Donald Stokes, Baron Stokes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Stokes
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| Born |
Donald Gresham Stokes
22 March 1914 |
| Died | 21 July 2008 (aged 94) |
| Alma mater | Harris Institute of Technology |
| Occupation | Head of British Leyland Motor Corporation, 1968–1975 |
| Title | President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers |
| Term | 1972 |
| Predecessor | Robert Lang Lickley |
| Successor | John William Atwell |
| Spouse(s) | Laura Elizabeth Courteney Lamb (1914–1995) |
| Parent(s) | Harry Potts Stokes Mary Elizabeth Gresham Yates/Stokes |
| Awards | Commander of the Order of Leopold II |
Donald Gresham Stokes (born March 22, 1914 – died July 21, 2008) was an important English businessman. He was known for leading a big car company called British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd (BLMC) from 1968 to 1975.
Contents
Who Was Donald Stokes?
Donald Gresham Stokes was born in Plymouth, England. He went to Blundell's School in Tiverton, Devon.
Early Career and War Service
In 1930, Donald started learning about engineering at Leyland Motors. He also studied at the Harris Institute of Technology. During World War II, he served in the army. He was a lieutenant-colonel in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
In 1939, he married Laura Elizabeth Courteney Lamb. After the war, Donald continued working at Leyland Motors. He stayed with the company for his entire career.
Leading British Leyland
In 1968, Donald Stokes became the chairman and managing director of British Leyland. This was a very important job. The company was a big part of the public eye at that time. He stayed in this role until 1975.
Even after he stepped down as the main leader, he remained on the company's board until 1979.
Awards and Honours
Donald Stokes received a special honour in 1965. He was made a Knight by The Queen. This meant he could use "Sir" before his name.
In 1969, he was given another high honour. He became a Life Peer, which meant he could sit in the House of Lords. His title was Baron Stokes, of Leyland. He was known as a Crossbencher, meaning he didn't belong to a specific political party.
In 1972, he received an award from Belgium. He was made a Commander of the Order of Leopold II. This was to thank him for helping the Belgian economy. The ceremony took place when a new part of the British Leyland factory was opened in Seneffe, Belgium.
Lord Stokes passed away on July 21, 2008, when he was 94 years old.
British Leyland Under Stokes' Leadership
Donald Stokes was a very good salesman. Before 1968, he was very successful at Leyland Motor Corporation. He helped the company sell many vehicles overseas. This made him a respected leader in the industry.
Challenges of a Big Merger
The Prime Minister at the time, Harold Wilson, encouraged him to merge Leyland with another big company called BMC. This created British Leyland. It was a huge company with many different car brands like Rover and Jaguar. It had nearly 40 factories and over 100 business units.
Leading such a large company was very challenging. It was hard to manage all the different parts. There were also disagreements within the company. For example, some parts like MG didn't get enough money for new investments.
Production and Competition Issues
During this time, the British car industry faced many problems. Companies didn't invest enough in new technology. This meant their factories were not as modern as those in other countries.
In 1975, a journalist compared car production. Toyota made 36 cars per employee, and Honda made almost 23. But British Leyland made only about four cars per employee. This showed that the company was not as efficient.
This lack of efficiency led to problems with workers and production. British Leyland also introduced new car models like the Morris Marina and Austin Allegro. These cars faced tough competition from other popular models like the Ford Cortina.
Arms
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