Charles Clark & Son Limited

On 11th December, 1953 the Owen Group acquired Charles Clark & Son Limited, the Austin, Daimler, and Wolseley car dealer in Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury.

The business, established by Edward Clark in 1843, originally produced carriages and carriage wheels.

In 1913 it was acquired by Mr. J. H. Barnett who was trained by Herbert Austin, later Sir Herbert Austin.

He trained at the Adderley Park Works of the Wolseley Tool & Motor Company Limited, where Herbert Austin was Managing Director.

When Herbert Austin founded the Austin Motor Company in 1905, he took some of the senior staff from Wolseley along with him, including Mr. Barnett, who started his own business in 1907 as one of the first Austin Agents.
The main showroom at the bottom of Chapel Ash, Wolverhampton. From the spring 1954 edition of the staff magazine "Goodwill".


An advert from 1861.


Part of the Wolverhampton showroom. From the spring 1954 edition of the staff magazine "Goodwill".		 Until the early 1930s, Charles Clark & Son was also a coachbuilder, producing elaborate bodywork for Rolls Royce chassis, amongst others.

Mr. Barnett was joined by his son Peter, in 1949.

The firm’s Shrewsbury branch opened in 1939, and later moved to new premises. which opened on 1st July, 1952.
After the take-over by Rubery Owen, Peter Barnett was Managing Director, Mr. A. G. B. Owen became Chairman, Mr. J. H. Barnett became Vice Chairman, and Mr. E. W. B. Owen, and Mr. C. E. Partridge became Directors.
The new Shrewsbury premises. From the spring 1954 edition of the staff magazine "Goodwill".

Part of the Shrewsbury showroom. From the spring 1954 edition of the staff magazine "Goodwill".		 In 1972 Rubery Owen Holdings Limited decided to concentrate on its manufacturing and engineering activities, and so Charles Clark and Son Limited, by then a British Leyland distributor was sold.
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