Daimler and Lanchester Papers and Patents

Papers and patents realting to Daimler and Lanchester companies, before and after their merger.

Open to bona fide researchers

Dr. Frederick William Lanchester was born in 1868 in Lewisham. He joined the Forward Gas Engine Co. in 1889 as Assistant Works Manager. In 1892 he visited the U.S.A. on gas engine business, and soon after his return he left the Company to work on his own. George Henry Lanchester was born in 1874. When Frederick left the Forward Gas Engine Co. George took over his place as works manager. Frederick Lanchester started to design his first motor car in 1893, and his was an original conception, ignoring previous work abroad by Benz and Daimler. The car made its first run in 1896. Between 1895 and 1909 the two brothers built unconventional, beautifully engineered Lanchester cars, Frederick being the inventor and George the engineer.

Lanchester cars set a precedent because their car bodies were fully interchangeable; they had their own bodywork section. Normally at this time the car bodies were made by coachbuilding companies, specifically for each chassis. The Lanchester Engine Company was formed in 1899, with Frederick as General Manager and the third brother Frank as Company Secretary. In 1894 Frederick Lanchester designed the first British-built 4-wheel car driven by a petrol engine. It made its maiden run in late February/early March 1896. After 1905 the design work on cars became increasingly the responsibility of George. Frederick spent more time on experimental work and his research into the theory of aerodynamics. He left the Company in 1909 but was retained as a Consultant.

Lanchester racing cars made their first appearance at Brooklands in 1921.The last pure-bred Lanchester was made in 1929. However, the Company suffered from under-investment and in 1931 it was bought by Daimler. In 1936 George Lanchester left to become Chief Engineer of the Warfare Department of Alvis Ltd. and he played a leading part in the design and development of armoured fighting vehicles. The Lanchester name was dropped by Daimler in 1956, almost sixty years after the first Lanchester car. Dr. Frederick William Lanchester died in 1946 and George Henry Lanchester in 1970.

Gottleib Daimler was born in Schorndorf in 1834. He studied machine construction at Stuttgart Polytechnic from 1857-9 and during that time was introduced to the highly developed level of machine construction in Britain. The original Daimler Motor Syndicate Ltd was founded in May 1893 and was later absorbed by the British Motor Syndicate. The Daimler Motor Company was formed in 1896, based in Coventry, with Gottleib still running the German Company based in Connstatt. Very few of the devices designed by him were ever used, and none were used after 1902 although the business continued to expand rapidly. Gottleib Daimler died in 1900. The Daimler Company constituted the main foundation of the British motor industry, and although the name of Gottleib Daimler appeared on the original prospectus when the Company was first formed he took no active part whatsoever.

Early in 1900 Daimler received an order from the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, and subsequently Daimler cars became the official transport of Royalty. In 1906 the Company acquired an option for the exclusive rights of manufacture of the 'Silent Knight' Sleeve-Valve engine, designed by an American, Charles Y. Knight. In 1910 the Company amalgamated with B.S.A. Ltd. During both World Wars the Daimler Company was heavily involved in the manufacture and supply of vehicles for the War Office. The Daimler name was acquired by Jaguar in 1960. The Lanchester Motor Company still exists as a dormant company registered at Jaguar Cars Ltd.