Various Riley cars were
produced at Longbridge
Riley Elf
Riley Kestrel
Riley 1.5
Short History on the
Company
The Riley Company started in the late
1800s as weavers then in 1890 William Riley Junior took over the
Cycle business of Bonnick Co Ltd. Six years later on the
23rd
May the two business were
formed into The Riley Cycle Co Ltd and a new factory was built in
King Street Coventry. A Quadricycle and a Tricycle which was
powered by a petrol engine. In 1905 a Tricar which was powered by
there own ‘V’ twin 9 hp engine, it had a steering wheel instead of
the usually tiller.
Just two years on and the company announced there first car called
the Riley 12/18 hp using a 2 litres ‘V’ twin engine. As production
built up in 1913 the name was again changed to the Riley (Coventry)
Ltd. Then came the War Years when like other firms, companies were
turning their production to the War effort.
At the 1919 Motor Show was the lunched the Riley 11 hp and showing
for the first the distinctive ‘V’ shaped radiator grill bearing the
Riley badge.
Various models were brought out in the coming years such as the
Ascot Coupe, Falcon, and Kestrel which would be used again by
BMC.
At the AGM in November 1937 the Chairman announced that the
previous 18 months accounts would have to be rechecked. It was not
long before rumors were rife, and then the Press Release stated
that the receivers had been called in. In September 1938 Lord
Nuffield made a statement to the press that he had acquired the
Riley Company with his own money. He then sold it to Morris Motors,
and the company was renamed yet again to Riley (Coventry)
Successors Ltd with Victor Riley taking over as the Managing
Director. Because of this company joining with Morris Motors, it
was decided to have an umbrella company which would be called the
Nuffield
Organization which now included Morris, MG, Wolesley, and
Riley.