Hampton

GB, 1911 – 1933

(1) Hampton Engineering Co, Hampton-in-Arden, Warwickshire, 1911

(2) Hampton Engineering Co Ltd, King’s Norton, Birmingham, 1912 – 1919

(3) Hampton Engineering Co Ltd, Dudbridge, Stroud, Glos., 1919 – 1920

(4) Hampton Engineering Co (1920) Ltd, Dudbridge, Stroud, Glos., 1920 – 1925

(5) Stroud Motor Manufacturing Co Ltd, Dudbridge, Stroud, Glos., 1926

(6) Hampton Cars (London) Ltd, Dudbridge, Stroud, Glos., 1927 – 1930

(7) Safety Suspension Car Co Ltd, Cainscross, Stroud, Glos., 1931 – 1933

W. Paddon sold other people’s cars before deciding that he could build equally well himself; the Hampton. From 1912, he followed a one-model policy: the Hampton 12/16, a conventional 4-cylinder of 1.726cc, based on imported proprietary parts. A heavier Hampton Colonial version was also listed. In 1914, with light cars fashionable, a 2-cylinder 2-stroke of Hampton’s own manufacture was announced, with pressed-steel frame and bevel drive. This Hampton model was soon withdrawn, and buyers were offered instead, a choice of a true Hampton cyclecar with an 8hp air-cooled Precision twin, 3-speed countershaft gears and belt final drive, or a conventional light car, with a 1.244cc Chapuis-Dornier engine. For the post-war expansion of Hampton, part of a large ironworks was taken over in Gloucestershire. The first Hampton model made there was the Hampton 10/16 of 1919, with a 1.496cc ohv Dorman 4KNO engine. Pre-war type light car chassis were used, with variations in the wheelbase and with vacillation between half and three-quarter elliptic rear suspension. The following year a 1.795cc version was marketed, also powered by Hampton Dorman. The Hampton firm made their own gearboxes, and Lucas or Brolt electrical equipment was available.

Near the beginning of 1920 output was running at six Hampton cars per week; by the end of the year the Hampton company had suffered the first of its reformations. Designs were altered in detail only for 1921 and 1922. This period was marked by various sporting successes of Hamton cars, in addition to the climbs of the notorious 1 in 2½ acclivity of Nailsworth Ladder both before and after the war. J.W. Leno managed a ‘gold’ with a Hampton car in the 1924 Scottish 1.000 miles trial; Brian Marshall lapped Brooklands at over 89mph in 1922. For 1923, the 1.795cc was known as the Hampton 11/35, and the Hampton 9/21 Junior of 1.247cc was introduced, Meadows engines now being used. In 1924 a Hampton 14hp of 2.121cc was added to the range, whilst the Hampton 12hp (formerly 11/35) shrank to 1.496cc and acquired early front wheel brakes. Then the Hampton firm failed again. They were resuscitated by W.F. Milward, the Hampton works manager, aided by Leno and G. Dixon. Marginal improvements to the Hampton 12 were announced in late 1925, including a 3-bearing crank and more wheelbase variatrions. Similarities between Hampton cars of this date and Charron-Laycocks may not have been entirely co-incidental, since both Milward and Dixon had been with that firm. More capital appeared in 1927, when Hampton Cars (London) Ltd was formed. This year’s reorganization retained the Hampton 12hp as the Hampton 12/40, and added the Hampton 15/45, a 6-cylinder of 1.683cc. By 1928, 300 Hampton cars a year were being turned out, including the year’s new model, the Hampton 9hp; mechanically similar to the old Hampton Junior, this was usually made in clumsy fabric or metal saloon bodywork. For 1929 the Hampton 9hp and Hampton 12/40hp were continued, and a 6-cylinder Hampton 20hp was added, with the 2.931cc ohv Meadows engine.

With the trade recession menacing, the Hampton firm started to offer, as variants on the trusty Hampton 12/40, a supercharged sports model and adjustable rear suspension borrowed from the Hodgson. By 1930 they were involved with the Cowburn gearbox, incorporating coned rollers in place of gears, dependent on degrees of friction regulated by little coil springs. When Meadows credit ran out, the Hampton 12/40 was replaced by another 12hp of only 1.196cc, possibly of their own manufacture, whilst 100ohv straight-8 engines of 2.262cc, with 50 matching chassis, were optimistically ordered from Röhr in Germany. This Hampton chassis was based on a sheet-steel tray, with independent suspension by double transverse half-elliptics at the front and long cantilevers at the rear. Hampton models originally listed for 1931 were a revived 12/40, the continued 9hp and 20hp, and the Röhr-engined 18hp, in Röhr or Hampton chassis to choice. All these were later withdrawn, the short-stroke Hampton 12hp (80mm) became available again, and an sv 4-bearing 6-cylinder of 2.414cc was obtainable in either type chassis, at £150 difference in price. The Hampton car firm inevitably expired once more, but the 8-cylinder re-appeared ephemerally in Röhr’s 1931 size of 2½-litres. The receiver, Thomas Godman, formed a new company to offer the Röhr chassis with a choice of the sv 6-cylinder or the 1932 Röhr engine, now of 2.736cc. It is unlikely that any of these were sold, and the last Hampton made was probably Milward’s personal special, a Röhr-type car constructed from parts acquired at the Dudbridge works sale, and used by him up to World War 2.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; DF

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