Clément-Talbot
- For cycle, motor-cycle, motor-car, aeroplane and airship companies associated with French industrialist Adolphe Clément-Bayard - see Clement (disambiguation).
Clément-Talbot was an Anglo-French motor vehicle manufacturer based in Ladbroke Grove, London, that traded from 1902 for approximately one year, whence the cars became known as Talbots.
After the division of Clément-Gladiator in 1903 Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury headed the English arm "Clément-Talbot Ltd".[1] Adolphe Clément-Bayard was a major shareholder in the company, along with Talbot, A. Lucas, and E. Lamberjack. After the split both marques ( Clément-Bayard and Clément-Talbot) built very similar cars, but by 1907 the specifications diverged.[2][3][4]
On 11 October 1902 Clément-Talbot was formally incorporated, and subsequently 5 acres (20,000 m2) of land was purchased for a new factory in Ladbroke Grove, North Kensington in west London, between the Great Western Railway line and the 'Edinburgh road' before it was renamed 'Barlby road'. The factory was a high status operation whose brick workshops used the latest saw-tooth roof line, glazed to maximise natural light. It was equipped with the most modern machine tools and the reception area was laid out like a miniature palace, marble Ionic columns, gilded frescoes and stained glass windows etched with the Shrewsbury coat of arms. The building is now known as Ladbroke Hall.[2][3] [4]
The company traded as Clément-Talbot and the factory was titled Clément-Talbot, but after the first year of trading the cars were always known as Talbots.[2][3][4][5][6] [7]
By 1903 a Clément-Talbot Type CT4K 18hp four cylinder was described as 'Coachwork by J.Rothschild et Fils, Paris' who had traded as Clément-Rothschild in 1902, coach-building on Panhard-Levassor chassis.[8]
See also
- Adolphe Clément-Bayard - Motor manufacturing - for a synopsis of the complex inter-relationships of the French and English motor industry at that time.
References
- ↑ Motorbase, The complete encyclopedia of Vintage Cars – Rob de la Rive Box – Clément-Bayard
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 France Classics – Clément-Bayard
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Flickr, Description and image of Clément-Talbot works at Ladbroke Grove
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Gorges Roesch and the Invincible Talbot" by Anthony Blight
- ↑ Chello Database of Motor manufacturers
- ↑ Motorbase, Clément
- ↑ Unique cars, Founding fathers – Gustave Clément
- ↑ Bonhams. Lot 205, 1903 Clement-Talbot Type CT4K 18HP Four cylinder, 'Roi-D'Italie Tonneau