Felix William Isherwood Hudlass (1874-1965)
1874 Born in Chorlton[1], son of Elijah Hudless. His father and uncle were in the sewing machine business.
c.1888 Apprenticed with his father who traded with his brother as Hudlass Brothers of Higher Bridge St, Bolton and Southport. The business sold sewing machines and also automatic knitting machines.
1891 Teacher of music, lived with his father, Elijah, 48, an agent for sewing machines, in Ormskirk[2]
1894 With his father started Phoenix Works as photographic engineers but straight away started on motor experiments.
1895 Built his first car, claimed to be the first practical car in Lancashire.
1896-7 Felix was a musician; he gained 3 patents on improvements in cameras and lantern projectors
Soon disposed of the photographic side of the business and concentrated on motor engineering - Hudlass Motor Works
1898 Married Clara Louisa M Pape in Ormskirk[3]
1900 of 26, Westmoreland Road, Barnes, S.W.
1901 Engineer, motor car builders, employer, lived in Southport with Clara[4]
1901 His father died[5]
1902 Due to lack of capital Felix sold the business to Phoenix Motor Co
1902 Motor and electrical engineer of Southport; creditors' notice published so presumably he was bankrupt[6]
1902 Started work for Weller Brothers Ltd in West Norwood. Was in charge of the works with 50 staff.
c.1904 the firm closed due to lack of capital
c.1903 Became club engineer of the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland[7]
1905 Associate of I Mech E; club engineer of the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland
1911 Consulting mechanical engineer to the Royal Automobile Club lived in Barnes with Clara Louisa Hudlass 36, Maurice Hudlass 9, Harold Hudlass 7, Leonard Henry Hudlass 5[8]
1911-15 Patents relating to motor cars, one in conjunction with Harold Denton Smith
1917 Patent with Smith on stretcher carriers
1918 Awarded OBE - Consulting Engineer to Motor Ambulance Department, British Red Cross Society Headquarters, London.[9]
1918 Patent with Autoniters Ltd and Smith on improved combustion in engines
1919 Patents on scooters
1920 Produced a motorcycle - see Hudlass
1921 Patent on improved bath chairs for wounded soldiers
1929 Patent with John Gascoigne Bower on control of springs in vehicles
1937 Patent on testing brakes
1937 Patent with John Forbes Gower on means of fixing badges to vehicles
1947 Transferred to member of I Mech E. Retired from the RAC; he was succeeded by his son, Maurice Hudlass as chief engineer[10]
1965 Died in Kingston, Surrey
See Also
Sources of Information
- Mechanical Engineer records