of Morris House, Berkeley Square, London W.I.
Cunard model.
c1911 Gordon Stewart was the founder of the company with Lawrence Ardern after gaining a contract with William Morris to sell his cars in London.
1913 'Messrs. Stewart and Ardern, Limited, 18, Woodstock-street, Bond-street, W., a well-produced catalogue dealing with the Morris-Oxford light-car for which the company are the sole London agents.'[1]
Agent for W. R. M. Motors and later Morris
1918 Staff of six and revenue of £32,000
1923 Employing 300 and revenue in excess of £1m[2]
1952 George H. Upjohn becomes Chairman but dies the following year.
1953 Directors: G. H. Upjohn (Chairman). George F. Baker, George A. Royston (Managing Directors), Paul C. P. Stanley
1968 Acquired by Henlys
1969 'After 43 years in Acton Vale. the motor firm Stewart and Ardern will move out on August 30 to more compact premises in Castelnau Road. Barnes. The large premises in Acton Vale have employed up to 200 people but since the takeover of Stewart and Ardern by the Henley organisation last year. some departments have gradually been dispersed throughout the group. A spokesman for Stewart and Ardern said on Tuesday that 99 per cent of the staff employed at Acton would be moving over to Barnes. and there would be no question *of redundancies. The move was all part of the general streamlining since the takeover. he said Bayliss will be taking over at Barnes. It is likely that the premises in Acton Vale will be sold to an electronics firm'.[3]
See Also
Sources of Information
- Wheels to Fortune: The Life and Times of William Morris by James Leasor. Published 1954