Wolverhampton's Architectural Heritage

From the end of the 19th century to the mid 1960's Wolverhampton was the home of a thriving motor vehicle manufacturing industry. Motor vehicle manufacturers such as Sunbeam, AJS, Guy Motors and Star Engineering, together with engine manufacturers such as Meadows and Villiers were all located in Wolverhampton.

Sunbeam vehicles originated with the company J Marston Ltd located in Paul Street, Wolverhampton. The company originally manufactured japanned tinware products, moving into bicycle production in 1887 at the works known as Sunbeamland.

In the late 1890's the company began to make motorcars and opened a new works in Blakenhall next door to the Villiers Cycle Components Co., factory, a company that was owned by John Marston.

The company continued to manufacture bicycles (and from 1913 motorcycles) at the works until the mid 1930's when it moved into the production of parts for aircraft, something it had been doing on a much smaller scale since before World War I.

J Marston Ltd left the site in the 1960's and moved to a site in Wobaston Road, Fordhouses.

The Sunbeam motorcar was first made at the works of J Marston Ltd in Pool Street in 1898. However when it was decided to increase production the cycle works was considered too small. The company decided to move to Blakenhall and premises in Cross Street were found. Following the move of motorcar production to Blakenhall a new company, the Sunbeam Motor Car Co Ltd, was formed. This company expanded over the years and built a new factory in Villiers Street where the company manufactured motorcars, electric trolley buses, aeroplane and airship engines and grand prix racing cars.

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Sunbeam Motor Car Co Ltd c. 1930 (L6/SUN/E/1)

In the mid 1930's the company was bought by the Rootes Group and production of motorcars was moved to Coventry. The site was then occupied by Fischer Bearings Ltd, a manufacturer of mechanical bearings.

The Villiers Cycle Components Co was founded in 1898 by John Marston to manufacture cycle pedals for Sunbeam cycles. The company was so successful that soon it was producing more pedals than was needed, so it was decided to offer the surplus to other bicycle manufacturers.

(L6/VIL/E/1)An interesting architectural feature of the Villiers
works were the iron gates.

The impressive iron gates and the stone surround were originally the gates to the Convent Lodge at Tong Castle, Shropshire. The gates were removed and rebuilt as the main entrance to the Villiers works in Marston Road.

The product range expanded and in 1911 the company produced its first petrol engine. In 1912 the Villiers Engineering Co Ltd was formed and remained was in existence until the 1970's.

The first petrol driven motorcar made in Wolverhampton was produced by Star Cycle Co in 1897. The company very quickly went into production of motorcars and in 1909 the name was changed to the Star Engineering Co.
So successful was the company that by 1919 Star was one of the six largest motorcar manufacturers in Britain. The company operated from a number of small factories located in Dudley Road, Frederick Street, Nelson Street, Stewart Street, Ablow Street and Dobb Street.

It was at the Frederick Street site that the Star's foundry was located, manufacturing metal castings for the vehicles made by the company. The entrance to the large two-storey building was through a pedimented doorway.

In 1928 the company moved to Bushbury, and in the same year was taken over by Guy Motors Ltd. Motor manufacture continued until 1932 when the company finally went into liquidation.

Guy Motors Ltd started in 1914. The company soon acquired premises in Park Lane, Fallings Park, a newly developing suburb of Wolverhampton. The company prospered and was able to build a brand new factory on the Fallings Park site. It was during the 1930's that the company adopted the slogan "Feathers in our Cap" and later the Native American head mascot.

The company was bought by Jaguar Cars Ltd in 1961 who were themselves to come under the control of the British Motor Corporation in 1966.

Vehicle production ceased in 1975, and subsequently only sub-assemblies and components were produced at the factory. Final production ended in 1978.

Guy Motors Factory Park Lane c. 1980 (L6/GUY/E/1)

Within a few years most of the Fallings Park works had been demolished, and what was left was turned into an industrial estate.