Park Ward
Encyclopedia
Park Ward was a British
coachbuilder
founded by William M. Park and Charles W. Ward in 1919. They had worked together at F.W. Berwick Ltd., the makers of Sizaire-Berwick cars.
Their business operated from Willesden
, North London.
who manufactured their chassis nearby at Cricklewood. In 1922 they were asked by Rolls-Royce
to take part in a scheme to make standard bodies for the small Twenty
model but the project was abandoned. But they did build bespoke bodies for Rolls-Royce customers exhibiting a 40-50 model at the British Empire exhibition in 1924. From the mid-1920s the company started to concentrate on Bentley and Rolls-Royce models.
In 1933 Rolls-Royce bought a stake in the company and after the Rolls-Royce take over of Bentley, Park Ward became the first choice of coachwork supplier to Bentley customers.
fortune, commissioned Park Ward to build a body onto to his newly acquired Bugatti Royale
, the fourth car chassis number 41131. Fashioned on a favourite Rolls-Royce he had previously owned, the car is hence known as the Foster car or Limousine Park-Ward. After being acquired in 1963 by Fritz Schlumpf
from American Bugatti collector John Shakespeare
, the car now resides in the Musée National de l'Automobile de Mulhouse
, France
alongside Ettore Bugatti
's personal Royale, the Coupe Napoleon.
After World War II
, Park Ward continued to produce special coachwork and the all-steel technology was used by Rolls-Royce to produce a standard body range on its cars starting with the Bentley Mark VI
.
In 1961, Rolls-Royce merged the Park-Ward business with their 1959 acquisition, H. J. Mulliner & Co.
of Chiswick, to form Mulliner Park Ward
. Operations were centralized in the former Park-Ward factory in Willesden.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
coachbuilder
Coachbuilder
A coachbuilder is a manufacturer of bodies for carriages or automobiles.The trade dates back several centuries. Rippon was active in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, Barker founded in 1710 by an officer in Queen Anne's Guards, Brewster a relative newcomer , formed in 1810. Others in Britain included...
founded by William M. Park and Charles W. Ward in 1919. They had worked together at F.W. Berwick Ltd., the makers of Sizaire-Berwick cars.
Their business operated from Willesden
Willesden
Willesden is an area in North West London which forms part of the London Borough of Brent. It is situated 5 miles north west of Charing Cross...
, North London.
History
After producing bodies for a variety of cars in the early 1920s Park Ward became particularly associated with BentleyBentley
Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer of automobiles founded on 18 January 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley known as W.O. Bentley or just "W O". Bentley had been previously known for his range of rotary aero-engines in World War I, the most famous being the Bentley BR1 as used in later...
who manufactured their chassis nearby at Cricklewood. In 1922 they were asked by Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
to take part in a scheme to make standard bodies for the small Twenty
Rolls-Royce Twenty
The Rolls-Royce Twenty built between 1922 and 1929 was Rolls-Royce's "small car" for the 1920s and was produced alongside the 40/50 Silver Ghost and Phantom...
model but the project was abandoned. But they did build bespoke bodies for Rolls-Royce customers exhibiting a 40-50 model at the British Empire exhibition in 1924. From the mid-1920s the company started to concentrate on Bentley and Rolls-Royce models.
In 1933 Rolls-Royce bought a stake in the company and after the Rolls-Royce take over of Bentley, Park Ward became the first choice of coachwork supplier to Bentley customers.
Bugatti Royale
In the same year, Captain Cuthbert W. Foster, heir to the Bird's CustardBird's Custard
Bird's Custard is the original version of what is known generically as custard powder. It is a cornflour -based powder which thickens to form a custard-like sauce when mixed with milk and heated to a sufficient temperature...
fortune, commissioned Park Ward to build a body onto to his newly acquired Bugatti Royale
Bugatti Royale
The Bugatti Type 41, better known as the Royale, was a large luxury car with a 4.3 m wheelbase and 6.4 m overall length. It weighed approximately 3175 kg and used a 12.7 L straight-8 engine...
, the fourth car chassis number 41131. Fashioned on a favourite Rolls-Royce he had previously owned, the car is hence known as the Foster car or Limousine Park-Ward. After being acquired in 1963 by Fritz Schlumpf
Fritz Schlumpf
Federico "Fritz" Schlumpf was a French Industrialist of Swiss origins and collector of automobiles. He is best known for the Schlumpf collection housed at the Musée National de l'Automobile de Mulhouse....
from American Bugatti collector John Shakespeare
John Shakespeare
John Shakespeare was the father of William Shakespeare. He was the son of Richard Shakespeare of Snitterfield, a farmer. He moved to Stratford-upon-Avon and married Mary Arden, with whom he had eight children, five of whom survived into adulthood...
, the car now resides in the Musée National de l'Automobile de Mulhouse
Musée National de l'Automobile de Mulhouse
Cité de l’Automobile, Musée national de l’automobile, Collection Schlumpf is located in Mulhouse, France and houses the Schlumpf Collection of classic automobiles...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
alongside Ettore Bugatti
Ettore Bugatti
right|thumb|Ettore Bugatti in 1932Ettore Arco Isidoro Bugatti was an Italian-born and French naturalized citizen automobile designer and manufacturer....
's personal Royale, the Coupe Napoleon.
Rolls Royce ownership
All-steel bodies were introduced in 1936 alongside the traditional metal on wood frame coachwork. Rolls-Royce acquired the rest of the shares in 1939 and Park Ward became a wholly owned subsidiary.After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Park Ward continued to produce special coachwork and the all-steel technology was used by Rolls-Royce to produce a standard body range on its cars starting with the Bentley Mark VI
Bentley Mark VI
The Bentley Mark VI was the first post-war luxury car from Bentley.Announced in May 1946 and produced from 1946 to 1952 it was also both the first car from Rolls-Royce with all-steel coachwork and the first complete car assembled and finished at their factory...
.
In 1961, Rolls-Royce merged the Park-Ward business with their 1959 acquisition, H. J. Mulliner & Co.
H. J. Mulliner & Co.
H. J. Mulliner & Co. was a well-known British coachbuilder operating at Chiswick in West London.The Mulliner family can trace their coachbuilding history back to 1760, building coaches for the Royal Mail in Northampton....
of Chiswick, to form Mulliner Park Ward
Mulliner Park Ward
Mulliner Park Ward was a bespoke coachbuilder in Hythe Road, Willesden, London UK.Mulliner now is the personal commissioning department for Bentley....
. Operations were centralized in the former Park-Ward factory in Willesden.