Robert Bamford

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Robert Bamford
Born16 June 1883[1]
Lamarsh, Essex, England
Died16 April 1942(1942-04-16) (aged 58)
Brighton, Sussex, England
Occupation(s)Engineer, entrepreneur
Known forFounding Bamford & Martin (later Aston Martin)
SpouseMatilda Etches
Children1 daughter
RelativesEdward Bamford (brother)
Robin Jacques (son-in-law)

Robert Bamford (16 June 1883 – 16 April 1942) was an English engineer, who with Lionel Martin (1878–1945), founded a company in January 1913 that became Aston Martin. Before his career in the car industry he was active as a racing cyclist.[2]

Family background

His parents married on Tuesday 18 April 1882 at St Luke's church on Bloomfield Road in

A389 road in Lanivet.[11][12][13]

Early life

He was born on 16 June 1883 at Lamarsh Lodge, Lamarsh, in Essex to the Rev. Robert Bamford (1854–1898) and Blanch Edith Bamford (née Porter) (26 May 1856 - 5 March 1936).[14]

The Rev. Robert Bamford served as curate of Thornbury, Gloucestershire (1880-1881), curate of St John's, Ladywood, Birmingham (1881-1882), curate of Lamarsh, Essex (1882-1885), curate of Holy Trinity, Lambeth (1885-1886), leaving Lamarsh in May 1885.[15]

In about 1892, his father resigned his curacy due to ill health and settled in Sherborne, Dorset, living at Lynton House (now Abbot's Litten) in Long Street, Sherborne.[16] From 1895 to 1898 he served as secretary to the Yeatman Hospital, Sherborne, and died at Sherborne on 9 November 1898, aged 44, and was buried in Sherborne Cemetery.[17] After the Rev. Bamford's death Blanch married the Rev. Thomas Myers and lived at 89, Bloomfield Avenue, Bath, later at Milking Close, Ditchling, East Sussex, where she died and was buried.

He had two brothers, Edward Bamford DSO VC (1887-1928) and Arthur Bamford (1889-1915), and a sister Rachel Bamford (1885-1974).

Royal Marine Light Infantry and served in HMS Bulwark, HMS Magnificent, HMS Britannia, HMS Chester, HMS Royal Sovereign, and HMS Highflyer. During the First World War as Brevet Major on HMS Royal Sovereign.[18] He was mentioned in despatches and awarded the DSO, Order of St Anne (3rd Class, Russian), the Légion d’Honneur, and the Victoria Cross 'For conspicuous gallantry at Zeebrugge. April 1918. This officer landed on the Mole from "Vindictive" with Nos. 5, 7 & 8 platoons of the Marine Storming Force in the face of great difficulties. When on the Mole under heavy fire, he displayed the greatest initiative in the command of his company, and by his total disregard of danger, showed a magnificent example to his men. He first established a strong point on the right of the disembarkation, and when that was safe, led an assault on a battery to the left with the utmost coolness and valour. Captain Bamford was selected by the officers of the R.M.A & R.M.L.I. detachments to receive the Victoria Cross under Rule 13 of the Royal Warrant, dated 26 January 1856.'.[19] He died at Shanghai in 1928. On 17 April 2018, Haringey Council
unveiled a paving stone in memory of Edward Bamford VC at 151 Park Road, London N8 8JD.

Rachel Bamford (14 August 1885 - 4 October 1974). In 1911, Rachel was a student at the Colonial Training College at Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. During the First World War, she served in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC).

Arthur Bamford (20 June 1889 - 11 October 1915), was educated at Sherborne School as a day boy 1903–1905.[16] He went to Australia in 1910–1912, and in 1913 was employed as a professional musician. During the First World War he served as a Private in the Grenadier Guards.[18] He was killed near Loos on 11 October 1915 and is commemorated at St Mary's A.D.S. Cemetery, Haisnes, IX.D.13,[20] and on the Sherborne School War Memorial[21]

Robert Bamford attended Sherborne School as a day boy from May 1897 to April 1900.[16] During the First World War he served for one year as private in The London Regiment, 25th (County of London) Cyclist Battalion, and then as a lieutenant with the Army Service Corps (RASC), Mechanical Transport.[22][18]

Bamford, historically, is a Lancashire surname.

The site of Bamford & Martin in London SW3

Career

Aston Martin

Bamford & Martin Ltd was founded at 16 Henniker Place in West Kensington (off Fulham Road – the A308) on 15 January 1913.[23] They produced their first Aston-Martin car, the Coal Scuttle, in March 1915. Robert Bamford was the engineer of the partnership. In 1920 he retired from Bamford & Martin; Lionel Martin left in 1926. In the mid-1920s the company would undergo many changes of ownership. It would be largely through the ownership of David Brown Ltd. of Huddersfield that Aston-Martin would become the company renowned during the 1950s, who bought Aston-Martin for £20,500 (£853,000 current value) in 1947.

He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2013.[24][25]

Personal life

In 1911 he was living at 41 Twickenham Road in Teddington.[26]

He contracted flu in January 1919, and subsequently married his nurse, Matilda, who was in the Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC).[27]

He became engaged to fashion designer Muriel Matilda Etches (born 1898) in May 1918, the eldest daughter of C.T.W. Etches. They were married in 1919 in Newton Abbot in Devon. He injured his jaw cycling down Dundrum Hill 8 November 1919. His wife's father was a Captain in the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.

They had a daughter, Patricia, born in Brentford in Middlesex in 1921, and she married the illustrator Robin Jacques in 1943.[28][29]

Robert and his wife divorced in 1927. On Monday 24 April 1950 she remarried at St Peter's Church, Eaton Square by Prebendary P.T.R. Kirk, and moved from 9 Buckingham Palace Gardens to Los Angeles. The reception was held at her house. Her second husband was a professor at the University of California.[30][31]

His wife Matilda died on Thursday 18 April 1974 at home at 19 Abbey Road in Brighton.[32][33]

By 1939, Robert had retired to South Street, Ditchling, East Sussex Sussex, where he died on 16 April 1942, aged 59, at the Royal Sussex County Hospital. He was buried at St Margaret's, Ditchling. His headstone reads: 'Motor Engineer Founder of Bamford & Martin later to become Aston Martin. Also his mother Blanche Edith Myers 26 May 1856–5 Mar 1946 [Around the edge] The clocks, folk and pubs of Ditchling will miss him.'[34]

References

  1. ^ 1939 Register
  2. ^ "Robert Bamford's Palmares on CyclingRanking". CyclingRanking.com.
  3. ^ Wiltshire Standard Saturday 22 April 1882, page 5
  4. ^ Bath Chronicle Thursday 20 April 1882, page 8
  5. ^ Bath Chronicle Thursday 24 October 1889, page 5
  6. ^ Bath Chronicle Thursday 23 January 1890, page 7
  7. ^ North Middlesex Chronicle Saturday 18 November 1905, page 7
  8. ^ Finchley Press Saturday 2 December 1905, page 10
  9. ^ Bath Chronicle Thursday 7 December 1905, page 4
  10. ^ Finchley Times Friday 3 June 1927, page 12
  11. ^ The Scotsman Tuesday 18 March 1930, page 8
  12. ^ Cornwall County Chronicle Thursday 20 March 1930, page 10
  13. ^ Western Times Thursday 23 October 1879, page 2
  14. ^ Evening Standard Tuesday 26 June 1883, page 1
  15. ^ Essex Herald Monday 11 May 1885, page 6
  16. ^ a b c d The Sherborne Register 1550-1950 (4th ed.)
  17. ^ Obituary for the Rev. Robert Bamford, Western Gazette, 11 November 1898
  18. ^ a b c Old Shirburnian Army & Navy List 1914-1919
  19. ^ "Victoria Cross Citation, The London Gazette, 23 July 1918".
  20. ^ "Private A Bamford | War Casualty Details | CWGC".
  21. ^ "Bamford, Arthur (1889-1915)". 3 July 2013 – via Flickr.
  22. ^ "No. 29337". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 October 1915. p. 10477.
  23. ^ "Aston Martin Heritage Trust. 2012 Walter Hayes Memorial Lecture". amht.org.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  24. ^ Siu, Jason (14 June 2013). "Bob Lutz, Among Five Automotive Hall of Fame Inductees". AutoGuide.com. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  25. ^ "Robert Bamford". Hall of Fame Inductees. Automotive Hall of Fame. 2010. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  26. ^ 1911 Census
  27. ^ Times Wednesday May 8 1918, page 9
  28. ^ "Obituary: Robin Jacques". independent.co.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  29. ^ "OBITUARIES: Robin Jacques". independent.co.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  30. ^ Times Tuesday 25 April 1950, page 8
  31. ^ Dundee Evening Telegraph Tuesday 25 April 1950, page 3
  32. ^ Times Saturday 20 April 1974, page 24
  33. ^ Times obituary by Sir Cecil Beaton, Friday 26 April 1974, page 20
  34. ^ Robert Bamford (1883-1942). FindaGrave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/223363401/robert-bamford

External links

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