Vauxhall Motors and the Luton Economy, 1900-2002

cover image: the E type Cresta

About this volume

This book traces the rise and decline of the once mighty company, Vauxhall, which in the third quarter of the twentieth century dominated the Luton economy. Beginning as a small London engineering company, at the peak of its production in the 1960s its local influence was so powerful that it set the trend for wages and even holidays in Luton and the surrounding area.

Saved from seemingly certain bankruptcy in the 1920s, Vauxhall became one of the largest car companies in Briain and Europe: its decline was set in motion by the decisions of a large multinational, with terrible consequences for the workforce, reducing it from over 35,000 in the early 1970s to under 2,000 in 2002. This is, of course, also the story of the British motor car industry in decline.

The book explores Vauxhall’s rise to the ‘Big Six’ vehicle producers with its car and truck model production, marketing and financial techniques.

About the author(s)

Len Holden (1)

Dr Len Holden taught history at Redborne School, Ampthill before moving first to Cranfield University, then to Leicester Business School, De Montfort University, where he specialised in human resource management, on which he has written or co-authored books and articles. Since retirement he has focussed on local history and has been Secretary of Market Harborough Historical Society (opens in a new window), the editor of The Harborough Historian, Chair of Friends of the Harborough Museum and one of its Trustees. He has written a history of the town (opens in a new window) and has also made films on local history themes, two of which including Tales of a Land Army Girl, have won international amateur film prizes (opens in a new window).