Valuable contribution from 97 year old ex-Land Rover man

Mr Charles Davis and the first production Land Rover “Huey”on display at the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon, near Warwick.

Mr Charles Davis, a 97 year old, Sheldon resident, has made an important contribution to the Land Rover Legacy Project. On a recent visit to the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon, he recalled life at the Lode Lane factory and brought along his personal collection of photographs.

Charles joined the Rover Company’s Solihull factory in 1945. During the Second World War, he had served in the RAF and worked on Spitfires at Castle Bromwich. At Solihull, he initially worked on Rover cars, transferring to Land Rover as a Leading Hand, to help set up the final line in 1948. Charles later became Senior Foreman of the Land Rover final line, a position he held until retiring in 1975.

A keen sportsman, Charles played for the Rover football team and captained the Rover Cricket team. He still keeps fit by swimming five days a week. Charles was also chairman of the Rover Sports and Social Committee. One of Charles’ photographs shows him with the Mayor of Solihull at an open day in the 1950s.

As part of the Land Rover Legacy Project, Mr Davis’s memories have been recorded for posterity. His photographs provide a fascinating insight into the Rover Company, both at work and at play. Charles commented, ‘the Rover Company at Solihull was a very friendly place and a real family firm’.

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Jaguar Land Rover, the aim of the Land Rover Legacy Project was to tell the story of the Lode Lane factory, its people and products. This project was undertaken and completed in 2010 by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust based at Gaydon, near Warwick.