Sir Alfred Herbert and the Coventry and Warickshire Hospital

Sir Alfred Herbert - centre, standing with his characteristic cigarette - the hospital board and senior staff in 1950 Sir Alfred had a close association with the Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital from the 1890s to the 1950s and was several times the chairman of the board of the hospital. He was chairman between 1903 and 1906 and again from 1909 to 1911, and in recognition of this, he was presented with a beautifully illuminated address by Sir Edward Iliffe*, the following chairman, and signed by the board and the senior staff.  He donated £2000 towards a ward for injured soldiers after the First World War and when the hospital suffered damage in the bombing of Coventry on 15th November 1940, he donated £20,000 towards the rebuilding. To mark his 90th birthday, the staff of Alfred Herbert Ltd collected funds for the construction of a ward in his name, the Alfred Herbert ward. 

 * Sir Edward, later Lord Iliffe, succeeded Alfred Herbert as Controller of Machine Tools in 1917.

Alfred Herbert Ltd and the British Machine Tool Industry

In manufacturing centers such as Coventry, a set of interrelated business firms emerged that embraced bicycle manufacture, engineering component manufacture, motor vehicle manufacture, and machine tools. At the centre of these activities was Herbert's, whose early development and its rise to prominence in the industry, owed much to the expanding bicycle trade. Founded in 1887, the company began by producing a range of components and machine tools for the Coventry bicycle trade as well as machinery for the ribbon trade. Bicycle production stimulated machine tools in Coventry and Herbert's, among others, took its share in the designing and building of machines particularly suitable for the bicycle trade. The company's early association with the bicycle industry set a technological pathway for future development as Herbert's diversified into supplying firms in general engineering, as well as supplying manufacturers in the emerging Coventry motor vehicle industry. In 1914 Herbert's was one of 17 firms in Coventry ' generally of somewhat greater size than firms in other areas, and specialising in support for the local cycle, motor and small arms trade'. The output of the British machine tool industry increased significantly between 1890 and 1914, and central to this expansion was Herbert's, which accounted for 42.1% of output of leading firms on the eve of the war. The founder of the company, Alfred Edward Herbert (1866 - 1957) symbolised the new men in the machine tool trade. A common characteristic of machine tool entrepreneurs was that they had served formal apprenticeships in firms engaged in mechanical engineering, 'facilitating a stream of new ideas, new machine tools or modifications to old tools'. In house training was a prerequisite to success and in 1880, Alfred was apprenticed to the engineering business of Joseph Jessop and Sons, Leicester. This enabled him to secure the post of works manager at the Coventry boiler making firm of Cole[s] & Matthews in 1887, and in partnership with William S Hubbard, they purchased the firm, having been provided with £2000 each by their fathers. Assistance was also provided by Alfred's brother William who owned the Premier Cycle company of Coventry. William facilitated the purchase of Cole[s] and Matthews by offering the owner 'an alternative source of income' as sales manager for Premier in Germany. The new business of Herbert & Hubbard acquired its initial reputation by manufacturing weldless manufacturing tubes using a French patent secured by William Herbert. 'The profits earned by the tube agency business were ploughed back into machine tool manufacture' and 'also laid the foundations of the agency side of the business' which later focused on the marketing of other firms machine tools, both British and foreign. Pursuing a strategy of profusion, manufacturing a wide range of machine tools for the expanding Coventry cycle trade, success was assured by guaranteed orders from the Premiere Cycle Company. In 1887 Herbert's was small firm, employing just 12. During the period 1888 to 1896 total sales were modest, peaking in 1891 at £29,000. Net profits were also modest, but in 1894 Alfred became the sole owner, converting the company to limited liability with a capital of £25,000 and trading under the name of Alfred Herbert Ltd. From 1896 to 1907 then firm experienced a rapid phase of growth, with total sales rising steadily, with the exception of 1901, to a peak of £324,000. This has been extracted from Alfred Herbert Ltd and the British Machine Tool Industry by Roger Lloyd Jones and MR Lewis. Return to Sir Alfred Herbert Index

Sir Alfred Herbert and St Barbara's Church, Earlsdon

St Barbara's, Earlsdon. Photo by David Stowell on Geograph Sir Alfred was considerably involved with helping the inspirational vicar, the Rev Claude Russell, with the building of a new church at Earlsdon, Coventry in 1929-1931. and the Lady Chapel at the church is dedicated to the memory of his second wife, Florence. A later vicar of St Barbara's, Canon Cooke, married his granddaughter June Hollick to Capt Milo Vapenik at Stoneleigh in 1941 and Claude Russell and another local vicar, the Rev AP Wales, remained good family friends for many years. The history of the church can be found on the church's website here . The original consecration of the church was reported in The Coventry Standard of 3rd October 1931 thus: "St Barbara's Earlsdon - Consecration by the Bishop of Coventry - Tribute to Vigorous Leadership - Canon CAH Russell" On Saturday afternoon, with dignified ceremonial, and in the presence of a large and representative congregation, the Bishop of Coventry (Dr Mervyn Haigh) consecrated the first portion of the new permanent church of St Barbara, situated on the corner of Rochester Road and Beechwood Avenue, Earlsdon. The consecration of the church marks the culmination of a strenuous ten years leadership by the present Vicar, CAH Russell, backed by a no less eager and enthusiastic congregation. It was a happy thought for the Bishop to choose the occasion to make an announcement that he proposed to confer upon Mr Russell an honorary canonry in the Cathedral. The first sods for preparing the site of the new church were cut on Sept 29th, 1929, the foundation stone was laid by Sir Alfred Herbert on September 28th 1930, and the pillars of the western porch, which is to be given by Freemasons to whom the Vicar is chaplin, were set up at an imposing Masonic service this year. Services were transferred from the old church in Palmerston Road to the new church on Sunday. The New Church The new Church has been built by Messrs Harris of Coventry, from the designs of Messrs Austin and Paley of Lancaster and Mr HT Jackson, architiect has acted as Clerk of the Works. It is built in a modernised version of the Mediaeval style and consists of a nave with side aisles, a chancel terminating in an apse, an organ chamber and vestries on the north side, and a porch and a Lady Chapel on the south side. The north aisle and the west front are of a temporary nature, and when funds permit the nave will be extended another bay and a half, the north aisle will be rebuilt, and the permanent west front with the Masonic porch erected. The present accomodation is for 416 people. The design is of the 14th and 15th Centuries, the aisle and clerestorey windows being square-headed and treceried, and those of the apse pointed with the exception of the east window which is circular and is filled with stained glass. The exterior material used is strong and durable Staffordshire brick with internal facings of sand stocks made locally. St Barbara's is claimed to be the first Church of England church in which the use of reconstructed stone has been permitted. It is a prefect imitation of natural stone and is more durable and less porous. The interior of the chancel, apse and Lady Chapel, and of the nave piers and arches, are of this stone. The rooks are of Columbian pine and the lighting is concealed in the roof timbers. The ancient pulpit, dated 1661, is of a type known as the wine glass, and has been given by Mr J Rochelle Thomas in memory of Jane Rochelle Thomas. The chancel is paved with terrazzo and the sanctuary of the Lady Chapel with marble. The choir stalls have been made from seats removed from the Cathedral. The Lady Chapel, which is the gem of the building, is divided from the chancel by three arches, in which are elaborately carved oak screens. The chapel forms a memorial to Lady Herbert and the cost of its sumptuous decorations has been borne by Sir Alfred Herbert. It is divided from the nave by a carved oak screen. The three side windows and the eastern rose window contain stained glass. The walls are oak panelled with carved figures of saints on either side of the altar. The roof is of hammer-beam construction and the hammer-beams are carved to represent angels with outstretched wings. The chapel contains a stone with an inscription in memory of Lady Herbert. The gifts received for the furnishing of the church are too numerous to mention. Sir Alfred Herbert and Mr and Mrs H Mander have given the choir vestry, and Alderman J.I. Bates (a generous contributor to the building fund), has given 50 chairs. [Alderman Bates also contributed to the building of the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum and a gallery there is named in his honour]. The approximate cost of the building, excluding furnishing and Sir Alfred Herbert's gifts, is £16,000, of which £4000 remains to be raised. The Service The congregation filled the new Church long before the ceremony was timed to commence. A procession of clergy entered and took their places in the chancel. They included the following: The Revs Canon Conder (Leamington), Canon TW Downing (Knowle), CVB Robinson and AM Pryde (St Mark's, Coventry), HC James (St Thomas's), GW Clitheroe (Holy Trinity), LEW Bosley (Radford), GHK Pedley and DA Foster (the Cathedral), PA Morson (St Mary Magdalene), and EW Bryan (Whitnash). Among the congregation were the Mayor of Coventry (Ald Batchelor), Sir Alfred Herbert, Mrs Pepper and the Misses Pepper (relatives of the late Lady Herbert). Mr and Mrs Harold Blyth (Leamington), Mr and Mrs J Rochelle Thomas and Miss Rochelle Thomas, Col and Mrs WF Wyley, Ald J.I Bates, Conncillors OM Flynn, TE Friswell,and J Holt, Mrs GA Dickins (Warwick), Mrs AHM Russell, Mrs CAH Russell, Miss M Russell, Miss Evelyn Russell, Mr and Mrs Paley (Lancaster), Mrs WH Herbert and Miss Herbert, (Leicester), Mrs Alfred Herbert, Mr HT Jackson (Clerk of Works), Mr EJ Corbett (Chairman of the Building Committee), Mr JW Lee and Mr WH Spencer. Punctually and three o'clock the Bishop was heard knocking at the west door demanding admittance. Within was the Vicar (the Rev CAH Russell), with the churchwardens (Mr R Head and Mr H Clements), and the choir. The door of the Church was opened and the Vicar petitioned the Bishop to consecrate the Church. The Bishop having expressed his readiness to do so, the Vicar delivered the key of the church to the Bishop, and after a prayer at the Church door, the procession passed to the sanctuary singing Psalm 122. "I was glad when they said unto me'. The Vicar was accompanied by the Archdeacon of Warwick, Ven H St B Holland (who took the place of the Archdeacon of Coventry), the Provost of the Cathedral ( the Very Rev CE Morton), Mr Walter Browett, (Diocesan Registrar), Mr PS Nichols (Chapter Clerk), and the Bishop's Chaplains (the Revs AK Swallow and R Jones). After more prayers, the Bishop and his procession visited the appointed places including the font, the praying desk, the lectern, the Chancel steps, the pulpit and the two altars where the Archdeacon read appropriate passages of Scripture, and the Bishop offered prayer. Then, seated in a chair with a table before him, the Bishop ordered the sentence of consecration to be read by the Diocesan Registrar. This having been done, the Bishop signed it and ordered it to be enrolled and preserved in the miniments of the Diocesan Registry. The Bishop pronounced the sentence of consecration, setting apart the Church in the name of St Barbara, and then proceeded to the entrance of the Chancel, where he traced the consecration cross on a pillar. During the singing of the hymn 'City of God', a mason carved the cross in the stone. The Bishop then addressed the congregation, and during the singing of the hymn 'O Worship the King', a collection was taken for the building fund. Prayers and the Benediction offered by the Bishop concluded an impressive service. Mr E Alcott (choirmaster and organist) officiated at the organ and the service was sung in a reverent and dignified manner. [The Coventry Standard then prints the whole of the Bishop's sermon] After the service the visiting clergy were entertained to tea in the Parish Room. The ceremony of consecration was concluded on Sunday morning when the Bishop was celebrant at at an early celebration. Special services were held during the day, the Provost preaching in the morning and the Archdeacon of Coventry (Dr JW Hunkin) in the evening. The Coventry Standard Friday and Saturday October 2 & 3. 1931

Sir Alfred Herbert's Induction Into Coventry's Walk of Fame

The City of Coventry has created a 'Walk of Fame' in Priory Place near the Cathedral where the most famous of those with links to the city (as chosen by the public) are commemorated with plaques set into the pavement. On 26th May 2009, Sir Alfred Herbert's plaque was unveiled at a ceremony at which two of his step-grandchildren represented the Herbert family. At the ceremony, one of his step-sons gave the following address: It’s a great honour for the family of Sir Alfred Herbert that the public should have voted him on to the city’s Walk of Fame; he loved the city and in particular the many who worked with him and for him building up his highly respected machine tools business which was for a time, the largest in the world. He was born and brought up in Leicester, but from the time that he persuaded his father to allow him become an engineering apprentice – an unusual career in those days for a public schoolboy from a wealthy background - he made Coventry the centre of his working life. His first joined the firm of Coles and Matthews in the Butts, but by 1888 he had bought the business in partnership with a school friend and by 1894 had formed the firm that bore his name - running it until his death in 1957 at the age of 90. In 1889 he married Ellen Ryley, the daughter of the manager of Lloyd’s Bank, who was born in Little Park St, very close to where The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum stands today. She bore him four children – all daughters. Sadly she died in 1918, just after he received his knighthood for his services to the country as Controller of Machine Tools during the First World War and also just after he bought his estate at Dunley in Hampshire, which was his country home until he died. Thereafter he married Florence Pepper, a matron at the Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital. Very sadly she too died, in 1930, but not before he had begun the negotiations to create Lady Herbert’s Homes and Garden, which are still much valued today. His final marriage was to our grandmother Nina, herself a widow, in 1933. They maintained a simple flat ‘over the works’ at Edgewick and used to stay there in the week. However during the war when bombing was expected, they were persuaded to stay with his granddaughter June Vapenik and her husband at Leamington Spa. On the awful night of 14th / 15th November 1940 they were there, and she can remember him watching in agony from the windows, pacing up and down saying ‘My poor men, my poor men’. His granddaughter later took in five refugees from the city, as many did. Those of you here well know the enormous success of his business up until the time of his death, and of his role as benefactor to the city, but above Sir Alfred’s great talent as an engineer, he was probably an even greater manager and leader of men, and treated every man as an equal. He would go down onto the works floor at all hours and especially on the night shift, cigarette in hand, and chat to whoever was there. As the Bishop of Coventry said at the memorial service for Sir Alfred in the shell of the cathedral in 1957, ‘he thought and cared and planned and suffered ..... with those men with whom he had worked so long. He did not regard them as his employees as much as his friends.’ And the Coventry Standard‘s headline put it beautifully: ‘The Humble and Eminent Unite In A Tribute To A Man Who Was Both’ Herry Lawford and Dr Piers Lawford Step-grandsons of Sir Alfred Herbert Also representing June Gracey (nee Hollick, later Vapenik), his granddaughter Coventry 16th May 2009 On 24th August 2009 on behalf of Sir Alfred's family, Herry donated the glass sculpture commemorating Sir Alfred's induction into the 'Walk of Fame' to The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, as being the most fitting place for it to rest. Here he is handing it over to Keith Railton, chairman of the Coventry Heritage and Arts Trust outside The Herbert. Return to Sir Alfred Herbert Index

Lady Herbert's Memorial at St James the Less. Litchfield

St James the Less, Litchfield, in the 1930s. Note Lady Herbert's tomb and the lychgate, as well as the wall and the path up to the church Sir Alfred Herbert's second wife, Florence, died unexpectedly in May 1930, the day before the completion of the legal arrangements for the creation of Lady Herbert's Homes and Garden in Coventry. She was buried at St James the Less, Litchfield (the church for his estate at Dunley) in a tomb which she later shared with Sir Alfred. Her mother and her two sisters raised a lychgate at the entrance to the churchyard in her memory. The following press cutting (from June Gracey, Sir Alfred's granddaughter) gives more detail about the memorial and Sir Alfred's improvements to the churchyard. The Late Lady Herbert - Memorials at Litchfield Beautifying the Churchyard Memorials which have been erected at St James' Church, Litchfield, Hants to the memory of the late Lady Florence Herbert, wife of Sir Alfred Herbert, of Dunley Manor, Whitchurch, Hants and head of Alfred Herbert Ltd, Coventry, were dedicated on Saturday afternoon by the Rev Canon TW Downing, of Knowle, Warwickshire. The memorials consist of a churchyard wall, which completely fronts the churchyard along the side of the Newbury to Wincheter main road, and a long slab path from the road through the churchyard to the church porch, these being the gift of Sir Alfred Herbert; also a handsome lych-gate, which is the gift of the late Lady Herbert's mother and two sisters.The lych-gate is constructed of English oak on a stone base, and there is a seat on either hand. On the beam on the road side of the gate is inscribed "Come Ye Apart and Rest Awhile" and above this is a bronze tablet which bears the inscription: "To the Glory of God and in Dear Memory of Florence Herbert, the Gift of her Mother, Louisa Pepper, and of her Sisters, Blanche and Margaret Pepper. May 25th 1930' The tablet is surmounted by a bronze cross. A paraffin lamp hangs in the centre from the roof. On the churchyard side of the gate appears the words "Depart in Peace". One feature of the design is that the lych-gate has been set back from the road, which permits of more safely for worshippers leaving the church, the road past being a particularly busy one [sic]. It also allows a car to draw up comfortably without obstructing the road. Besides giving the churchyard wall and path, Sir Alfred has greatly beautified the churchyard in many ways. One side has been completely opened out, decayed trees removed, and hundreds of bulbs planted in the grass. Another typical work of Sir Alfred has been to ascertain the number and names of children buried in the churchyard, without monumental recognition, and he has erected a headstone on which all the names of those children have been inscribed. Picture of Beauty The lych-gate on Saturday was surrounded by a wealth of spring flowers, and daffodils, primroses, hyacinths, lilies-of-the-valley and suchlike flowers abounded in the churchyard, which was a perfect picture of beauty, whilst the day was most genial, the sun shining brilliantly while the clergy and large congregation gathered for the dedication ceremony. The immediate members of the family present were: Sir Alfred Herbert. Mrs Pepper, Miss Blanche Pepper, Miss Margaret Pepper, Masters George Blyth and Gerald Egan, Miss Betty Price, Captain and Mrs Hollick and Master Ian Hollick, also Mr Albert Herbert FRIBA of Leicester, (the archictect responsible for the scheme), who is a cousin of Sir Alfred Herbert. There were also present several members of the Coventry firm, including Mr Oscar Harmer, Mr J Pickin, Mr D Grimson (Directors), and Mr H Grinyer (London). A short service in church preceded the dedication. The original cutting can be seen here 

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The Hutton Window Comes to Litchfield

The West Screen at Coventry Cathedral by John Hutton

When Coventry Cathedral was built Sir Basil Spence, the architect, chose John Hutton to create the vast screen on the building's western end where it forms an open link between the ruins of the old Cathedral and the nave of the new one.  The screen is engraved with a translucent pattern of saints and flying angels which partly, but never entirely, obscures the view in either direction.

Sir Alfred Herbert was of course a generous benefactor to the new Cathedral (despite having argued for the old cathedral church of St Michael to be rebuilt) and although he died before it was completed, his widow, my grandmother, continued to take a great interest in the building and attended the Consecration in 1962. As a consequence, in due time the family received one of a limited edition (of 25) miniature windows engraved by John Hutton with one of the flying angels. 

This miniature window, sealed in aluminium, has spent some time at Old Swan House but has now been donated to Litchfield Church, to commemorate Sir Alfred Herbert and his family's links with both Coventry and Litchfield.

The Hutton Window at Old Swan House

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The Bombing of Coventry in November 1940

Copyright Fox Photos / Hulton Archive / Getty Images

The terrible fate that befell Coventry on the night of 14th / 15th November 1940 is etched in the minds of all that lived and worked there, but also in the minds of millions who have only read about it.

It was, in the context of WWII however, unexpected only in its ferocity, since as early as 1936 the Government had realised that rearmament was a necessity and had implemented a plan by which aircraft production would be enormously and quickly increased. This required the building of numerous new factories and in May 1936 the government met the leading motor manufacturers in the Midlands to discuss how they could help achieve this dramatically increased production. This led to the urgent construction of enormous 'shadow ' factories around Coventry. And on 23rd July 1936, Sir Alfred Herbert himself was told by the defence services that the planned rearmament drive would require almost 18,000 new machine tools costing in the region of £10m (about £500m today). This meant the huge expansion of Alfred Herbert's already massive works at Edgwick so that it would eventually occupy 22 acres. Sir Alfred himself clearly saw that war was inevitable following the Munich Crisis of September 1938 and had given instructions for the works to be 'blacked-out' and a night shift added.

During the lull that extended through the first winter of the war, The Times published a series of articles under the heading 'Great Britain in War-Time' and one of these appeared on 8th February 1940 entitled 'Coventry's Task'. "Coventry', it read, 'is a great centre of the machine tool industry which in war-time might almost be termed a master-key industry. Coventry makes machines that make the munitions. It is, therefore, contributing to the production of war supplies not only directly, its own munition factories, but by equipping engineering shops all over the country with precision tools. The principal war task allotted to Coventry is to turn out aeroplanes, aero engines and aircraft accessories, besides machine tools. The so-called shadow factories for aircraft construction are today things of substance; the eight of which are in or near Coventry will all be in full production within the next few months'.

This 1200-word article, highlighting Coventry's rapid and continuing expansion and it's crucial importance to British wartime armament production reads (with hindsight) practically as an invitation for Germany to bomb the city. And indeed less devastating bombing did begin in early 1940 continued until 1942, actually killing more people in the city than the November raid itself.

During the terrible raid of November 1940, Sir Alfred and Lady Herbert were fortunately in Leamington. The citation for Sir Alfred's induction into Coventry's 'Walk of Fame' records:

'They maintained a simple flat ‘over the works’ at Edgewick and used to stay there in the week. However during the war when bombing was expected, they were persuaded to stay with his granddaughter June Vapenik and her husband at Leamington Spa. On the awful night of 14th / 15th November 1940 they were there, and she can remember him watching in agony from the windows, pacing up and down saying ‘My poor men, my poor men’. His granddaughter later took in five refugees from the city, as many did.' 

There is no available record of how many of Alfred Herbert employees died or were injured in the raid, or how badly damaged the Edgwick works was. Both were probably war-time secrets. But the works continued to turn-out crucial machine tools throughout the war and Sir Alfred continued to spend much of his time there, often visiting the shop floor at night, talking to the men, cigarette in hand. He cared greatly for his employees and their families.

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