Armstrong Siddeley in Adverts
Another of John Siddeley's accomplishments was his great ability to promote and publicise himself and his wares. It is interesting to follow his development in the automobile industry through the advertising placed in motoring journals and the press. This early Siddeley Autocars advert is of particular note in that it reveals Siddeley's connection with the Wolseley Car Company, a subsidiary of Vickers Son and Maxim. This came about as a result of Siddeley's friendship with Lionel and Leopold Rothschild, who were both, like himself, early members of the prestigious Automobile Club of Great Britain, which in 1907 became the Royal Automobile Club. The Rothschilds had family connections with the Vickers organisation.
About three years ago John Siddeley's membership badge for the Automobile Club of Great Britain came on the market and the Heritage Trust was able to purchase it, thus fulfilling our aims to educate and preserve. The intertwined numbers on the shield show the date of joining (1900) and the name of the member is engraved on the reverse. The vehicle in the centre of the badge is one of William Hancock's steam busses which initially ran from Stratford into central London. This 10 seat vehicle in 1831 ran a revenue-earning service from London to Brighton, a British first.
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