New buildings were added to contain the manufacture of munitions. The Ministry of Munitions took complete control of the whole business in 1915. World War I Motor mowerĪfter August 1914's outbreak of hostilities production was reduced to the subvention type 3-ton military lorries, now supplied directly to the War Office, and the Dennis turbine fire engine. Materials had been ordered but no subvention lorries completed when the situation changed. Taking the subsidy obliged the buyer to release the vehicle to the War Office in time of war. Rising international tensions precipitated a major contract for supply of 1,000 3-ton "subsidy" lorries to private buyers on terms set by the War Office. The brothers' offer of shares to the public was substantially over-subscribed and Dennis Brothers Limited became a publicly listed company. In March 1913 the investing public learnt that Dennis Brothers was a manufacturer of motor-vans, motor-lorries, motor-fire-engines, motor-cars etc. In 1913 Dennis Brothers moved their main operations to a new much larger building of almost four acres on the twelve-acre site at Woodbridge leaving their purpose-built Onslow Street premises solely for repairs. The rate of growth of the business may be gauged from the regular expansions on their new site at Woodbridge Hill on the outskirts of Guildford - in 1907, 1910, 19. The last car was made in 1913 after the Dennis brothers saw there was less competition in the commercial vehicle market. Dennis made its first bus in 1903 and their first fire engine in 1908 - for Bradford Council Fire Department. Their first was a van for Harrods in London. Commercial vehicles 1910 van replica 1906 2-ton van 1912 motor-fire-engine for Swindon WorksĬommercial vehicle activity increased. Another feature of that period was spring drive, a torsional shock absorber mounted at the input end of the drive line. Dennis Brothers developed and patented a reliable worm drive into a differential mounted on the back axle. Until well into the early years of the twentieth century the back wheels of most vehicles were driven by a chain from each side of a differential fixed to the chassis frame. This power unit was soon fitted to all their vehicles. A 35 hp model in 1906 was powered by a White and Poppe engine. Larger models followed their first light cars. From the Dennis Brothers stand at the 1903 Crystal Palace Motor Show the brothers sold almost £30,000 worth of cars and took many more orders. Their range of cars was quickly extended to 12 hp, 14 hp, 16 and 20 hp chassis fitted with tourer, town car and limousine bodies. This was the first purpose-built motor vehicle factory in Britain. John Dennis built a 30,000 square foot three storey plus basement building in Onslow Street in the centre of Guildford with a lift between floors later known as the Rodboro Buildings. DennisĪfter incorporating Dennis Brothers Limited, in which they were given generous financial support by local cyclists and potential motorists, the brothers began car production around 1901. Dennis Brothers Limited 1901 to 1972 Cars Dennis rear entrance tonneau. Though shown at the National Cycle Show this car was never put into production. They made their first motor vehicle in 1898, and in 1899, their first car, The Dennis Light Doctor's Car. They built the bicycles, initially from bought-in parts, and sold them from their shop, The Universal Athletic Stores, in High Street, Guildford. The Dennis brand is still used on Alexander Dennis buses, Dennis Eagle dustcarts and Dennis mowers.ĭennis Brothers 1895 to 1901 Dennis Brothers Speed King bicycle in Guildford Museum The first purpose-built motor vehicle factory in Britain in Onslow Street, Guildfordĭennis Brothers was founded in 1895 by brothers John Cawsey Dennis (1871–1939) and (Herbert) Raymond Dennis (1878–1939) who made Speed King bicycles. The last Dennis fire engine left the Guildford factory in 2007. No Dennis haulage trucks have been built since 1985. The Woodbridge site was sold and a new small factory built in Slyfield remains in use by lineal business descendant, bus-maker Alexander Dennis. For most of the 20th century the Dennis company was Guildford's main employer.įollowing a decade of financial difficulties original shareholders sold out in 1972 and Dennis's ownership has since passed through quite a number of hands. All vehicles were made to order to the customer's requirements and more strongly built than mass production equivalents. Dennis Specialist Vehicles was an English manufacturer of commercial vehicles based in Guildford, building buses, fire engines, lorries (trucks) and municipal vehicles such as dustcarts.
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