William Rootes, 1st Baron Rootes

William Edward Rootes, 1st Baron Rootes GBE (17 August 1894–12 December 1964) was a noted Coventry motor manufacturer and the innovative Chairman of the Promotion Committee which founded the University of Warwick.

Early life

William (Billy) Rootes was born in Goudhurst, Kent. His father, William, owned a general engineering business in Goudhurst, which included bicycles. William attended a motor show organised by Sir David Salomons in Tunbridge Wells in 1895. Billy and his brother Reginald (Reggie) shared their father's interest in things mechanical. In 1905, whilst their parents were out, Billy took Reggie out for a drive in their father's New Orleans motor car. Unfortunately, Billy crashed the car. Billy attended Cranbrook School, and on leaving school in 1909 was apprenticed to the Singer car company. William had move the family business to Hawkhurst by this time, and expanded into the motor trade. Billy left singer in 1913 to start his own car agency. He sold all of his first batch of cars within a few months of leaving Singer. The business was moved to Maidstone before World War One, and the firm worked on the maintenance and repair of aero engines during the war.Kent and Sussex Courier, 25 April 2008, p 28]

Knighthood

Billy and Reggie were knighted for their work setting up shadow factories.

Death

Although Lord Rootes’ untimely death in 1964 prevented him being installed as the University's first Chancellor, his name is still strongly connected with the University in many ways. These include the Rootes Social Building, Rootes student residences and the Lord Rootes Memorial Fund.

References

External links

[http://www.rootesarchivecentre.com/ Rootes Archive Centre]