Clément-Talbot Limited was a British motor vehicle manufacturer with its works in Ladbroke Grove, North Kensington, London, founded in 1903. The new business's capital was arranged by Charles Chetwynd-Talbot (whose family name became the brand-name and whose family crest became the trademark), shareholders included automobile manufacturer, Adolphe Clément, along with Baron Auguste Lucas and Emile Lamberjack,Jean-Émile Lamberjack 1869–1912. Emile and his brother Dominique, whose father ran a restaurant on Paris's rue de Clichy, began by racing bicycles then motorcycles and started exporting French cars. Emile helped establish a Michelin tyre factory in Milton New Jersey.
Until the end of the 19th century manufacturers preferred customers to visit the manufacturer's own premises and put down a one-third deposit. Once the flow of buyers became a nuisance they found it necessary to appoint agents. Emile became Fiat's first agent in Paris (his business ultimately became part of Fiat's SIMCA) and a Mercedes agent in December 1904. (p691, Automobile Topics, 26 December 1903) Dominique became Bugatti's Paris agent. all of France.
The shareholders sold it in late 1919 to the company that became S.T.D. Motors. It kept its separate identity making cars designed specially for it or by its employees until 1934. After S.T.D.s financial collapse it was bought by the Rootes brothers. When Rootes acquired Clement-Talbot's parent company Darracq & Co. in 1935, it kept the Talbot name as a brand, then establishing Sunbeam-Talbot Limited in 1938.
Origin The first Talbots, re-badged Clément-Bayards built in France, were sold by the British Automobile Commercial Syndicate Limited, manager Daniel M. Weigel,"Daniel M. Weigel was managing director of the British Automobile Commercial Syndicate Limited. Started motoring in 1893 and has been a prominent figure in the business side of the industry ever since. In 1900 in conjunction with the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot he formed the British Automobile Commercial Syndicate Limited. Introduced the first "Clément-Talbot" car into England in 1901. In 1902 formed the firm of J Rothschild et fils Limited opening a London branch of that famous firm of Parisian motor-carriage builders. Is now connected with the firms of J Rothschild et fils Limited and the Maison Talbot, of the latter of which he is the managing director. Club A.C.G.B.&I." The Motoring Annual and Motorist's Year Book, 1904 from the Earl's premises at 97–98 Long Acre, which included Maison Talbot, importers of Michelin tyres. The earl's flourishing business was the importation, distribution through a large British network and retailing of many brands of European motor cars and associated products. These included: Panhard, Hotchkiss, Mors, and Clément-Gladiator cars. This business brought about the close association with businessman Adolphe Clément, and in April 1902 the Earl became the agent for Clement cars. By 1903 his car imports from France exceeded £2,000,000.History of Ingestre - PDF, page 109 The Earl closed this business in 1909, when its only advertised brand was Spyker, because it seemed foolish to compete with his own Talbot dealers.
In 1903 Clément-Talbot was formally incorporated "to carry on business as manufacturers of and dealers in horseless carriages and motor-cars, air-ships and the component parts thereof".According to The Automotive Journal, 1 November 1902, the company was incorporated on 11 October 1902 later lifted to of land were purchased for a new factory in Ladbroke Grove, North Kensington, alongside the Great Western Railway line and between Wormwood Scrubs and the Kensal Green Cemetery. ()All British Industry. The Courier and Argus, 31 December 1903; Issue 15765; p. 6. The housing estate now on the site has Shrewsbury Street as its main access-way.
Clément-Talbot Works The works administration building on Barlby Road is palatial. Now a block of offices known as Ladbroke Hall, its interiors as well as the exterior may be inspected today. High above the main entrance is Shrewsbury and Talbot's personal crest, a registered trademark, and used on all London Talbot radiator shells. Sunbeam-Talbot, later Sunbeam, kept it in use until the end of their production in 1967.
The brick workshops were given a saw-tooth roof line, the roof glazed to maximise natural light. It was equipped with the most modern machine tools and the administration building's reception area was laid out like a miniature palace with marble Ionic columns and gilded frescoes and its stained glass windows were etched with the Shrewsbury and Talbot coat of arms.
Production
Weigel was appointed managing director and Charles Riley Garrard works manager of Clément-Talbot. Kensington assembly got under way in 1904 initially using imported components. In December 1904 speaking at their annual trade dinner in the presence of all directors the Earl described Clément-Talbot as "partly-controlled by French interests".Clement-Talbot Automobile Works, The Automotor Journal, 3 December 1904 At that time production was entirely British made except for the engines imported from France. The first wholly British designs were made in 1907. However, in 1908 the opportunity was taken to equip new cars with a very successful new Clément-Bayard engine of L-head design with greatly improved performance. Its more compact combustion chamber gave faster ignition and allowed higher compression ratios. Talbots could now match, even beat Vauxhalls and Sunbeams in competition
Cars offered by Clément-Talbot London (1904–1916) Cars made in France are marked with an asterisk Information assembled from The Autocar Buyer's Guide and published in Appendix V, Ian Nickols and Kent Karslake, Motoring Entente, Cassell, London 1956
NameCylCubic capacityBore and strokeTax h.p.Brake h.p.Years in productionSpeedsWheelbaseTrack 7 hp 2 1004 80 x 100 7.9 1905–1906 3 70 in (1778 mm) 8 hp 2 1004 80 x 100 7.9 1904–1906 3 78 in (1981 mm) 8/10 hp * 2 1248 85 x 110 9 1907–1907 3 96 in (2438 mm) 51 in (1295 mm) 9 hp 2 1885 100 x 120 12.4 1905–1905 3 10 hp 2 1885 100 x 120 12.4 1905–1906 3 10 hp 2 1885 100 x 120 12.4 1908–1908 4 110 in (2794 mm) 53 in (1346 mm) 10/12 hp 2 1885 100 x 120 12.4 1907–1907 4 93 in (2362 mm) 53 in (1346 mm) 10/14 hp * 4 1591 75 x 90 14 1907–1907 3 108 in (2743 mm) 51 in (1295 mm) 11 hp 2 1526 90 x 120 10 1904–1904 3 12 hp 4 2409 80 x 120 15.9 1905–1915 4 12 hp 4 2724 85 x 120 17.9 1905–1905 4 12 hp 4 2724 85 x 120 17.9 1906–1906 4 104 in (2642 mm) 12 hp 4 2724 85 x 120 17.9 1906–1906 3 88 in (2235 mm) 12 hp * 4 2409 80 x 120 15.9 1908–1908 3 114 in (2896 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 12 hp 4 2409 80 x 120 15.9 1909–1909 4 103.5 in (2629 mm) 50 in (1270 mm) 12 hp 4 2409 80 x 120 15.9 1910–1910 4 110 in (2794 mm) 51 in (1295 mm) 12 hp 4 2409 80 x 120 15.9 1911–1912 4 108 in (2743 mm) 51 in (1295 mm) 12 hp 4 2409 80 x 120 15.9 1913–1914 4 112 in (2845 mm) 51 in (1295 mm) 12 hp 4 2409 80 x 120 15.9 1915–1915 4 112 in (2845 mm) 52 in (1321 mm) 14 hp 4 2409 80 x 120 15.9 1904–1904 4 15 hp 4 2976 90 x 117 20.1 1907–1907 4 98 in (2489 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 15 hp 4 2976 90 x 117 20.1 1908–1908 4 106 in (2692 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 15 hp 4 2976 90 x 117 20.1 1909–1909 4 116 in (2946 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 15 hp 4 2976 90 x 117 20.1 1910–1910 4 116 in (2946 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 15 hp 4 3561 90 x 140 20.1 1911–1912 4 118 in (2997 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 15 hp 4 3561 90 x 140 20.1 1913–1913 4 119 in (3023 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 15-20 hp 4 2610 80 x 130 15.9 1914–1914 4 112 in (2845 mm) 51 in (1295 mm) 15-20 hp 4 2610 80 x 130 15.9 1915–1915 4 121 in (3073 mm) 52 in (1321 mm) 16 hp 4 3053 90 x 120 20.1 1905–1905 4 20 hp 4 3053 90 x 120 20.1 1904–1904 4 20 hp 4 3770 100 x 120 24.8 1906–1906 4 92 in (2337 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 20 hp 4 3770 100 x 120 24.8 1907–1907 4 117 in (2972 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 20 hp 6 3614 80 x 120 23.8 1910–1910 4 120 in (3048 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 20 hp 6 3614 80 x 120 23.8 1911–1911 4 122 in (3099 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 20 hp 6 3614 80 x 120 23.8 1912–1912 4 123 in (3124 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 20 hp 6 3614 80 x 120 23.8 1913–1913 4 124 in (3150 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 20-30 hp 4 3561 90 x 140 20.1 1914–1915 4 127 in (3226 mm) 55.5 in (1410 mm) 24 hp 4 4398 100 x 140 24.8 1905–1905 4 24 hp 4 4398 100 x 140 24.8 1906–1906 4 110 in (2794 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 24/30 hp * 4 4398 100 x 140 24.8 1907–1907 4 119 in (3023 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 25 hp 4 4155 105 x 120 27.3 1908–1908 4 117 in (2972 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 25 hp 4 4155 105 x 120 27.3 1909–1909 4 116 in (2946 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 25 hp 4 4447 100.5 x 140 25 1910–1910 4 120 in (3048 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 25 hp 4 4447 100.5 x 140 25 1911–1912 4 118 in (2997 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 25 hp 4 4447 100.5 x 140 25 1913–1913 4 119 in (3023 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 25-30 hp 4 4447 100.5 x 140 25 1914–1914 4 127 in (3226 mm) 55.5 in (1410 mm) 25-30 hp 4 4447 100.5 x 140 25 1915–1915 4 132 in (3353 mm) 55.5 in (1410 mm) 25-40 hp 6 3614 80 x 120 23.8 1914–1914 4 132 in (3353 mm) 55.5 in (1410 mm) 25-50 hp 6 3921 80 x 130 23.8 1915–1915 4 139 in (3531 mm) 55.5 in (1410 mm) 27 hp 4 4942 110 x 130 30 1904–1904 4 35 hp 4 6333 120 x 140 35.7 1905–1905 4 35 hp 4 6333 120 x 140 35.7 1906–1906 4 116 in (2946 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 35 hp 4 5428 120 x 120 35.7 1908–1911 4 118 in (2997 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 35/45 hp * 4 6333 120 x 140 35.7 1907–1908 4 125 in (3175 mm) 55 in (1397 mm) 50/60 hp * 4 8624 140 x 140 48.6 1907–1908 4 129 in (3277 mm) 57 in (1448 mm)
Sold out In autumn 1919 A Darracq and Company (1905) agreed terms for their purchase of all the shares in Clément-Talbot as of 31 July 1918.A. Darracq & Company (1905), Limited. The Times, Thursday, 4 Dec 1919; Issue 42274; p. 25 Auguste Oddenino, Regent Street restaurateur and businessman was, by then, a major shareholder in Clément-Talbot. Adolphe Clémente-Bayard's Levallois factory did not flourish after the Armistice of 11 November 1918. He lost interest in motor manufacturing. In 1921 he sold his works at Levallois to André Citroën, while the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot died the same year.
In 1920 London's Darracq added Sunbeam Motor Car Company to its enterprise and renamed itself S.T.D. Motors. Shareholders and subsequent commentators were at loss to explain the commercial advantages given by the combination. Each of the three companies continued to operate independently. S.T.D.'s products were made in respectively, Wolverhampton, London and Paris. Anthony Blight believes Coatalen was drawn back to full-time efforts at S.T.D. by the possibility of racing cars under three brand names and of two nationalities. He had not long retired from his chief engineer post at Sunbeam and was now a design consultant in Paris in his native France.
Automobiles Talbot Suresnes
The process of dropping the Darracq name for the Paris products was begun in early 1919 when new cars were badged Talbot-Darracq. In 1920 Darracq was dropped altogether from Talbot-Darracq. Owen Clegg at Suresnes, Paris, would design new cars to be built in Suresnes and Kensington.
Louis Coatalen who had remained a director of S.T.D. joined S.T.D. Motors as chief engineer and blocked Clegg's new designs. Coatalen's principal interest was a new Sunbeam racing car and, of course, a whole new range of products for Wolverhampton and Paris. Kensington would have to build a small car for the utility market. The new utility Talbot would be designed in Paris by Coatalen's freshly assembled team.
Clément-Talbot London continue At first the Kensington factory kept its employees busy converting wartime ambulances to Talbot touring cars. When that ran out they had to revert to their prewar models, which were luxury cars and almost impossible to sell in the new slump of mid-1920. They were asked to build the two new 3-litre straight eight S.T.D. Grand Prix cars and a 1½-litre variant – all to wear a Talbot radiator.
Post war designs 8-18 a Paris design