I started work with AP in Banbury, which opened in 1962 in 80 acres of land. It was built to increase capacity in the supply of spare and replacement parts, and at its peak employed 2,000 people. With the increase in competition in the OE (Original Equipment) and spare parts, the Banbury factory was closed in 1986 and the work and employees transferred to Leamington. The Banbury site is now a retail park.
History of Automotive Products
- The Component Manufacturing Company was set up by Edward Boughton, Willie Emmott and Denis Brock in 1920.
- In 1928 the company started to manufacture Lockheed Hydraulic Braking System in a factory in Clement Street, Leamington.
- The Borg & Beck Company Limited went into manufacturing of clutches in 1931, under the American patents of Borg & Beck. In the same year the first part of the new factory was opened in Tachbrook Road, Leamington.
- By the outbreak of World War II AP Clutch Division had produced its millionth, Borg & Beck clutch and by 1958 had produced ten million clutch assemblies.
- By 1970 the Leamington Plant had expanded the site to 70 acres, and in 1971 almost four million Borg & Beck clutches were produced.
- AP also developed the four speed automatic transmission for the British Leyland Mini in 1962.
Decline of the company
BBA (British Belting and Asbestos) purchased the Company in 1986 and were bought out in 1995 by a management consortium, while Delphi Corporation purchased the brand name of Borg & Beck in 2000.
The company sales further declined due to increased competition in the automotive parts industry, and with the decline of the AP business it was gradually reduced and broken up. Lockheed Hydraulic Brake was eventually sold to an Indian Company under the name of Caparo AP Braking while the Clutch Division was sold to Magel Engineering in 2005, and two years later sold to Raicam Industrie s.r.l. Italy.
Comments
When the factory was closed and the site clear a valuable fountain was stolen, do you know if it was ever recovered? Do you have a picture that could be shared?
Jan
No. to my knowledge the fountain has never been recovered. There is a picture of the fountain in Warwickshire County Record Office records, Reference No. PH1061/1
It was actually a sculpture that had been set in a fountain that was stolen.
Miranda, a bronze sculpture 2.5m long and 1.2m high, was stolen some time between 14 and 17 December 2001 from the main entrance of the AP (Automotive Products) company in Tachbrook Road.
The sculpture, commissioned by AP’s predecessor, the Lockheed Hydraulic Brake Company, was created for the 1951 Festival of Britain and first displayed in London’s Festival Gardens.
I am writing from France to ask you if anyone would have known my deceased first husband, named John Elliott Patterson who worked at AP in Banbury when we lived in Chacombe. Jonathan worked at AP, Banbury from 1970 to 1972. I am also looking to find his friend, first name Timothy, at the time younger than him and whose last name I don’t remember. He had red hair, maybe this would ring a bell! He would be about 65 today. I would be so happy if anyone could help me! thank you so much
Catherine
I was APs Group photographer from 1976 until 1981 when I took voluntary redundancy. I must have photographed every aspect of the company and its divisions and look back on that time with great joy!
Although I don’t know what happened to the thousands of negatives that had been meticulously filed over the years (I would love to know) – If I can help anyone with info they may require I would be glad to help.
eMail me at: jonnoban@live.com
The man who comes to mind that has immense historical knowledge of AP and its past was the Safety Officer who still advised the company on asbestos issues after leaving their employment, Fred Cox. Hopefully he is still with us.
Can anyone point me to records, reports, news reports or records of the July 1942 bombing of the factory. Also what was the “offical” name then ? We lost a relative in those bombings and while the German pilot records are very complete the English side appears to be undocumented which I would like to correct for the historical record.
I was fortunate to work in the press section (by the door) in Borg and Beck. I worked there 1970 to 1971and enjoyed my time there. I later worked for another local firm, Oldhams Transport, and we delivered goods for AP Leamington and AP Banbury.
Sad to see the decline of both companies.
I left school and trained as a comptometer operator in 1956 and worked in the accounts calculating wages etc.I can remember we had our own medical surgery.The site was so big you almost needed a map to get around as we used to collect the clock cards to calculate the wages. At the end of the day when the clocking off bell went it was like a race to get to the bike sheds first for the mass exodus
I believe that my mother, Monica Lee, worked there, probably in an administrative role. Unfortunately, I never met her.
There is a slightly longer history of AP on the website of Leamington History Group.
My maternal grandfather worked at AP during WW2. One day he cycled as usual to work,but the air raid siren went off as he was nearing the entrance gates. He turned his bike around to return home, but the security man on the gate said he had to go down the works’ air raid shelter. My grandfather refused,saying he was not leaving his wife and new baby( my mother) alone and frightened. The works carpeted him( severe telling off). His name was Joseph William King. I named my eldest son after him.He was my hero!
Tachbrook Road was the hub of activity in the 60s The Jewel Factory, Courier Press and AP sat side by side they were Leamington along with Fords and Flavels. Sadly only Rangemaster is still here former Flavels but for how long? I think the majoriy of Leamingtonians worked for one of them. What a sad decline
I did my apprenticeship at AP from 1978, oh what great times. At one time my Father, sister mother and uncle worked at AP.
Great times
It is wonderful to read all the comments from people who worked at AP. Edward Boughton was my Grandfather.
Really interesting to read this site about the AP factory! I love classic cars and one car in particular that I have owned in the past was a real beauty, a 1955 Hillman Californian -“manumatic” finished in a light grey body with a dark blue roof, registration number RUE 579. This particular car was owned by and chauffeur driven from 1955-72 for Mrs. Doris Boughton and later on for Mr. Edward Boughton -company director.
This car still survives today in 2017! I do still have many copied records of previous employees names etc that came in a vast history vehicle log when this car was based at the Tachbrook Road factory.
Trying to find more information about AP, records Etc. I believe my father worked there from about 1938 until 1945.
Referring to Grace Elaine Campbell’s (Boughton) comment in (22/12/2016). My uncle Stanley Westwood Smye worked for AP I believe as Purchase Director up until around 1965 and he would have known Grace Campbell’s grandfather Edward Broughton very well. We have a silver tray with Edward Broughton’s name inscribed which he presented to my uncle upon his retirement from the AP Board. Uncle Stan used to live in Tiddington Road in Stratford upon Avon, and he later retired to Bishopsteignton South Devon where my Father Jack Smye had also retired to. He may have known Grace and I would welcome any information about my uncle during his time at AP.
My uncle, Stanley Westwood Smye worked at AP for some years as Director of Purchase, he retired around 1965-ish. He lived in Tiddington Road Stratford-upon-Avon with his wife Olive. They later retired to Bishopsteignton South Devon, where my father Jack Smye also had retired to. We still have a silver tray engraved to mark Stanley’s retirement from the Directorate of AP, with a message from Edward Broughton. I would like to hear from anyone who remembers him from those days.
Could anyone reading this be able to identify Fred Clarks ex Royal Marine believed worked in the Accounts or Finance Dept and played Hockey for AP? Please contact me on I.M.frost@hotmail.co.uk
Some employee names from 1955-72 that worked at the AP factory. These details are taken from a vehicle log book that belonged Mrs Boughtons chauffeur driven 1955 Hillman Californian ‘RUE 579’ that I once owned for many years. This car would be sixty three years old now and it still survives to this day!
Miss Marian Eagles -Private Secretary.
Mr W D North -Works Superintendent (died in 1956).
Mr F Busby -Experimental Garage.
Mr D W Hill -Chauffeur? 1959
Mr F B Young -Chauffeur?
Mr J Foord -Chauffeur RUE 579.
Mr F B Gregory -Chauffeur RUE 579.
Mr D C Theopilus -Chauffeur RUE 579.
Mr H Colquhoun -Storeman & then last Chauffeur to Mr Edward Boughton RUE 579.
Mr M Dykes -Production Representative.
Mr George Tew.
Mr H A Beard – 1961. Green Princess 3 Litre Vanden Plas 9527 HP to November 1966.
Mr Parker -Chief Engineer -1947.
Mr A C Burdon -Technical Director 1927-47?
Mr Frank Vowles -Test Driver.
Mr Hinton -Foreman (Experimental Department).
Mr Bernard Putley -Fitter.
Mr Ivan M Waller -Development Assistant joined 1953.
Mr A G Bryan -Assistant Buyer in 1964.
Mr Roy Fenner -Installations Engineer.
Mr Fred Rowarth – 1st General Sales Manager Joined the company in 1945 and became a director in 1956. He died in 1959.
Mr Keene -Experimental Department?
Mr A Wainwright.
Mr B Putley -Bill Putley?
Mr George Raven -HBC Company (Competitions Manager).
This is just to name a few!
Does anyone remember my father, Harry Kemble? He was Company Secretary in the early years.
My dear old dad worked at AP for 28 years, he was a storesman in brakes, he helped me to get a job at the factory and I worked firstly in steering and suspension which was utterly miserable, I transferred to the toolroom and became a progress chaser, I have to admit that I am one of the people responsible for the downfall of the British Motor Industry, I did absolutely NOTHING for a full 12 months until I got my voluntary redundancy, I discovered that if you carried a clipboard with a piece of A4 paper attached you could wonder aimlessly around the factory all day with nobody challenging you.
The fellow who interviewed me for my redundancy was a Battle of Britain fighter pilot, smashing chap, long gone now sadly. Lovely ladies who worked in the wages department, hope they are all well!
I was a young accountant at AP and worked in the service costing office from about 1962…played rugger for Lockheed for lots of years and did all the tours to Wales every other year…I was in digs in Kinross Road with old Robert Ingles (commercial manager, I think) and his lovely wife who looked after me like a son… Both passed on now but I keep in touch with the daughter who still lives there… I went to Banbury to open the factory as the wages/cost accounts accountant and had a wonderful time there… very happy days.
My father Brian Lamming has just passed away aged 92. He worked for AP in the ’60s in Leamington and we lived at Lapworth. I remember the Christmas pantomime but as a young lad that was the only visit to the factory. Does anyone remember him from then? His funeral is next week in Angmering Sussex.
Some of you may remember my father Geoff Hatcher, who died in February 2020, aged 91. He worked at Lockheed / AP in Leamington from 1955 to 1993 as an inspector and latterly as Deputy Convenor and Secretary of the Stewards Committee.
A comment regarding Delphi. . They purchased the brands of Lockheed and Borg&Beck (later sold to Firstline) as well as the distribution centre and Sales & Marketing teams. The manufacturing facilities were sold separately.
I started my apprenticeship there in 1987 and left 30 years later, in 2017.
I started in August 87 at the regional warehouse in Banbury before moving over to Block 19 in October 89 with about 40 others where I remained until September 17 when it was really starting to see an end. It did eventually lose its block 19 name. I think I must have been the very last ‘shop floor’ worker from Banbury to have worked for AP Lockheed/Delphi. A few of the old Banbury office staff were still there when I left. I think. It certainly has a great history.
Nice to hear Tony Thompson is well, My name is Silvio and I worked with Tony for a while before I retired from Delphi .
I wonder if anyone remembers my dad, Ronald Howells, who I think was ‘Purchasing Manager’ in the late 50’s early 60’s. I was born in 1956 and remember the amazing pantomimes at Xmas, or at least they seemed wonderful to me as a child.
I wonder if Grace Elaine Campbell (Edward Boughton’s granddaughter) is aware of the Doris Boughton Trust, which was set up in 1949 to help ex-employees of AP and the other companies in the group who are ‘necessitous.’ If Grace or anyone else would like to know more, please contact me via the website.
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