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388:
328:'s planned new motor-omnibus business. Searle's salary was increased from £1,000 to £1,250 on condition that he devote all his time to LGOC and took no outside employment. He prevaricated. Searle was ordered to appear before the board at their meeting on 4 May 1911. Offered a salary of £2,000 provided he signed a new contract there and then, Searle refused and was dismissed with three months' salary in lieu of notice. The details of his new position with Daimler's The Premier Motor Omnibus Company were announced in
277:
523:
289:
595:
651:
other than a director being J S Critchley "formerly manager of The
Daimler Company Limited". With Daimler since 1896 Critchley (1865–1944) was responsible for the creation of Daimler's Coventry factory.(The Premier Omnibus Company, Limited. CAPITAL-£100,000, Divided into 100,000 Shares of £1 each, Issue of 100,000 Shares Of £1 Each, Which Are Offered For Subscription at Par
446:
634:
was able to report 'widespread excitement' because of apparent difficulties with
Daimler's Premier Motor Omnibus flotation (denied, in fact deferred and the proposal lost Daimler support) which had previously caused a 'severe fall' in the price of LGOC shares and (revived) rumours of LGOC involvement
362:
announced the flotation of shares in a new subsidiary to operate a London bus service, The
Premier Motor Omnibus Company, to run Daimler buses with Searle "who has resigned his position with London General Omnibus for the purpose" as General Manager. Days later these plans were scrapped. It had been
267:
companies. He sold several
Lacoste et Battman chassis to the London and District Motor Omnibus Company, which traded as "Arrow". The Lacoste et Battman buses were unreliable, and suffered frequent breakdowns. Searle was forced to abandon his consultancy when the final part of the order was cancelled
650:
The following
February there was a new flotation, The Premier Omnibus Company, established to provide a motor-omnibus service in London and districts using "the well-known De Dion Bouton type omnibus". It was intended to manufacture buses at the former LGOC Walthamstow plant without link to Daimler
642:
The following
November the directors of LGOC announced the proposed amalgamation of their business with Metropolitan District Railway and Underground Electric Railways Company of London which was completed in April 1912.(London Traffic Amalgamation. A Combination of Omnibus And Railway Companies.,
312:
and on 18 May 1907 was appointed as Chief Motor
Engineer at a salary of £450, later rising to £500. At the time, LGOC had a varied fleet of some 600 motor-buses all of which proved unable to cope with the stresses of operating in London's traffic. Searle persuaded LGOC to allow him to design a
535:
In
December 1928 the chairman of Rover advised shareholders that the accumulation of the substantial losses of the 1923–1928 years together with the costs of that year's reorganisation must be recognised by a reduction of 60% in the value of capital of the company.
370:
Searle's new responsibility was to design the replacement product, effectively a B-Type with a
Daimler motor. Then he had to sell this new vehicle and seems to have done well at this job. In June 1912 LGOC's former bus manufacturing operation was hived off into
739:, RG14/7163, Schedule:99 Name:Frank Searle, Relation to Head: Head, Condition: Married, Age: 36, Occupation: Mechanical Engineer. Industry or Service: Lon Gen O'bus Co Ltd. Where Born: New Cross, London, Address: "Denewood", Holden Road, North Finchley, London.
473:(AT&T), and Searle was also appointed AT&Ts managing director. AT&T ran its last service on 17 December 1920. In January 1921 debt-swamped AT&T was liquidated and its assets, bought by Daimler Hire, were put with Daimler Air Hire to make
703:, RG12/499, Folio 57, Page 7, Name:Frank Searle, Relation to Head:Brother, Condition:Single, Age:16, Occupation:Steam Engine Fitters Apprentice, Where Born:Deptford, Kent, Address:282 New Cross Road, St Paul Deptford, Greenwich, Kent.
214:
Sometimes unkindly referred to as Uncle Frank and "a bus-company manager" Frank Searle died just too young to see the true advent of the era of mass air-travel—not yet on-stage but, as he rightly suspected, 'waiting in the wings'.
332:
on 6 May 1911. This company, ultimately established without Searle or any tie to
Daimler and later known as The London Premier Bus Company was wound up in 1917 having had a probable maximum fleet of six De Dion Boutons.
268:
due to the unreliability of the vehicles. Arrow took Searle on as a mechanic to keep the fleet of buses on the road. Searle patented and sold to LGOC for £1,000 an ingenious silent roller-chain constant-mesh gearbox.
379:" when visiting North America to "inspect the bus transportation system in the large American and Canadian cities and also to attend the trials of agricultural gasoline tractors at the Winnipeg Man. exhibition."
691:, RG11/716, Folio 13, Page 20, Name:Frank Searle, Relation to Head:Son, Condition:Single, Age:6, Occupation:Scholar, Where Born:Deptford, Kent, Address:282 New Cross Road, St Paul Deptford, Greenwich, Kent.
727:, RG13/561, Folio 79, Page 58 Name:Charlotte L Searle, Relation to Head:Wife, Condition:Married, Age:25, Occupation:None, Where Born:Blackheath, London, Address:"Morden", 112 Perry Hill, Lewisham, London.
173:, he is described as a six-year-old scholar. In the 1891 census Searle is still at 282 New Cross Road with his siblings and he is described as a 16-year-old steam engine fitters apprentice.
1172:
1167:
169:), the son of draper Henry Searle and his wife Elizabeth (née Croaker). Searle appears in the 1881 census of Greenwich living with his parents and siblings at 282 New Cross Road in
176:
In 1897 he married Charlotte Louise Soyer. Searle doesn't appear to be with his wife and family at the time of the 1901 census; his wife Charlotte is living at 112 Perry Hill in
247:
Having seen that mechanized road transport would present better prospects for making money Searle entered business as a consultant motor engineer located in the West End of
591:
Searle left the board near the end of the calendar year, his work finished. leaving management in the control of Maurice Wilks with a new finance director, H E Graham.
477:. Searle also became the managing director of Daimler Airway. Also in that year, Searle read a paper title "The Requirements and Difficulties of Air Transport" to the
1157:
715:
index of marriages registered in September, October, December, 1897 – Name: Frank Searle & Charlotte Louise Soyer. District: Greenwich Volume: 1D Page: 1816.
317:. The prototype was completed on 12 August 1909 and, due to licensing delays, entered service in December. The next year Searle produced an improved design, the
1192:
635:
with a group of underground electric railways (confirmed). (The Latest Omnibus Development. The Position in the Stock Exchange. Features of the Past Account.
573:
with a rear-mounted V-twin-cylinder air-cooled engine eventually announced in 1931, a van version was shown at Olympia, but it did not go into production.
153:(1874 – 4 April 1948) was a British transport entrepreneur, a locomotive engineer who moved from steam to omnibuses, the motor industry and airlines.
345:
of a unique folded and strengthened design. In 1913, Hall and Searle was floated on the stock exchange as The Searle Unburstable Inner Tube Company.
1182:
499:
In 1924, Daimler Airway was merged with three other airlines, Handley Page Transport, Instone Airline and British Marine Air Navigation, to form
489:
1162:
1197:
150:
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514:
313:
vehicle that was fit for the job. The best features of existing vehicles were taken and incorporated into the new design named the
1187:
787:
588:. The company showed profits in the 1929 and 1930 years but with the economic downturn in 1931 Rover reported a loss of £77,529.
1177:
341:
In 1910 Searle had entered into business with a Mr F H Hall to form Hall & Searle Ltd and to develop and manufacture tyre
1152:
301:
193:
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470:
458:
20:
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as general manager and appointed to the board in 1929. Spencer and Maurice Wilks were to stay with Rover into the 1960s.
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700:
688:
395:
372:
434:
430:
146:
142:
612:
478:
387:
1202:
367:, a close associate of LGOC claimed a patent infringement and production was stopped. Twelve KPLs had been made.
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423:
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broke out, Searle came out of retirement to become managing director, and deputy chairman, of the
935:
462:
419:
561:
Next Searle split Midland Light Car Bodies from Rover in an effort to save money and instructed
543:
in May 1928 and soon achieved some success in restoring Rover's fortunes. On his recommendation
506:
Searle was appointed managing director and appointed one of the eight members of the new board.
260:
180:
with three children, Joan aged 2, Mary aged 1 and Geoffrey aged 2 months. In the 1911 census of
1075:
865:
408:
363:
intended that this new London bus company would use Daimler's new KPL petrol-electric hybrid.
293:
457:
Limited. In June 1919 he formed a new subsidiary Daimler Air Hire Limited. In February 1920,
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608:
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Rumours reached the LGOCs board that Searle had been offered a senior position with the
474:
189:
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566:
558:, Rover against Bentley then regular winners at the Le Mans 24 hours endurance race.
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615:. During the war the company made motor torpedo boats, gunboats and rescue vessels.
880:
The New Motor-Omnibus Company. The Times, Saturday, 6 May 1911; pg. 10; Issue 39578
585:
570:
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188:, Searle and his wife, two daughters and a son Richard Soyer Searle are living in
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He remarried after Charlotte's death in 1944. Searle died aged 73 at his home in
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He was temporarily promoted to major in November 1916. He reached the rank of
392:
Daimler-Foster 105 hp tractor towing artillery on a trailer built by Fosters,
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105:
453:
Post-war, Searle returned to Daimler where he was made managing director of
445:
204:
162:
66:
44:
577:
411:(Heavy) which used Daimler-powered artillery tractors and in 1917 became
305:
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and became a locomotive engineer but Searle soon recognized that the new
177:
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1054:
High Court of Justice. Chancery Division., Reduction of Capital
974:
edited by John Motum, p170 Volume one 1990 Naval Institute Press
894:. No. 40378. London. 25 November 1913. col A-G, p. 17.
166:
48:
308:
garage at an annual salary of £350. He was soon transferred to
377:
Daimler Company Limited 'bus and commercial vehicle department
912:. No. 39578. London. 6 May 1911. col C, D, p. 23.
1010:. No. 43670. London. 5 June 1924. col A, p. 18.
753:. No. 51039. London. 7 April 1948. col B, p. 1.
192:, Searle is described as a mechanical engineer with the
984:"The Requirements and Difficulties of Air Transport".
16:
British transport engineer and businessman (1874–1948)
207:on 4 April 1948. His estate was valued for duty at
129:
121:
111:
89:
81:
73:
55:
37:
30:
1072:The Motor Car Industry in Coventry since the 1890s
780:
674:Barker, Theo (2004). "Searle, Frank (1875–1948)".
827:"Brief Biographies of Major Mechanical Engineers"
304:(LGOC) employed Searle as Superintendent at its
1058:, Tuesday, 12 February 1929; pg. 5; Issue 45125
1019:
1017:
639:, Wednesday, 10 May 1911; pg. 19; Issue 39581)
539:Searle had been appointed managing director of
1045:, Monday, 3 December 1928; pg. 23; Issue 45066
903:
901:
1173:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
1168:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
988:. No. 24 November 1921. pp. 789–90.
8:
942:(Supplement 29839): 11580. 24 November 1916.
791:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
655:, Thursday, 1 Feb 1912; pg. 16; Issue 39810)
647:, Thursday, 2 Nov 1911; pg. 6; Issue 39732)
321:, which entered service on 18 October 1910.
375:and Searle is described as "manager of the
27:
1041:City Notes. Rover's 60p.c. Capital Loss.
584:. This was the same body as used on the
580:was introduced, with bodies made by the
569:to design a new small car. This was the
788:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
676:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
666:
623:
1097:. British Motor Museum. Archived from
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1031:. No. 15 April 1948. p. 422.
961:. No. 16 April 1954. p. 487.
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1158:British Army personnel of World War I
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890:"The Searle Unburstable Inner Tube".
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429:In 1918 Colonel Searle was awarded a
19:For other people with this name, see
7:
1193:English railway mechanical engineers
864:, 1978, Routledge & Kegan Paul.
239:would be better than steam power.
194:London and General Omnibus Company
14:
1121:"The Road that Led to the Beetle"
449:Daimler Airway De Havilland DH.34
354:Omnibuses and commercial vehicles
161:Searle was born in late 1874 at
1183:Businesspeople from Bournemouth
441:Daimler Hire and Daimler Airway
284:entered service 18 October 1910
1070:David Thoms and Tom Donnelly,
972:The Putnam Aeronautical Review
643:£33,000,000 Capital Involved.
576:During his time at Rover, the
495:Armstrong-Whitworth 154 Argosy
302:London General Omnibus Company
1:
471:Aircraft Transport and Travel
1163:Royal Tank Regiment officers
1025:"Death of Col. Frank Searle"
812:UK public library membership
526:1929 Rover 2-litre Light Six
415:with Daimler-powered tanks.
908:"The New Omnibus Company".
630:By the following Wednesday
431:Distinguished Service Order
1224:
1198:Businesspeople in aviation
678:. Oxford University Press.
613:British Power Boat Company
479:Royal Aeronautical Society
223:He was apprenticed to the
133:Henry and Elizabeth Searle
125:Two daughters and two sons
115:Charlotte Louise (d. 1944)
18:
259:where he represented the
243:Consultant motor engineer
1006:"Imperial Airways Ltd".
701:1891 Census of Greenwich
689:1881 Census of Greenwich
528:the car that outran the
394:Flanders 1917. Photo by
280:Frank Searle's improved
85:Engineer and Businessman
1188:People in bus transport
925:Volume 26 June 20, 1912
862:The Golden Age of Buses
816:(subscription required)
725:1901 Census of Lewisham
713:General Register Office
518:Rover 10/25 saloon 1929
424:mentioned in despatches
1178:English industrialists
797:10.1093/ref:odnb/49494
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1153:People from Greenwich
923:Automotive Industries
779:Barker, Theo (2004).
737:1911 Census of Barnet
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582:Pressed Steel Company
554:January 1930 saw the
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403:Searle served in the
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237:power-to-weight ratio
225:Great Western Railway
59:4 April 1948, aged 73
1101:on 27 September 2011
547:was brought in from
437:the following year.
251:. In 1905 he was in
1074:, Croom Helm 1985,
860:Charles F Klapper,
349:BSA group – Daimler
940:The London Gazette
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463:George Holt Thomas
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433:and he was made a
420:lieutenant colonel
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265:Lacoste et Battman
235:offering a higher
955:"Imperial Record"
810:(Subscription or
409:Machine Gun Corps
296:" troop transport
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556:Blue Train Races
501:Imperial Airways
493:Imperial Airways
485:Imperial Airways
292:B-type Omnibus "
95:Imperial Airways
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782:"Searle, Frank"
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1125:. Retrieved
1123:. Light Auto
1115:
1103:. Retrieved
1099:the original
1071:
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1028:
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835:. Retrieved
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800:. Retrieved
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598:MTB at speed
590:
586:Hillman Minx
575:
571:Rover Scarab
563:Robert Boyle
560:
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469:, parent of
455:Daimler Hire
452:
428:
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369:
358:In May 1911
357:
340:
329:
323:
299:
246:
222:
213:
198:
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140:Frank Searle
139:
138:
32:Frank Searle
25:
21:Frank Searle
1208:1948 deaths
1148:1874 births
603:Power boats
578:Rover 10/25
383:World War I
343:inner tubes
337:Inner tubes
310:Cricklewood
201:Bournemouth
165:, (then in
74:Nationality
63:Bournemouth
1142:Categories
814:required.)
749:"Deaths".
662:References
530:Blue Train
319:B-type bus
315:X-type bus
106:B-type bus
101:X-type bus
1056:The Times
1043:The Times
1008:The Times
910:The Times
892:The Times
751:The Times
653:The Times
645:The Times
637:The Times
632:The Times
607:When the
422:. He was
407:with the
330:The Times
272:Omnibuses
205:Hampshire
163:Greenwich
130:Parent(s)
112:Spouse(s)
67:Hampshire
45:Greenwich
1127:30 March
1105:30 March
837:30 March
802:30 March
306:Mortlake
294:Ole Bill
178:Lewisham
171:Deptford
157:Personal
122:Children
1095:"Rover"
549:Hillman
461:bought
360:Daimler
97:Limited
77:British
1078:
1029:Flight
986:Flight
959:Flight
868:
808:
261:Turgan
257:France
249:London
219:Career
182:Barnet
619:Notes
541:Rover
510:Rover
467:Airco
253:Paris
117:Alice
1129:2011
1107:2011
1076:ISBN
995:p790
991:p789
866:ISBN
839:2011
804:2011
565:and
263:and
167:Kent
151:MIME
93:M.D.
56:Died
49:Kent
41:1874
38:Born
793:doi
465:'s
459:BSA
435:CBE
373:AEC
227:at
147:DSO
143:CBE
1144::
1086:^
1063:^
1027:.
1016:^
993:,
957:.
938:.
900:^
847:^
829:.
785:.
759:^
503:.
481:.
426:.
255:,
211:.
203:,
196:.
184:,
149:,
145:,
65:,
47:,
1131:.
1109:.
841:.
806:.
795::
398:.
23:.
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