DID - U - KNOW
by Facia Nearside
If you have ever done refurbishing work on your British ride you might have noticed the name Wilmot-Breeden. Although never a name on the front side of the brightwork, the firm was a major player in the automotive industry for many years. Carl Breeden was born in Birmingham in 1891. About 1922 he went to work for Wilmot, makers of the calometer, those ornate radiator-top temperature gauges. Carl Breeden must have been a highly motivated and ambitious employee because within five years he had become a partner and the firm’s name was changed to Wilmot-Breeden. Capitalizing upon the very successful calometer, Wilmot-Breeden grew along with the British auto industry. Soon company products included bumpers and over riders, steering wheels, boot latches, door handles, ash trays, window regulators, and “Union” ignition locks just to name a few. Expansion then continued into the railroad and aircraft industries positioning the company well to support the military buildup during WWII. When the British auto industry prospered after the war, Wilmot-Breeden’s fortunes followed. From 200 employees in 1920 the workforce numbered over 9000 in 1960. Virtually every British auto manufacturer used at least one line of Wilmot-Breeden products if not several. By the early 70’s however, the British motor industry was in chaos and falling flat on its face. Once again Wilmot-Breeden found its fortunes tied to that situation. Even selling off parts of the business could not stem the blood flow. The company was about to be wound up in 1979 when Rockwell International stepped in and bought what remained of the once proud business. Today as we sort and restore our much-loved British classics, a Union key or the Wilmot-Breeden name on the back of a window regulator is a reminder of the very successful times for one of the largest suppliers to the British auto industry.

Reprinted from British Boots & Bonnets Chronicle — December 2017 issue.