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Dennis Brothers Ltd of Guildford, world-famous manufacturers of fire engines and buses
John Dennis (1871-1939) opened his 'little cycle shop', otherwise known as the Universal Athletic Stores, near Guildford Bridge, in 1895. Soon he was joined by his brother Raymond Dennis (1878-1939), and the partners progressed from 'Speed King' bicycles, through motor tricycles (1899), and a motor quadricycle (1900), to Dennis cars (1901-1902). In 1900 the business expanded into the old barracks in Friary Street, and in 1901 a factory was built at the corner of Onslow Street and Bridge Street, later known as Rodboro Buildings. Though enlarged in 1903 and 1905, it was still too small for the company's needs, so in August 1905 the first workshop was built on a site at Woodbridge Hill. A further 10 workshops were built between 1910 and 1936 on what became a 31 acre site. In 1911 the entire factory moved to Woodbridge Hill leaving the offices in Onslow Street until 1919 when the building was sold to the Rodboro Boot and Shoe Company. The company remained at Woodbridge Hill until 1990 when it moved to Slyfield Industrial Estate, Guildford.
The company has produced many types of vehicles during its history. Cars were produced from 1901 to c.1913, buses from 1903, vans and lorries from 1904, fire engines from 1908 (the first one being supplied to the city of Bradford), ambulances from 1909, cesspool and gully emptiers and refuse vehicles from 1921, lawn mowers and trailer fire pumps from 1922.
New models in all these fields appeared frequently and there were many variants with for example different wheelbase lengths and engines. During both world wars production was devoted to the war effort, including 7000 subsidy vehicles supplied to the War Office in 1914-1918, and lorries, agricultural vehicles and Churchill tanks in World War II.
A pattern of experiments and development went on continually. A worm-driven rear axle was patented in 1904, ensuring a long-lasting and smooth transmission. New models appeared almost every year, including for example the E type low line bus chassis (1925); the 12 ton 6 cylinder chassis for big buses (1929); Lancet bus chassis (1931); diesel engine (1931); F1 and F3 fire engines (1946); Paxit Major refuse collector (1952); forward entrance Loline double deck bus (1958); dust-less refuse collecting vehicle (1959); F26 fire engine and the Delta chassis (1961); F117 'Snorkel' fire engine (1963); R series fire engines (1976); Dart bus (1989) and Rapier fire engine (1991).
An important feature of Dennis production was the making of all vehicles to order. The company established a reputation as 'a highly specialised producer of quality vehicles to specific requirements'. Each vehicle had its own individual features as specified by the customer, as the works production orders make clear. Dennis vehicles, especially fire engines, were exported around the world, including to the fire services of Singapore, Athens, Brisbane, Barbados, Cairo, Penang and Shanghai.
The principal series of records deposited at Surrey History Centre include directors' minute books, annual reports and accounts, 1901-1974; financial records, 1901-1967; property records, 1905-1954; royal warrants, patents and trademarks, 1895-1972; personnel records, 1902-2001; sales records, c.1915-2000; customer order books, 1905-1984; vehicle production registers, 1908-1995; chassis books, 1921-1966; engine books, 1920-1974; works production orders, 1910-1995; vehicle handbooks and brochures, 1902-2001; press reports, 1907-2002; engineering drawings, 1903-2001; photographs and films, 1908-1970s.
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