Frederick born on 23rd October, 1868 in Lewisham Road, Lewisham, near London. Fred was the fourth child of nine.

George born 11th Dec 1874

Moved again, this time to St Bernard’s Road, Hove, where Fred began work on heavier-than-air flying machines

Fred started at the Hartley Institute, which is now part of Southampton University, at the age of fourteen.

The family move to 7 Balham Grove, London.

Fred started his first job, as a draughtsman in a Patent Office

Fred moves to Birmingham to start as Assistant Works Manager at the Forward Gas Engine Company, Saltley, Birmingham. He is later joined at the firm by his brother George, who becomes an apprentice. Fred creates syndicate leading to Lanchester Engine Co. Fred applies for 7 patents.

Fred became fascinated by gliders. He would launch models he built from the first floor window of his home to record and analyse their line of flight

Fred resigns from the Forward Gas Engine Company to concentrate on his own work and is replaced by George (but retains the post of Designer & Technical Adviser). Fred begins developing motor vehicles. Fred, George and Frank start The Lanchester Brothers bicycle company, manufacturing bicycle parts. The business was not viable and closed in 1894.

Fred works on the fundamentals of flight Fred gave his first paper – ‘The Soaring of Birds and possibilities of Mechanical Flight’, which recorded his early observations, experiments and theories on flight.

The Lanchester brothers road tested the Stanhope Phaeton motorcar for the first time

By end of the decade Fred has applied for patents on 111 inventions, including one for ‘rack & pinion’ steering in 1898. Fred’s 2nd boat launched.

Frank appointed Secretary of Lanchester Engine Company.

Fred patents 4-wheel drive, turbo-chargeing of car engines, the disc brake, power steering, and also the world’s 1st outboard boat engine. Frank is a founding member of the newly registered Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Lanchester test driver Archie Millership famously drove the 10hp car up the steps in front of the Crystal Palace, to demonstrate low gearing.

Lanchester Motor Company’s first production car was launched; the four-cylinder 20hp.

George patents his invention of driving goggles – the only remaining set are in Lanchester Collection.

Fred published ‘Aerodonetics’, his second book on flight, which together with ‘Aerodynamics’ became volumes 1 and 2 of ‘Aerial Flight’. Fred receives the Bronze Medal award for his paper at the Aeronautical Society.

Fred was appointed consultant to Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA). Fred invented monocoque construction (where the chassis is integral with the body) and 4-wheel brakes on commercial vehicles. Developed first omnibus with forward-facing seats. Improved car engine balancing by means of crankshaft vibration damper.

Fred became the President of the Institution of Automobile Engineers

Lanchester cars become the 1st in Europe with electric starter motors.

The First World War begins. Fred resigns from Lanch Motor Company. Fred publishes ‘Aircraft in Warfare’ in instalments of international magazine.

Fred became a member of the Air Inventions Committee of the Admiralty Board of Invention and Research.

Fred published his controversial paper ‘Aircraft in Warfare; the dawn of the fourth arm’, which calculated the power of air attacks in war. It was used in many countries and later converted into a business strategy, and is still in use as such today.

Lanchester cars featured welded aluminium joints for the first time in assembled body panels. Duralium body frames were adopted. The 40hp engine was successful in racing cars. Many famous people, including the King, Maharajas, Sultan, and Emperor purchased 40hp cars, which featured 6.2 litre engines. Fred patented Hydro-pneumatic suspension.

Fred married Dorothea Cooper (1898 – 1978), the niece of his voice tutor.

Fred resigns from Government Advisory Committee on Aeronautics.

Fred build his Mark Three wooden car, the engine complete with a form of petrol injection. Fred patents basic form of fuel injection.

Fred designed and built a house (Dyott End) for himself and Dorothea in Moseley, Birmingham, where they lived for the rest of their lives.

Fred formed a new venture called Lanchester Laboratories Ltd, in partnership with Daimler. The company later produced sound equipment including speakers and radios designed by Fred, which were available by mail order. The Lanchester Company was the 1st European company to use cellulose paint.

Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen, made her first public appearance – in a Lanchester 40hp limousine, one of three bought by her father, the future King George VI.

Lanchester was the first company to build purpose-designed armoured cars, rather than using lorry chassis. These were later used in World War Two.

The Wall Street Crash was the greatest stock market crash in the history of the USA and led to the Great Depression. Its catastrophic effects were felt in Britain; industry declined, unemployment and deprivation soared.

Fred began experiments on eyesight, working with Robert Lockhart, Professor of Anatomy at the University of Birmingham (later Aberdeen).

Frank becomes Director of Stratton-Instone. George joins Fred at Lanchester Laboritories Company.

Fred published ‘Lakeland Story’ under his pseudonym of Paul Netherton-Herries. Fred published his theories on Relativity

Fred was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a progessive neurological condition that effects movement.

Fred revisited his earlier theories on flight and published revised papers on friction in aeronautics.

Outbreak of the Second World War.

Fred was appointed as a consultant to the Society of British Aircraft Constructors.

Fred published work on the atomic bomb

HM the Queen orders a Lanchester 14hp saloon for her own use.

Frank dies.