History[edit]

1896–1903[edit]

In 1896, Scottish immigrant Alexander Winton, owner of the Winton Bicycle Company, turned from bicycle production to an experimental single-cylinder automobile before starting his car company.^[1][a]

The company was incorporated on March 15, 1897. Its first automobiles were built by hand. Each vehicle had painted sides, padded seats, a leather roof, and gas lamps. B.F. Goodrich made the tires.^[3]

By this time, Winton had already produced two fully operational prototype automobiles. In May of that year, the 10 hp (7.5 kW) model achieved the astonishing speed of 33.64 mph (54.14 km/h) on a test around a Cleveland horse track. However, the new invention was still subject to much skepticism , so to prove his automobile's durability and usefulness, Alexander Winton had his car undergo an 800 mi (1,300 km) endurance run from Cleveland to New York City.^[3]

On March 24, 1898, Robert Allison of Port Carbon, Pennsylvania, became the first person to buy a Winton automobile after seeing the first automobile advertisement in Scientific American.^[3] Later that year the Winton Motor Carriage Company sold 21 more vehicles,^[1] including one to James Ward Packard, who later founded the Packard automobile company after Winton challenged a very dissatisfied Packard to do better.^[4]:?58? This is the same mistake that Enzo Ferrari would make with Ferruccio Lamborghini.

Winton sold his first manufactured semi-truck in 1899. More than one hundred Winton vehicles were sold that year,^[1]:?23? making the company the largest manufacturer of gasoline-powered automobiles in the United States. This success led to the opening of the first automobile dealership by Mr. H. W. Koler^[5] in Reading, Pennsylvania. To deliver the vehicles, in 1899, Winton built the first automobile hauler in America.^[3] One of these 1899 Wintons was purchased by Larz Anderson and his new wife, Isabel Weld Perkins.^[b]

Publicity generated sales. In 1901, the news that both Reginald Vanderbilt and Alfred Vanderbilt had purchased Winton automobiles boosted the company's image substantially. Models at the time were a two-passenger Runabout with a one-cylinder engine (8 hp) and a four-passenger Touring and Mail Delivery Van, also with a one-cylinder engine (9 hp).^[6] That year, Winton lost a race at Grosse Pointe to Henry Ford. Winton vowed a comeback and win. He produced the 1902 Winton Bullet, which set an unofficial land speed record of 70 mph (110 km/h) in Cleveland that year. The Bullet was defeated by another Ford by famed driver Barney Oldfield, but two more Bullet race cars were built.

In 1903, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson made the first successful automobile drive across the United States.^[4]:?156? On a $50 bet, he purchased a slightly used two-cylinder, 20 hp (15 kW) Winton touring car and hired a mechanic to accompany him. Starting in San Francisco, California, ending in Manhattan, New York City, New York. The trip lasted 63 days, 12 hours, and 30 minutes, including breakdowns and delays while waiting for parts to arrive (especially in Cleveland.^[7]) The two men often drove miles out of the way to find a passable road, repeatedly hoisted the Winton up and over rocky terrain and mud holes with a block and tackle, or were pulled out of soft sand by horse teams.^[8] In 1903, there were only 150 miles of paved road in the entire country, all inside city limits. There were no road signs or maps. They once paid the exorbitant price of $5 for five gallons of gasoline. Jackson and his partner followed rivers and streams, transcontinental railroad tracks, sheep trails, and dirt back roads.^[9][c]

1904–1924[edit]

The 1904 Winton was a five-passenger tonneau-equipped tourer which sold for US$2,500. By contrast, the Enger 40 was US$2,000,^[4]:?104? the FAL US$1,750,^[4]:?104? an Oakland 40 US$1,600,^[4]:?84? the Cole 30^[4]:?104? and Colt Runabout US$1,500,^[4]:?63? while the (1913) Lozier Light Six Metropolitan started at US$3,250,^[4]:?111? American's lowest-priced model was US$4,250,^[4]:?91? and Lozier's Big Six were US$5,000 and up.^[4]:?111?

Models (1904)

Type	Engine	HP	Wheelbase	Transmission
Touring-5p.	Two-cylinder	20	94.5"	2-speed sliding-gear[10]
Touring-5p.	Four-cylinder	24	104"	2-speed sliding-gear

Winton's flat-mounted water-cooled straight-twin engine, situated amidships of the car, produced 20 hp (15 kW). The channel and angle steel-framed car weighed 2,300 lb (1,000 kg).

Models (1914)^[6]

Model	Engine	HP	Wheelbase
Model 20	Six-cylinder	48.6	130"

Winton continued to successfully market automobiles to upscale consumers through the 1910s, but sales began to fall in the early 1920s. This was due to the very conservative nature of the company, both in terms of technical development and styling. Only one sporting model was offered — the Sport Touring, with the majority of Wintons featuring tourer, sedan, limousine and town car styling.^[11] The Winton Motor Carriage Company ceased automobile production on February 11, 1924.

Models (1922)^[6]

Model	Engine	HP	Wheelbase
Model 40	Six-cylinder	70/72	132"

     Winton Engine Company[edit]

In 1912, Winton started producing diesel engines for stationary and marine use, and gasoline engines for heavy vehicles, independent of Winton's automobile production. The subsidiary Winton Engine Company remained successful while Winton's automotive sales went into decline, and would outlive the Winton Motor Carriage Company. Winton became the main supplier of engines for internal combustion-electric powered railcars in the 1920s.

Sale to General Motors[edit]

On June 20, 1930, Winton Engine Company was sold to General Motors and on June 30 was reorganized as the Winton Engine Corporation subsidiary of GM. It produced the first practical two-stroke diesel engines in the 400-to-1,200 hp (300 to 900 kW) range, which powered the early diesel locomotives of Electro-Motive Corporation (another GM subsidiary), as well as US Navy submarines. In 1934, a Winton eight-cylinder, 600 hp (450 kW) 8-201-A diesel engine powered the revolutionary streamlined passenger train the Burlington Zephyr, the first American diesel-powered mainline train. The Winton Engine Corporation provided 201 Series engines for rail use until late 1938, when it was reorganized as the General Motors Cleveland Diesel Engine Division, which produced the GM 567 series locomotive engines, and other large diesels for marine and stationary use. In 1941, locomotive engine production became part of GM's Electro-Motive Division (EMD). In 1962, Cleveland Diesel was absorbed by EMD, which remains in business today as a subsidiary of Progress Rail.^[13][14]

Marine engines[edit]

Winton and Cleveland engines were used widely by the US Navy in the Second World War, powering submarines, destroyer escorts, and numerous auxiliaries. The Winton engines were systematically replaced with the more reliable Cleveland engines during refittings during the war.^{[13][15][16][17][18][19]}

George Lawley & Son was a shipbuilding firm operating in Massachusetts from 1866 to 1945. It began in Scituate, then moved to Boston. After founder George Lawley (1823–1915) retired in 1890, his son, grandson and great-grandson upheld the business, which continued until 1945. Of the hundreds of ships built by the Lawleys, highlights include the yachts Puritan and Mayflower, respective winners of the 1885 and 1886 America's Cup.

Brief history[edit]

Founder George Lawley (1823–1915) was born to a "family of boatbuilders in Limehouse (London), England."^[1] He "began his career as an apprentice to Thomas and William Forrest while in England."^[2] In 1852 Lawley "moved his family to Massachusetts."^[2] He "found his first job in America with the East Boston ship designer, Donald McKay."^[1] Lawley worked for McKay from 1852 until 1866.

Scituate, 1866–1874[edit]

^[3] In 1866, "Lawley and fellow [McKay] worker William Maybury opened a shipyard in Scituate ... for the construction of pleasure boats."^[1] When George's son George Frederick Lawley (1848–1928) "joined the business ... the company name became George Lawley and Son."^[2]

South Boston, 1874 – c. 1909[edit]

"In 1874 the yachting boom struck, and the firm transferred its yard to a more advantageous location near the city, a fairly large lot next to the Boston Yacht Club station at City Point in South Boston."^[1] The city directory of 1875 locates George Lawley & Son at the "rear Horse Car Stables."^[4] "Within a few years, the demand for new yachts became so great that the plant was moved to the north side of City Point."^[1] From ca.1887 through ca.1892 the city directory locates the firm at East First and O Street, South Boston.^[5]

"In 1890 the Lawleys associated with them Mr. Thomas Hibbard, who looked after the construction of the new steel shops. The business was then incorporated. ... Mr. George Lawley, founder of the business, practically retired from active participation in the enterprise. Mr. George F. Lawley was elected president of the corporation."^[6] "In 1901 the Lawleys began working for the United States Navy and launched two torpedo boats. In the years to come they would continue the association, especially during the World War I."^[2] George's grandson, Frederick D. Lawley (1878–1953), "studied naval architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and subsequently joined the company as manager and designer" around 1902.^[7]

By 1908, the firm had built over 800 ships, including "schooners Alcaea, Ingomar, Oonas, Idler, Latona, Endymion; the sloops Jubilee, Weetamoe, Wayward, Katonah, Independence; the steam yachts Alcedo, Aquilo, Satilla, Thetis, Kaleda, Carmina, Calumet, Anona, Visitor, Cigarette, Kehtoh, and Halawa; the three-masted auxiliary schooner Alcyone; the motor launches Zeeland, Elkhorn, Tonopah, Glenda, and Hupa."^[6] The firm employed "200 to 400 hands, the majority of whom are highly-skilled mechanics."^[6]

Dorchester, c. 1909 – 1946[edit]

Around 1908–1910, the firm "was practically crowded out of its City Point yard ... by an overflow of work, and inability to expand, so the plant was moved across Dorchester Bay to the old Putnam Nail Works at Neponset."^[1]

"In 1921 the Guinevere was built at the Neponset yard. It was the first yacht ever fitted with Diesel oil engines motoring her electric Westinghouse equipment which propelled the boat, hoisted the sails, lighted, heated and "cooked" the craft, and twirled the big gyroscope which keeps the boat on even keel."^[1]

Neponset World War 2 production[edit]

"In 1926, George, Frederick and George II (b. 1901) left the company and set up F. D. Lawley in Quincy, Massachusetts."^[2] The firm of George Lawley & Son continued on in Neponset until it ceased in 1945–1946.

During World War II, the Neponset George Lawley and Son shipyard was instrumental in helping to design and build over 100 Landing Craft Infantry (Large) ships. The Lawley shipyard was the primary design yard and their drawings were shared by 9 other U.S. shipyards all building LCI(L) for the war effort. Lawley's Neponset shipyard was also asked by the U.S. Navy to pioneer the design and development of Landing Craft Support ships.

The LCS(L)3 ships, ("Mighty Midgets") used the same hull and propulsion systems as the LCI(L), but had no facilities for landing troops on the beach. These well armed ships were requested by the US Navy in response to a need for a shallow draft ship that could approach the beaches and give substantial direct naval gunfire support (NGFS) to the newly landed troops. This request came about after the US Marine Corps invasion of Tarawa, where there was an absence of close-in gunfire support of this type. Lawley built around 50 of these LCS ships and shared the design with Commercial Iron Works and Albina Engine and Machine Works shipyards, both in Portland, Oregon. A total of 130 LCS(L)3 ships were built during WW2.

In 1942 the controversial founder of the Church of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, then a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, was briefly assigned to the shipyard to oversee the conversion of the fishing trawler M/V Mist