eastern end was rebuilt as a blank wall at the end of the workshop, instead of an extension of the original two storey office/showroom block, with a large garage door. They must have adapted the space at the west of the showroom to be a car park. I have a photograph of my Dad with two Packards at this spot, taken in the 1950's, showing the Firestone building in the distance. I have another photograph of the Great West Road taken in 1970 showing the building is missing.



source: doganddeco.co.uk

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