The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-07-01
WH|TEHEAD'S START
GREAT AIRCRAFT MANUFAC-
TURER BEGAN WITH
POT OF PAINT.
But Investment of Last Half Crown
Served Purpose Of Desperate Eng
lish Inventor to aAttract Capital
for His Enterprise.

his hand. half a crown in his pocket
and his head full of determination
and ambitious schemes. Three years
later the same man walked back
along the same road, the governing
director OF company with capi-
tai of $6,2500OO. That is the history
of J. A. Whitehead OF Whitehead
Aircraft, Ltd, Richmond. Surrey.
The achievement is record tor
British commerce. The firm is the
second biggest OF its kind in the em-
pire, and the most modernly equip
ped. There are $500 employees on
the pay rolls. The sheds and build
ings alone occupy many acres OF
ground.
SO great has been the develop
ment that the factory organization
has had to be divided up into three
different districts. At one of these
the number OF men and women em-
ployed has brought about the
growth of little township. The
aerodrome of the company is the
largest in Great Britain. comprising
over 800 acres OF landing ground.
Still in His Early Forties.
Young Whi,ehead-he is a man
in the early forties yet-returned to
England Immediately prior to the
war, after many years OF experience
gained among some of the keenest
business minds OF America. He was
full OF great scheme for the manu-
facture of British airplanes. And
to this end he spent many months
on the work benches, emerging
therefrom an expert carpenter and
joiner. Then he went to London to
raise the necessary capital. But the
England OF those days was still
browsing over its week-endS and
dreaming OF consols and securities
gilt edged.
When he came to his last hall
crown he determined that the time
for dreams was over; he must go
back to work himself. He invested
his capital in a pot of paint and a
paint DluSil. III MS dhtSi lliSS hV
found suitable site for the great
industry that was to be, i disused
volunteer hall i'll back street in
Richmond.
Taking off his coat, he com
menced to paint on the door:
whitehead Aircraft Company"
when an infuriated individual rush
ed up to him and asked what he
thought he was up to. 81 would
like to inform you that this hall is
my property the individual con
cluded
Whitehead looked at him for a
moment. Then, why, you're the
very man want to meet he said.
Pm going to take this she'd Over
lunch they discussed the matter.
And the upshot Of the affair was
that the owner invested Sl,25O in the
scheme and rented Whitehead the
hall. A small beginning that was
to have unprecedented success.
The Business Starts.
In those days the small band OF
workers toiled together in what is
today the smallest machine shop OF
the company. At last the first air
plane was tested and accepted by
the government. Month by month
the output extended, until now. i'll
l9lS-these happenings took place
in the spring OF l9l5-it is second
to none in the whole OF the British
empire.
Whitehead used to address his
boys" from sort OF captains
bridge which he had constructed
from gallery to gallery, giving them
words OF encouragement and praise
for what they were doing. Now the
family OF girls has grown SO large
that 4 canteen which holds over
900 people can more than be filled
twice over.
These addresses to the employees
are 4 valuable feature in the firms
life, and they serve TO maintain that
personal touch between the chief
and his workmen which has always
been a bond of union between them.
Then what manner OF man is this
who has successfully fouted Brit
ish convention and replaced it with
such hustling energy? Let us take
a walk abroad at the uninspiring
hour OF 9 in the morning and tack
on behind the steady stream OF
work people who are making for the
great factory gates. As they pass by
the offices i burly. thick set man
emerges. sees them and genially
waves his hand. 1t is Good morn
ing. Jim to this one; Good morn
ing. Jim" to that. Every employe
is Jim" to him; to every employe
he Is j. A
A remarkable personality. one
will observe, even at first sight. A
personality that is at once magnetic
and compelling. Alert and missing
little that goes on before them, a
pair of steady gray eyes reflect the
energy of the brain that works
ceaselessly behind them. He gives
some trihing order; there is about
il the manner OF a businesslike di-
rectness that brooks no delay. The
very walk expresses determination.
A Comrade of His Work1nen.
Typical OF the man in his COM
radeship with his workmen. which
has been the direct source OF pro-
viding spacious canteens. clubs and