Alfred James White
Alfred James White (1870-1939), founder of White and Poppe and a director Dennis Brothers
1870 Born in Earlsdon, Coventry the son of Joseph White, Watchmaker and his wife Catherine.
1911 Living at 19 Park Road, Coventry: Alfred J. White (age 40 born Coventry), General Manager - Motor Co. With his wife Marie L. White (age 37 born Spark Hill). Married 13 years with no children. Also his brother-in-law John W. Middleton (age 39 born Spark Hill), Director of Silversmiths and with his wife Florence S. Middleton (age 42 born Coventry) and their son Philip Middleton (age 2 born Olton). One servant.[1]
1939 Report of his will.[2]
WILL OF MR. A. J. WHITE Managing Director of White and Poppe, Ltd. £188,224 ESTATE BEQUEST of £5,000 has been made to the Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital under the will of Mr. Alfred James White, of Woodcock Hill, Northchurch, Berkhamsted, Herts., a director of Dennis Bros., the motor engineers, who died on October 22 last, leaving £188,224 9s. 8d., with net personalty £170,601 19s. 2d (State duty £41,396 15s. 2d.). Probate of his will, dated March 8, 1937, with a codicil of November 20, 1937, has been granted to his widow, Mrs. Maria Louise White, of the same address, and Lloyds Bank, Ltd., of 71, Lombard Street, E.C.
He left £5,000 and his effects to his wife, £2,000 to the issue of his brother Harold Edward White, an annuity of £150 to Grace Marion Atkins, an annuity of £125 to Emily Gertrude Rogers, £2,000 to Harry Edward Johnson, formerly of White and Poppe Ltd., upon trust for his wife and son. £100 each, to Elizabeth Ball, his head gardener Alfred George Blundell, his chauffeur Edward Bates, and his bailiff Joseph Norman, if respectively still in his service and not under notice, and three months’ wages to each other servant of two-years’ service.
BEQUESTS TO CHARITIES The residue is left upon trust for his wife for life, and then 1/8th upon trust to pay an annuity of to Mary Lewis for life, and subject thereto to her sister Joan Vaughan Williams; and 7/8ths upon trust to pay £5,000 to the Dennis Employees Benevolent Fund, £5,000 to the West Herts Hospital. £5,000 to the Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital, £1,000 to Charles Farquhar Atkins, son of his old friend Charles Atkins, and subject thereto between his sisters Annie Catherine White, Clara, Catherine Elizabeth Potbury, and Ethel Margaret Harris, the issue of his brother Howard Joseph White and of his brother Joseph Newsome White, his nephew John Philip Middleton, and his brothers Harold, Edward, Cyril Henry and Conrad Robert White.
BUSINESS FAME Mr. A. J. White was managing director of White and Poppe, Ltd. He was formerly works manager at the Austrian National Small Arms factory at Steyr, where he met Mr. Poppe, a designer. They took over a small factory in Drake Street, Coventry, and their firm gained national renown for arms manufacture in the Great War.