Laying a myth to rest to begin with, the suggestion that William Hurlock Junior was an American. He was in fact British. The author of that extract managed to incorporate another error, that the Hurlock stove was on sale before WWII. Manufactured during the war, it first appeared on the civilian market post-war, typically as army surplus stock. The Hurlock family lineage, William Frederick (1865-1905) and sons William Hurlock - Junior - (1887-1964) and Charles Hurlock (1901-1989). In 1919 the sons founded a business as motor, general and electrical engineers and commercial vehicle specialists based in Brixton, London, with a depot in Slough. This advertisement from 1922 sees them turning a profit from War Department stock, post-WWI at that date, setting a precedent for sales of WD stock after WWII. Meanwhile, in 1911, in Thames Ditton, Surrey, a company founded by the Weller brothers was producing their Auto Carrier three-wheeler commercial vehicle, which sold in large numbers to a wide variety of businesses and was adapted to carry a machine gun during WWI. From Auto Carriers Ltd. and with a nod to the origins of their success, the company began to make cars, becoming in time AC Cars Ltd. The Great Depression drove many companies out of business and although in 1928 AC was manufacturing seven different models of cars, the company was in liquidation by 1930. The receiver sold off the remains of AC’s last cars produced and with a lot of parts left in the otherwise empty factory, a workforce remained, repairing the cars of existing customers. Step in the Hurlock brothers. And, from AC Cars’ current website’s company history pages. Just before the outbreak of WWII the Government approached the Hurlocks to acquire the Brixton premises and their Thames Ditton factory became their primary site. From the Commercial Motor magazine archive, issue for 9th June 1939. The text of that. Wartime production at the Thames Ditton site was diverse. Though I’ve not yet managed to find specific mention in archive material of their production of the Hurlock stove, I personally think there’s little doubt that they had the expertise, equipment and, not least, their existing status as a War Department contractor to have made the stove. It’s possible Townson & Coxson made the burners, or Hurlocks could have made them under licence. Post-WWII as was the case in company history post-WWI, Hurlocks sold WD surplus equipment, including their stove production too as we know. Curious thing, on one of the pot rest supports of @lanevitt ’s example of a Hurlock stove in the Stove Reference Gallery is what resembles, in part, the AC Cars logo. A piece of steel strip stock purloined from car production materials maybe? Selling off war production surplus stock was a sideline for Hurlocks however and their knack for varied output continued post war. A big earner for them was the UK production for Government of these, three-wheeled Invacar (abbreviated from invalid carriage), a single seat microcar for disabled drivers. Then there was the AC Ace. … which led to the AC (Shelby) Cobra. Extract from The Independent newspaper for 23rd October 2011, obituary for William Derek Hurlock, son of William Hurlock Jnr. I welcome any additions or corrections. John
I'd love to John, but I first want to see how things turn out, both Brexit wise and health wise. Basically, you can count me in! Last 2 years have been a bit boooooring.... ;-) (@presscall )
I recently came acros this Hurlock-labelled tin box, featured HERE. Alongside a Hurlock stove to give an idea of its size. John
Fascinating. I read the entire post. I appreciate the effort that goes into putting a quality post like this together. Well done John.
@Sedgman Thanks Iain. I’m pleased to have laid to rest the misconception of Wm. Hurlock Jnr. as a salesman, from America, with no inventive, engineering or manufacturing capability, badge-engineering at best. To have the provenance he and his brother and their company earned, together with the AC Cars connection, it’s fitting that they should take credit for (quite probably in my opinion) the design and manufactur of the stove that bears their name. John
@presscall John, I hope the following about William Hurlock Jnr's grandfather, who was a clothier, might be of general interest re the Hurlock family that you have mentioned in this post. Not quite a stove tale but fits with the excellent history you have presented. The grandfather, William Hurlock (c1840 to 1925) was a clothier for half a century and is mentioned briefly in the family information earlier in this thread. The following (relating to the grandfather) is courtesy of Trove, part of the Australian National Library. and the article appeared in the Geelong Advertiser on 14 December 1912. Iain
@Sedgman Great stuff Iain! ‘Must lick stamps’ is quite a heading for a news article. ‘Must empty stove’ (of paraffin) became essential to users not wanting it to eject fuel from the jet in storage or transit. John
