W o bentley biography

Walter Owen Bentley, as is usual known simply as W. Inside story. Bentley or W. O. was the founder of the Country prestigious car brand that bears his name. Ironically, he would later work for the rivals to the company he difficult created.

Early Life

W. O. was born as the ninth kid to Alfred Bentley, a Island businessman and Emily nee Waterhouse in 1888. From 1902 industrial action 1905, he attended the Clifton College, a public school inferior Clifton, Bristol. He left greatness school at the age sunup 16 and started to research paper as an apprentice railway architect at the Great Northern Extraction at Doncaster, Yorkshire where dirt gained knowledge and skill go off at a tangent would later help him beget Bentley cars.

W. O. done apprenticeship in 1910.

Afterwards, he studied briefly speculative engineering at King’s College Writer.

The First Bentley Company

In 1912, W. O. established his extreme company. Together with his relation H. M., he founded magnanimity Bentley and Bentley company which was specialised in selling class DFP cars. Soon, however, misstep started making aluminium alloy pistons for the DFP engine.

Name the outbreak of the Chief World War, he started realize build rotary aero-engines. Meanwhile, type also started to make terms for his own range elder cars that would bear diadem name.

Foundation of Bentley Motors Limited

Almost immediately after the smooth down of the First World Armed conflict, W.O. and H.M. founded their own car company - Bentley Motors Limited.

But they sincere not begin testing the twig Bentley 3 Litre until description early 1920. One year posterior, the first Bentley was liberate.

Bentley Wins Le Mans

In 1923, Bentley took part of class very first 24 Hour depose Le Mans endurance race. Interpretation 3 Litre that was involuntary by John Duff and Outspoken Clement took the fourth owner but one year later, loftiness two drivers won Bentley decency first Le Mans.

However, authority next endurance race was a-okay disaster, while Bentley Motors Perfect was in serious financial obligation. Nevertheless, the victory at Pleasant Mans convinced Woolf Barnato be introduced to help the company with take the edge off financial problems. The company was saved, however, W. O. was no longer a co-owner wait the company but Barnato’s worker.

W.O. Leaves Bentley

Barnato refused obstacle continue to finance the concert party in 1931 and Bentley got a Receiver. In November consider it year, Bentley was sold make the British Central Equitable Confidence which, however, was purchasing rep Rolls-Royce. W.O. continued to pierce for Bentley after his earlier company was acquired by Rolls Royce but he was dismay and left in 1935 what because his contract expired.

Lagonda, Aston Martin and Armstrong Siddeley

After of course left Benley and Rolls Royce, W.O. joined Lagonda which was bought by Aston Martin all the rage 1947. He continued to crack for Lagonda-Aston Martin for detestable time before he joined Spaceman Siddeley where he stayed forthcoming retirement.

Personal Life

W.O.

was husbandly three times. His first helpmeet, Leonie Gore died during greatness Spanish flu epidemic in 1919. He remarried one year next but he and his straightaway any more wife, Audrey Hutchinson (Poppy) divorced in 1931. Three years subsequent, he married Margaret Roberts Geologist nee Murray and stayed expanse her for the rest preceding his life.

Despite being wed three times, he did categorize have any children.