Saturday 4th November 1905

At his daughter’s suggestion, Herbert Austin explored the area around Birmingham, England for new premises in his Wolseley 7.5hp along with all three staff of the Austin Motor Company. With a picnic basket strapped to the car, they discovered the disused but well located and modern White and Pike Printing Works, near Longbridge. Declaring that it would be the perfect location for a vehicle factory, his staff moved in later that week and Austin became its owner on January 22, 1906. By the late 1960s Longbridge, was the largest car plant in the world, employing around 250,000 workers.