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. | ||