Lord Austin's Office: Longbridge
Published: 1st May 2003
The Austin Motor Company moved into the Longbridge premises, which had been unoccupied for some four years. Herbert Austin moved his effects into one of the offices, which was to remain his personal office throughout the rest of his working life.
Austin's office was located at the front of the factory, on the first floor, overlooking the main factory entrance of the time (now known as 'K' Gate). Through the office window Austin would have looked down the Bristol Road towards the village of Rubery.
Austin used his office until his death in May 1941. Subsequently Leonard Lord (Lord Lambrey) and Bill Davis both used the office briefly.
In the 1950s, when the Austin Motor Company was part of the British Motor Corporation and Longbridge held the head office, there was money for development. Much of this investment can be seen in the form of the Conference Centre (previously know as the Exhibition Hall), Assembly A (Car Assembly Building 1), the Sales and Marketing building, the Product Development Centre (Designs block), South Engineering Block and International Headquarters.
In order to build the South Engineering Block, the old Showroom had to be demolished. Bill Davis, then a B.M.C. board member, asked Leonard Lord where he should work, as his office was to be relocated. He was told to move into 'The Old Man's' office, which he did for some months until his new office was built.
Bill was the last user of the office. It was on his instruction, when the front of No.1 shop including the Old Man's office had to be demolished, in the late 1950s, that provision be made in the new South Engineering Block to relocate 'The Office'. It remained until the spring of 2003, when it was incorporated into the Conference Centre, as part of the archive centre.
