John Polwhele Blatchley (1 July 1913 – 16 February 2008) was a London-born car designer known for his work with J Gurney Nutting and Rolls-Royce Limited.
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He began his career as designer with J Gurney Nutting & Co Limited in 1936, moving up to Chief Designer before leaving in 1940 to join Rolls-Royce.[1] He served there as a draughtsman (1940-43), stylist, car division (1943-55), and chief styling engineer (1955-69).
Blatchley married Willow Sands in 1939. The couple had two sons. He died in Hastings, East Sussex 16 February 2008.
Blatchley spent three of his early teenage years bedridden with rheumatic fever, in his spare time sketching designs for cars and building models of them. On his recovery he failed his entrance examinations to Cambridge University and so his parents sent him to The College of Aeronautical and Automobile Engineering in Chelsea and then to the Regent Street Polytechnic[2]. While still a student his ability was recognized by A F McNeil of Gurney Nutting, then the most fashionable coachbuilders, and they hired him on his graduation in 1935. Within two years McNeil moved to James Young & Co and Blatchley, just 23, hitherto the preparer of concept drawings for customer approval, took McNeil's position at Gurney Nutting as Chief Designer.[3] A F McNeil was John Blatchley's teacher mentor and friend for many years.[4]
Unable to fight during World War II due to a heart murmur he was moved to Rolls-Royce Aero Design headquarters in Hucknall Nottinghamshire where he was responsible for the engine cowling on the Hurricane and Spitfire. He described the work as "intensely boring".[5] Towards the end of the war Car Division had prepared a postwar car which was to have its own factory-supplied bodywork, all-steel so it could be exported all over the world. Blatchley who had moved to the Design office in their Experimental Department in Belper Derbyshire stepped in and refined the new body's design, externally and in its passenger compartment, with great finesse. Its sophisticated collection of harmonising shapes looking almost more 'right' today than when new. This new shape first appeared in 1946 as a Bentley Mk VI. Enlarged with an extended boot and wings it appeared in 1949 as the first Standard Steel Rolls-Royce, Silver Dawn. The matching Bentley, following a few years later, was named Bentley R Type. These postwar cars finally took the top-people's-carriage trade away from Daimler.
Work began on the Corniche II (Bentley Continental) project in 1950. At the end of his life John Blatchley disclaimed any involvement in the final design though admitted to having worked on some initial suggestions. He said it was Ivan Evernden's concept inspired by the 1938 Embiricos Bentley. Ivan worked with Stanley Watts and George Moseley of HJ Mulliner on the final details.[4]
In Sept 1951 the Styling Office was officially formed as a separate department at the Crewe works and Blatchley appointed Styling Engineer under Ian Evernden.[5] In 1952 the responsibility for external styling of Park Ward coachwork was transferred to Crewe. Development of new models continued but the designs presented to the board meeting which would decide on the new model to be introduced in 1955 were rejected as being too modern. In the space of a week Blatchley produced a complete new concept to the board's requirements and it was immediately accepted. This became the Silver Cloud and S Type, the last standard model based on a separate chassis. Blatchley was appointed Chief Stylist in 1955.
The last standard model car he was associated with was the unitary construction Silver Shadow and Bentley T Type. As Chief Stylist of Park Ward he designed what proved to be a short run of half a dozen of their bodies on the Bentley Continental chassis. He is also credited with the design of the Rolls-Royce Corniche announced after his retirement by Mulliner Park Ward in 1971. One of these Corniches remains in current use (2009) as the Imperial Processional Car of the Emperor of Japan.
Before it went into production BMW asked Blatchley his opinion on its new Phantom. He approved. "BMW showed me their possible designs; there was literally only one I thought was any good, and it's the one they've built. I think they've done a marvellous job."[6]
Inevitable changes in management style frustrated Blatchley and he missed his former freedom of action. Though only 55 he had private means and he chose to retire on 21 March 1969 to Hastings East Sussex where he was to enjoy almost 40 years in retirement. He was succeeded at Rolls-Royce by Fritz Feller an Austrian-born engineer.[5]
Of Blatchley's leadership qualities, his deputy Bill Allen recalls "I had only five bosses during my career of 49 years and John was the best. He had that quality of leadership which tends to defy analysis; once I saw this described as 'the art that conceals the art'. Whatever problems he had with those superior in rank to him were never allowed to disturb the even temperament and quiet confidence with which he dealt with us".[4]
Blatchley and his team developed the shape of the following designs, the two brands were virtually identical: