The War Years and In Between

The outbreak of World War I coincided with an important and completely successful artillery transport test, organised by Earl Fitzwilliam. It involved 14 high-powered cars, all equipped with Avon pneumatic tyres, which moved a battery of heavy guns at 21 miles per hour without mishap. Later, it was noted "As this epochal demonstration was carried out under direct War Office supervision, it is not surprising that throughout the war Avon tyres were largely used by all branches of H.M. Services."

The Admiralty was a particularly large user of Avon products and in 1914 called for some 40 tons of rubber sheeting and 20,000 ft of hose and tubing. Avon was also the leading manufacturer of paravane diaphragms used in minesweeping operations.

Within the first year of war being declared, over 300 employees had volunteered for duty - and the number serving in the Armed Forces on Armistice Day 1918 was 566. Towards the end of the war, the dwindling strength of skilled male workers created serious difficulties and occasioned much improvisation. However, it was noted that "Women and girls stepped into the breach and performed with loyalty and efficiency many jobs which hitherto had been looked upon as suitable only for men."

In 1915, Avon took over the Sirdar Rubber Works at Greenland Mills in Bradford on Avon. The company had gone into bankruptcy the previous year and Avon took it over to supply munitions for the war effort. This acquisition swelled the workforce by another 300 people.

In every theatre of the war and under conditions of unprecedented severity, Avon tyres performed outstandingly well on naval and military bicycles, motorcycles, cars, lorries, aeroplanes, ambulances, traveling workshops and mobile field kitchens. Manufacture was also directed towards munitions of sorts, including suction and delivery hoses for draining the trenches, fuse cap protectors and tubing. In order to conserve its productive capacity and to ensure adequate supplies of its products, Avon output was controlled by the Ministry of Munitions from November 1915.

It was in the Avon laboratories that petrol resistant tubing was evolved for the Air Ministry. This was so markedly superior to any other material that, with Avon's consent, the formula and processes were divulged to several competitors so that greater output could be obtained quickly to aid the war effort.

In November 1917 Avon's Works were visited by His Majesty King George V, accompanied by Queen Mary, who showed themselves keenly interested in the various processes they inspected and also in the welfare work organised under lady superintendents.

At the end of the war, men began to return to their pre-war jobs from all parts of the world. By the end of the year 1919, the number employed by Avon at Melksham had increased by 50 percent and new distribution depots were being set up in London, Newcastle, Leeds & Bristol. The demand for Avon products went from strength to strength after the war and Avon switched its efforts to producing the "best possible" sporting equipment for tennis, football, golf, swimming, etc. In 1921, the first tennis ball was made at Melksham and within a year thousands of dozens weekly were being sold through the famous House of Wisden. The Avon tennis ball was the first to be mass produced in stitchless form.

It was at this time that another important business was also starting in Staffordshire which would later have a significant impact on Avon's future. Albert Fox set up a tyre re-treading and servicing business in his cowshed. The cows were driven out each morning so that work could begin. Albert's van, which proudly maintained a 24-hour tyre repair and fitting service, was also used to deliver eggs from the farm. Known as Normeir Tyre Company (a title derived from the names of the two neighbouring villages), the business was to grow into a thriving national concern which 41 years later was to be purchased by Avon.

In 1920, Melksham House, a beautiful old mansion standing in delightful grounds, was purchased as the company club and sports centre. Its purpose was explained thus: "The Company have always been very considerate with regard to the social welfare of their employees. The grounds have been laid out for playing fields for all kinds of sports. The house provides a canteen, theatre and rooms for meetings, games, etc. These attractions promote a great 'esprit de corps' and tend to produce good feeling among all departments."

Increased production and expansion was the keynote of the early 1920s and at Melksham some new ferro-concrete factory buildings came into use at Melksham and a depot site in Belfast was purchased.

Then came the Great Slump - which provided a most decisive test of Avon's strength and resources, but Avon weathered the years 1920-24 with unimpaired vitality.

Development had gone steadily forward; no building operations had been suspended; and modern plant had been installed wherever needed. For example, when the cord motor tyre came into being, Avon were amongst the earliest British makes to find favour with the motoring public.

It was said of the company at the time "Avon has never been afraid to pioneer and its plant today is unquestionably modern and complete. It was among the first of tyre-making firms to adopt Doughty presses for cycle tyres, to build machine-made motor casings and to use the watch-case type of vulcanisers for the speedier cure of car and motorcycle tyres. Mighty mixers and calenders are in use, capacious presses and ovens of the latest type are available throughout the shops; and steam and electric power is adequate everywhere."

It is worth noting that Oswald Swanborough joined the company in 1925. The son of Mr and Mrs F T Swanborough, the previous directors, he began as a Costing Clerk at Greenland Mills at Bradford on Avon before moving to Melksham where he worked his way up to become Managing Director some years later.
 
By 1927, Avon had 12 tyre distribution depots around the country carrying full stocks and manned by expert tyre fitters. Their watchword of prompt despatch ensured that Avon tyres were available almost immediately anywhere in Britain. A healthy export trade was also building up from the London depot and a plethora of articles were being manufactured including carriage, cycle and pram tyres, footwear, including rubber soles and heels, bath mats and sponges and rubber carpet to name but a few.

The Melksham Carnival of 1928 included an Avon float which won first prize. It also went on to win third prize at the nearby Trowbridge carnival. The tableau was emblazoned with the slogan "Tyres from bladders were derived. Our tyres go on though pigs have died".
 
To take advantage of the opportunities provided by Great Britain's decision to depart from the Gold Standard, a major export drive was launched in the early 1930s with great success.

 In 1933 Avon became a public limited company and its shares were issued on the London Stock Exchange. In the same year Avon tyres were chosen for the first time as original equipment for Rolls-Royce cars as the Avon air cooled duo-tread tyres were launched, practically doubling tyre mileage.

In 1934 there was a strike - lasting six weeks - which completely closed the Melksham site. A major role in the eventual settlement was played by a then union official who went on to hold high Government office, Mr Ernest Bevin. One of the benefits resulting from the dispute was the subsequent formation of the company's Joint Works Council in 1936 and the creation of open lines of communication between the management and workforce which now numbered 1,331.

 With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Avon, together with other rubber manufacturers, engaged its resources in a concerted war effort. The factory worked around the clock at full capacity to meet military demands and twenty million gas masks were produced at Melksham. Amongst many new developments was the bonding of solid rubber tyres to steel for tank wheels - details of this process being made known to other companies to aid the war effort. Supplies of natural rubber were minimal following the loss of the plantations in Malaya and Indonesia, and new formulas and techniques had to be developed to use the early forms of synthetic rubber.

In 1940 an attractive canteen was opened for the employees which could accommodate 600 people at one sitting. This canteen is still in operation today at Cooper-Avon Tyres in Melksham.

In October 1941 Queen Mary visited the Melksham factory, where it was noted "close to 2,500 men and women are now employed." Major Fuller, the Chairman at the time, led her on an exhaustive tour of the factory. He commented afterwards "One might have thought she would have tired after a few minutes tour, but she walked and walked, climbed stairs and went down in the lift, and undoubtedly thoroughly enjoyed the tour". She took tea in the canteen, sitting (at her own request) with the workers and was presented with a bouquet of blonze chrysanthemums which had been grown in the firm's garden.

At a meeting at Melksham House in December 1941, 150 women from the town and district responded to the appeal by the company to discuss plans to employ women in part time war work. It was said that those volunteering would be capable of earning one shilling per hour.

The war years saw the creation of some stirring and patriotic advertisements. In 1940 the company stated "Since 1885, through crises and wars, depressions and good times, Avon has continued to contribute its full share towards the evolution and development of tyres and general rubber goods. Today, the company is proud to use its resources in furthering the common task. The demands of His Majesty's Government receive absolute priority".

In 1941 an Avon advertisement depicting a knight crusader on horseback declared "We believe that nothing avails if tyranny prevails. That no sacrifice is too great, no cost too high, to ensure victory and freedom. The Avon workers and management are striving to produce the goods the Nation needs and to maintain the highest degree of quality."

In 1942 Oswald Swanborough was appointed Managing Director, a position which he was to hold for 21 years, and Avon opened work centres which were set up so that women could put in as many hours as they could spare for the war effort.

An Avon advertising campaign that year was based on Winston Churchill's famous question of the Germans "What sort of people do they think we are?" Referring to the struggle of our seamen manning both naval and merchant vessels, the copy continued "Every article you do without helps to reduce his work and his risks. So save paper, save rubber, save everything to win. Use your tyres as little as you can … and never misuse them".

Throughout the war years turnover and sales grew but, in the interests of National security, very little was said or published about the work being carried out by the company.

It was not until his report to shareholders at the Annual General Meeting in December 1945 that the Chairman, Major R G Fuller, said "It is now permissible to tell shareholders something of our activities during the war. Of course, tyres formed the bulk of our work, but we also supplied 20 million gas masks and over 6,000 tons of general rubber goods for the Service departments of the Government and the essential services of the country."

The war had caused a shortage of coal and, therefore, electricity was greatly restricted. Meal breaks and working hours were adjusted to allow the most power-hungry machinery to be operated only in off-peak hours.

In a celebration carnival in Melksham in May 1946 to raise funds for the town's "Welcome Home Fund" for returning servicemen, Avon's prize-winning float proclaimed "Avon workers did their full share - victory moved on rubber."