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).
Secret memo discussing the risk of a former employee, Lauro, sharing confidential information with a competitor, Isotta Fraschini.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 72\4\ scan0196 | |
| Date | 4th July 1924 | |
| SECRET. X9770 BJ16/H4.7.24. To MR. from BJ. Copies to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Re Nicholls of Italy. EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}6/H2.7.23. It is just possible that Lauro is not responsible, but the following points point rather clearly to him:- 1. The customer was probably given the information by Lauro in confidence, and therefore the customer spoke of an 'Englishman'. Lauro speaks English and had just come from England. 2. Lauro has driven on this car, and is one of the very few people who have. 3. Lauro is in Italy, where this information was obtained. 4. Lauro bears us no good will because he has joined a competitor's firm. 5. Lauro is particularly upset because he apparently obtained his present job by describing himself as something other than a tester. We have had to tell his company that he was only a tester. He has been appointed "head tester" to the new company. Under these circumstances we feel that Lauro will be likely to spread our secrets as rapidly as possible, and thereby do us as much harm as possible. The following is a copy of the advertisement concerning Lauro which appeared in a Swiss paper:- "TELEGRAM. MILAN, 20th May 1924. Messrs. C. Schlotterbeck, Basle. Isotta Fraschini to-day resigns the management of the Works into the hands of H.S. Lauro who was for many years Manager of the firm of Rolls-Royce." We presume he is now imparting all our E.A.C. information to his new company. B.J. | ||