Caffyns

Last updated
Caffyns plc
LSE:  CFYN
Founded1865
FounderWilliam Morris Caffyn
Headquarters
United Kingdom
ProductsMotor dealers
Website www.caffynsplc.co.uk
The first garage, at 12 The Colonnade, Eastbourne in 1904. Mr H.B. Caffyn is on the left, Mr P.T. Caffyn in the centre. Caffyns 12 The Colonnade, Eastbourne, 1904.jpg
The first garage, at 12 The Colonnade, Eastbourne in 1904. Mr H.B. Caffyn is on the left, Mr P.T. Caffyn in the centre.

Caffyns plc are United Kingdom based motor retailers. The company is listed on the FTSE Fledgling Index of the London Stock Exchange under the ticker CFYN in the general retailers sector. [1] Caffyns have dealerships in Ashford, Brighton, Eastbourne, Lewes, Tunbridge Wells & Worthing. [2]

Contents

The firm was founded in 1865 by William Morris Caffyn as a "Gas and hot water fitter, Bell Hanger, Brass Finisher Tinman & Brazier", but by 1903 began to deal in motor cars. [3] Members of the Caffyn family are still among the board of directors.

History

Caffyn was founded in 1856 by William Morris Caffyn in Eastbourne, East Sussex. William Caffyn was a trained plumber and coppersmith. His company was initially licensed as a gas and water supplier. A little later, Caffyn also maintained a petroleum store, became an oil and lamp dealer and was also an electrician at the turn of the century. In 1903, the sons of the founder took over the business; the company has since traded as Caffyn Bros. At this time, the Caffyn brothers were expanding into the automotive sector. A repair shop for automobiles, which was temporarily called Caffyn's Garage, soon became an automobile dealership, with more than 100 vehicles in the showroom by 1906. Caffyn was a dealer for the Argyll, Belsize, Clement-Talbot, Siddeley and Wolseley brands. The company serviced automobiles, sold accessories, some of which it had developed itself, and offered driving lessons. In 1909 the company was converted into a corporation; it now traded as Caffyns Garages Ltd. [4]

After the end of the First World War, during which Caffyn manufactured armaments, the company began producing automobile bodies. Caffyn's activity was not limited to one or a few chassis manufacturers; Rather, the company dressed up any chassis “like a typical coachbuilder from the province”, [5] according to the customer’s wishes. These included Lancias, Darracqs, Wolseleys and Sunbeams; occasionally, Caffyn also manufactured bodies for Rolls-Royce.

The company grew steadily in the 1930s. In 1929 Caffyn sold more than 1000 vehicles. Body construction was also expanded. In order to increase its own capacities, Caffyn took over the rival companies Rock, Thorpe & Watson and Maltby. Immediately before the outbreak of war, Caffyn employed 450 people and had an annual turnover of £610,000. [4]

During the Second World War, large parts of the production facilities were damaged or destroyed. After the end of the war, the production of vehicle bodies was not resumed; only individual chassis were re-bodied or revised at the customer's request. [6] The company focused on the sale of passenger cars and commercial vehicles. In the 1960s and 1970s, Caffyns sold the brands of the British Leyland Motor Corporation, but was also a Rolls-Royce dealer for a time. In the 21st century, Caffyn is a dealer of the Volkswagen Group and also sells Vauxhall, Volvo and Land Rover.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bentley</span> British luxury automobile manufacturer owned by Volkswagen Group

Bentley Motors Limited is a British designer, manufacturer and marketer of luxury cars and SUVs. Headquartered in Crewe, England, the company was founded by W. O. Bentley (1888–1971) in 1919 in Cricklewood, North London, and became widely known for winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930. Bentley has been a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group since 1998 and consolidated under VW's premium brand arm Audi since 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanden Plas</span> Coachbuilder

Vanden Plas is the name of coachbuilders who produced bodies for specialist and up-market automobile manufacturers. Latterly the name became a top-end luxury model designation for cars from subsidiaries of British Leyland and the Rover Group, it was last used in 2009 to denote the top-luxury version of the Jaguar XJ (X350).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coachbuilder</span> Maker of bodies for passenger-carrying vehicles

A coachbuilder or body-maker is someone who manufactures bodies for passenger-carrying vehicles. Coachwork is the body of an automobile, bus, horse-drawn carriage, or railway carriage. The word "coach" was derived from the Hungarian town of Kocs. A vehicle body constructed by a coachbuilder may be called a "coachbuilt body" or "custom body".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn</span> Motor vehicle

The Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn is a full-size luxury car that was produced by Rolls-Royce at their Crewe works between 1949 and 1955. It was the first Rolls-Royce car to be offered with a factory built body which it shared, along with its chassis, with the Bentley Mark VI until 1952 and then the Bentley R Type until production finished in 1955. The car was first introduced as an export only model. The left hand drive manual transmission models had a column gear change, while right hand drives had a floor change by the door. In the British home market the Silver Dawn only became available from October 1953, with the introduction of the model corresponding to the Bentley R Type.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bentley Mark VI</span> Motor vehicle

The Bentley Mark VI is an automobile from Bentley which was produced from 1946 until 1952.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rolls-Royce Phantom IV</span> Ultra-luxury flagship automobile in its fourth generation

The Rolls-Royce Phantom IV is a British automobile produced by Rolls-Royce. Only eighteen were made between 1950 and 1956, sold only to buyers whom Rolls-Royce considered worthy of the distinction: the British royal family and heads of state. Sixteen are known to still exist in museums as well as in public and private collections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brewster & Co.</span> Defunct American motor vehicle body manufacturer

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rolls-Royce Limited</span> 1906–1987 UK automobile and aerospace manufacturer

Rolls-Royce Limited was a British luxury car and later an aero-engine manufacturing business established in 1904 in Manchester by the partnership of Charles Rolls and Henry Royce. Building on Royce's good reputation established with his cranes, they quickly developed a reputation for superior engineering by manufacturing the "best car in the world". The business was incorporated as "Rolls-Royce Limited" in 1906, and a new factory in Derby was opened in 1908. The First World War brought the company into manufacturing aero-engines. Joint development of jet engines began in 1940, and they entered production in 1944. Rolls-Royce has since built an enduring reputation for the development and manufacturing of engines for military and commercial aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hooper (coachbuilder)</span> British coachbuilding business

Mann, Egerton & Company Ltd. was an automotive and aerospace company which was headquartered in Norwich, United Kingdom. During its history the company was variously active in automotive retailing, aircraft manufacturing, automotive coachbuilding, and electrical services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Young (coachbuilder)</span> British coachbuilding company

James Young Limited was a top class British coachbuilding business in London Road, Bromley, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freestone and Webb</span> English coachbuilder

Freestone and Webb were English coachbuilders who made bodies for Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor cars but also built bodies on other chassis including Alfa Romeo, Packard, and Mercedes-Benz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">H.R. Owen</span> British luxury motor retailer

H.R. Owen is a luxury motor retailer in Britain, and one of the world's largest retailers in Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Maserati, Lamborghini and Bugatti brands. The company is headquartered in London, and operates 18 sales franchises and 17 aftersales franchises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarvis of Wimbledon</span>

Jarvis & Sons Limited were South London-based motor dealers for Morris and MG, and latterly coachworks providing special bodies for various car chassis until after World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corsica Coachworks</span> British coachbuilding business

Corsica Coachworks was a small British coachbuilding business founded in 1920 just after World War I. They were builders of bespoke car bodies, employing no in-house designer. They realised customers' designs for them. Almost every Corsica body is unique.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rolling chassis</span>

A rolling chassis is the fully-assembled chassis of a motor vehicle without its bodywork. It is equipped with running gear and ready for delivery to a coachbuilder to be completed. Historically, bespoke luxury automobiles were finished inside and out to an owner's specifications by a coachbuilder, and specialty vehicles were outfitted by firms devoted to that task.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlton Carriage Company</span>

The Carlton Carriage Company was a highly respected London coachbuilder that provided bespoke coachwork for some of the finest car makers of the 1920s and 30s. They are best known for their drophead coupes which are archetypal designs of the British Jazz Era.

Jack Barclay Bentley is the world's largest and oldest Bentley dealership and part of the H.R. Owen motor retailing group.

John Charles & Co was a British coachbuilding company founded in 1932 and based initially near Kew Gardens, London.

Joseph Cockshoot was an English coachbuilder and car dealer based in Manchester.

References

  1. ↑ CAFFYNS PLC ORD 50P. London Stock Exchange. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  2. ↑ "Home". caffyns.co.uk.
  3. ↑ The History Of Caffyns from 1865. Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine Caffyns, Eastbourne, 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2015. Archived here.
  4. 1 2 "I. Einleitung. Zur Geschichte des Reichsgesetzes vom 21. Juni 1869", Das Recht der Beschlagnahme von Lohn-, Gehalt- und Diensteinkommen, De Gruyter, pp. 15–24, 1927-12-31, doi:10.1515/9783111683331-003, ISBN   9783111683331 , retrieved 2022-02-02
  5. ↑ Walker, Nick (2007). A-Z of British coachbuilders, 1919-1960 : and the development of styles & techniques (Rev. and enlarged 2nd ed.). Beaworthy: Herridge. ISBN   978-0-9549981-6-5. OCLC   243818613.
  6. ↑ Walker, Nick (2007). A-Z of British coachbuilders, 1919-1960 : and the development of styles & techniques (Rev. and enlarged 2nd ed.). Beaworthy: Herridge. ISBN   978-0-9549981-6-5. OCLC   243818613.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.