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).
Letter from S. Smith & Sons regarding a debit for Phantom III car jacks and the Jackall system.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 139\1\ scan0217 | |
| Date | 5th August 1936 | |
| 105 X1166 CONTRACTORS TO ADMIRALTY, WAR OFFICE & AIR MINISTRY ENGINEERING AND ALLIED EMPLOYERS NATIONAL FEDERATION 1918 TELEPHONE: GLADSTONE 3333 (20 LINES) TELEGRAMS: SPEEDOFAC, PHONE, LONDON. BY APPOINTMENT TO HIS MAJESTY THE KING CABLES: SPEEDOFAC, LONDON. CODES: MARCONI, COMMERCIAL, BENTLEY'S. S.Smith & Sons (Motor Accessories) Ltd CRICKLEWOOD WORKS LONDON, N.W.2 BRANCHES AT PARIS MILAN SYDNEY WELLINGTON AGENCIES AND SERVICE STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE BRITISH EMPIRE AND IN ALL THE PRINCIPAL COUNTRIES SHOWROOMS & DEPOTS 179-185 GT PORTLAND ST LONDON, W.1. 26-33, COX ST LIVERY ST BIRMINGHAM 14A, JACKSONS ROW DEANSGATE MANCHESTER 21, DRURY STREET GLASGOW DUBLIN & BELFAST Please quote our reference: S.1. SALES DIRECTOR'S OFFICE. 5th August 1936. W. A.{Mr Adams} Robotham, Esq., Messrs. Rolls-Royce Ltd., DERBY. Dear Mr. Robotham, Thanks for yours of the 30th July, Ref: Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}15/KW concerning our debit for the Phantom lll car Jacks. Whilst we want to be reasonable, may we explain that the material in question was special and the charge does not by any means cover our costs. We went to quite a lot of trouble to ensure a perfect job and in the circumstances you can appreciate our disappointment when we learned that you had decided in favour of an entirely new and untried jacking system. JACKALL, as you know, has long since passed the experimental stage and there are now well over 100,000 sets giving satisfactory service. We are most anxious to secure at least a proportion of your contract and are confident that after you have had experience of Jackall you will readily admit that it well deserves to be included as standard equipment on your famous cars. Taking all the facts of the case into consideration we think you will agree that it is a little unreasonable to expect us to credit the jacks under notice, especially as they are useless for any other purpose. We would, of course, be quite prepared to reduce our debit in the event of your giving us a share of your business. Contd. | ||