In my piece ‘Why no Viva Road?’ dated 25 September 2008 I bemoaned the lack of recognition in our street names of the part played by Vauxhall in the development of Luton. I presciently wrote ‘unless I have missed something, and I often do’ and this has indeed proved to be the case. Reading a history of Vauxhall recently (Vauxhall by Stuart Fergus Broatch) I noticed the names of three of the early key figures in the company – Hancock, Kidner and Pomeroy. In February 1989 four names were approved by the council for the new development by Galliford Sears in the Bushmead area. In addition to the three names already mentioned Edkins Close completed a quartet. Quick research brought up the name of Australian racing driver Boyd Edkins. So who were these people?

Percy Kidner was Managing Director of Vauxhall from 1903 until the late 1920s, after the sale of the company to General Motors. He presumably played a big part in the decision to move the company to Luton in 1905 and was instrumental in the growth of the company for a quarter of a century. He was described by Maurice Platt, Chief Engineer from 1953 – 63, as opinionated, inflexible, robustly extrovert, not particularly intelligent but a motor car enthusiast. As well as being a senior manager in the company he was a keen driver in competitions. In 1908 he drove a 20hp Vauxhall in a 2,000 mile event. It was the first car to travel 2,000 miles without an involuntary stop. In February 1912 Kidner drove a C type Prince Henry in Swedish trials and finished 90 minutes ahead of his closest rival, but the odd rules of the competition meant he was not adjudged the winner. On leaving Vauxhall he started a successful car sales and service organisation in Oxford along with Works manager A J Hancock

Alfred John Hancock was a Vauxhall marine engine apprentice before becoming well known for racing and record breaking attempts driving Vauxhall works’ cars in hill climbs and speed trials. In the Isle of Man TT Race of 1905 he drove a modified Vauxhall 12/14 car. He also drove the first 20hp car to exceed 100mph. Records show he was Works Manager from at least 1922 until leaving in the late 1920s but I have not established what positions he held before that time.

Laurence Pomeroy was born in 1883 and served an apprenticeship with the North London Railway Company at Bow before joining Vauxhall in 1906 as an assistant draughtsman. In 1910 he was promoted to Works Manager, becoming Chief Engineer in 1912. It is said that Pomeroy’s brilliance as an engineer resulted in Vauxhall becoming pre-eminent in its field within a few years of his arrival. In 1907 he designed the 12/16 hp. He then designed the C-type, also known as the Prince Henry, a doorless four seater generally considered to be the first true sports car. Between 1911 and 1914 190 Prince Henrys were produced in Luton. His next design was the 30/98 first produced in 1913 to compete in the Shelsley Walsh hill-climb. It won the event setting a record that lasted fifteen years. The war interrupted sales but by 1926 a total of 600 had been produced. Vauxhall also manufactured a Pomeroy designed V12 aircraft engine in World War I. At the start of 1919 Pomeroy left for America as a result of family problems. He was accompanied by a woman friend, leaving behind his wife who suffered from alcoholism. In America he worked for the Aluminium Company of America (Alcoa), tasked with increasing the amount of aluminium used in cars. In 1926 he returned to England and joined the Daimler Company as Chief Engineer. He was responsible for a number of Daimler designs before leaving in 1936 and joining the De Havilland Aircraft Company as general manager, engine division. He died in 1941.

Boyd Robertson Huey Edkins was born in Queensland Australia in 1884. Usually known as Boyd Ed he became the most successful Vauxhall racing driver in the world by the time of his death in 1930. Around 1908 he joined an agent for Vauxhall cars in Brisbane, but by 1912 he was in Sydney running his own business. He floated this as Boyd Edkins Ltd after the First World War and Boyded is still a successful GM Holden dealership in Australia today. To promote the cars they sold retailers often took part in races and rallies and Edkins has a formidable list of successes. He broke the record for travelling from Melbourne to Sydney in 1914. He broke his own record in March 1916, taking just under 127 hours on terrible roads and becoming the first man to beat the railway express over this route. What may have been viewed as a frivolous activity in time of war was apparently justified by the carrying of military documents. By 1920 he was regarded as invincible in racing and in 1922 broke the speed record between Sydney and Brisbane. A number of victories were also recorded in various hill-climb events. Edkins continued competing until his death in 1930, aged 46, driving a 30/98 model with competition engine given to him as a Christmas present by Vauxhall in recognition of his success.

The question now is – does this complete the Vauxhall related street names or have I missed anything else?