Bean Cars Ltd
Other Business Names:
- Harper, A, Sons & Bean Ltd
- Harper, Bean Ltd
- Perry Motor Co Ltd
- Bean, Sir George
- Hadfields Ltd
- Bean Industries Ltd
- Harper, Absalom
- Riley Motors
- British Leyland Motor Corp
Locations city-town / local authority / county1974 / region-state / country:
- Dudley, Dudley, West Midlands, West Midlands, England
- Smethwick, Sandwell, West Midlands, West Midlands, England
- Tipton, Sandwell, West Midlands, West Midlands, England
Sectors:
-
Transport equipment production
Motor vehicle engines & components production
-
Transport equipment production
Motor vehicle production
Notes:
Traced first origins to Absolom Harper who set up in Dudley in 1826 as a maker of iron fenders and fire irons. 1879 George Bean, 1855-1924, married into this business. 1901 incorporated and in 1907 became A Harper Sons & Bean Ltd which by then produced forgings for the emerging car industry. Now under control of (Sir) George Bean, expanded rapidly 1914-18 opening new plant at Tipton. In 1919 reorganised as a holding company, Harper, Bean Ltd, when its steel supplier, Hadfields Ltd, took a major interest in it. Started to manufacture motor cars with the ambition to produce over 50,000 annually, purchasing assets of Perry Motor Co Ltd of Tyseley. The holding company collapsed 1920 but Harper Sons & Bean continued in 1922 with Hadfields' support. 1926 Hadfields controlled the business which was then renamed Bean Cars; it was then manufacturing motor cars at Tipton, Dudley and Smethwick and employing c2,700. 1931 in voluntary liquidation when gave up car making and reorganised as Bean Industries Ltd to carry on its business of making forgings, etc, for motor industry. Sold by Hadfields in 1936.1960s part of British Leyland Motor Corp [2024]
Publications:
- Business and investment strategies in the interwar British steel industry. A case of Hadfields Ltd and Bean Cars by Tweedale, Geoffrey
- The Bean by Wood, Jonathan
Groups:
Other Business Names:
- Harper, A, Sons & Bean Ltd
- Harper, Bean Ltd
- Perry Motor Co Ltd
- Bean, Sir George
- Hadfields Ltd
- Bean Industries Ltd
- Harper, Absalom
- Riley Motors
- British Leyland Motor Corp
Locations city-town / local authority / county1974 / region-state / country:
- Dudley, Dudley, West Midlands, West Midlands, England
- Smethwick, Sandwell, West Midlands, West Midlands, England
- Tipton, Sandwell, West Midlands, West Midlands, England
Sectors:
- Transport equipment production Motor vehicle engines & components production
- Transport equipment production Motor vehicle production
Notes:
Traced first origins to Absolom Harper who set up in Dudley in 1826 as a maker of iron fenders and fire irons. 1879 George Bean, 1855-1924, married into this business. 1901 incorporated and in 1907 became A Harper Sons & Bean Ltd which by then produced forgings for the emerging car industry. Now under control of (Sir) George Bean, expanded rapidly 1914-18 opening new plant at Tipton. In 1919 reorganised as a holding company, Harper, Bean Ltd, when its steel supplier, Hadfields Ltd, took a major interest in it. Started to manufacture motor cars with the ambition to produce over 50,000 annually, purchasing assets of Perry Motor Co Ltd of Tyseley. The holding company collapsed 1920 but Harper Sons & Bean continued in 1922 with Hadfields' support. 1926 Hadfields controlled the business which was then renamed Bean Cars; it was then manufacturing motor cars at Tipton, Dudley and Smethwick and employing c2,700. 1931 in voluntary liquidation when gave up car making and reorganised as Bean Industries Ltd to carry on its business of making forgings, etc, for motor industry. Sold by Hadfields in 1936.1960s part of British Leyland Motor Corp [2024]Publications:
- Business and investment strategies in the interwar British steel industry. A case of Hadfields Ltd and Bean Cars by Tweedale, Geoffrey
- The Bean by Wood, Jonathan