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From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Request for an authoritative explanation of the word 'judder' as used in a Phantom III advertisement.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 27\3\  Scan073
Date  3rd April 1939
  
S/W (Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}).

Cx{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager}/DHS/ES.3.4.39.

Dear Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer},

A friend of mine who is connected with the Oxford English Dictionary wrote to me a few days ago as a result of seeing an advertisement of the Rolls-Royce Phantom III dated September, 1938, and in this advertisement the following words were used:

"The result was effortless deceleration without judder or side pull".

My friend is very anxious to get an authoritative explanation of the meaning of the word 'judder'.

I wrote him and said juddering was a series of little jerks caused by the clutch of the chassis not taking up the drive smoothly.

I have now received a further letter from him this morning which I am sending you, and I would be grateful if you would be good enough to read it and, if you could, let me have a reply to his questions.

I also told him the other day when I wrote him that the word 'judder' was a word which more or less had crept into the motor industry.

Hoping I am not putting you to too much trouble,

Yours very sincerely,

[Signature]

ENC.
  
  


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