Page 28 - Bentley Mark VI & R-Type

5
ON WATSON FINE BO
Ernest W. Hives (‘Hs’) was an employee
of C.S. Rolls & Co., briefly working
elsewhere before joining Rolls-Royce
Ltd at the newly-built factory at Derby
in 1908. He was Works Manager by
1936 and served through World War
II, until he was appointed Managing
Director upon the 1946 retirement
of Sir Arthur Sidgreaves. He was
elevated to the peerage as Baron
Hives in 1950. He was Chairman
DALTON WATSON FINE BOOKS
William Arthur Robotham (‘Rm’)
Shadwell Harry Grylls (‘Gry’) became
joined Rolls-Royce Ltd as a Premium
Apprentice soon after World War
I and had risen to the position of
Chief Engineer of Cars by May 1945,
having already overseen the advent
of a separate Chassis Division (later
renamed the Motor Car Division),
development of the Rationalised Range
of motor cars leading to the post-war
motor car range, and the relocation of
1951-57, replacing Capt. E.C. Eric
motor car production from Derby to
Smith who had been Chairman since
Crewe. He was appointed to the Main
1946. Lord Hives retired in 1957.
Board in September 1949.
© DALTON WATSON FINE BOOKS
Chief Engineer of the Motor Car
Division in 1951, his predecessor
W.A. Robotham having taken up
an appointment in the Oil Engine
Division, and was thus in charge of the
development of the motor cars dealt
with in this book until the end of their
production. He was then responsible
for the models up to and including the
Silver Shadow/Bentley T Series. He
was the last Rolls-Royce engineer to
have worked with Sir Henry Royce.
LEFT: John P. Blatchley (‘JPB’) moved
from war-related work to Crewe soon
after hostilities ended. He worked
in styling and was appointed Chief
Styling Engineer in 1951. In addition
to being in charge of standard steel
saloon styling, a Board decision was
made to bring Park Ward styling
© DALTON WATSON FINE BOO
within the range of responsibilities
of the Crewe Styling Department
in order to introduce some ‘family
resemblance’ between the Company’s
own standard saloons and the
products of its own coachbuilding
subsidiary. This photograph of ‘JPB’,
was taken in his unprepossessing
office at Crewe soon after the period
dealt with in this book. The model car
represents the S-Type, which replaced
the R-Type in 1955.
ALTON WATSO
Bentley Mark VI & R-Type
192