TJ Richards & Sons
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Coachbuilding, automotive body manufacturing |
| Founded | 1885 |
| Founder | Tobias John Martin Richards |
| Defunct | 1951 |
| Headquarters | Adelaide , Australia |
Area served | Australia, England, South Africa, India |
| Products | Coach bodies, automobile bodies, munitions, aircraft parts |
TJ Richards & Sons was a prominent Australian coachbuilding firm that operated from 1885 until 1951, undergoing several name changes throughout its history.
TJ Richards, Wheel Wright and Coach Builder
The company was established in 1885 by Tobias John Martin Richards, a blacksmith born in Adelaide, originally trading as "TJ Richards, Wheel Wright and Coach Builder" based in Mitcham, South Australia. Richards created the "King of the Road" two-wheeled sulky, which became the hallmark slogan for the business. In 1900, operations were moved to more spacious facilities located at Hindmarsh Square in Adelaide. The firm expanded its reach by setting up agencies across Australia and exporting products to countries such as England, South Africa, and India. Richards’ craftsmanship was recognized with over 500 awards at various exhibitions.
By 1903, three of Richards’ sons—Henry Ernest, Claude Alfred Victor, and William Egbert—had joined the enterprise. The company crafted its inaugural automobile body in 1905 and by 1912 had established a specialized department focused on automobile bodies.
TJ Richards & Sons
In 1913, following Tobias Richards’ decision to pass control to his sons, the business was renamed "TJ Richards & Sons." In 1920, the company relocated to a 7½-acre site situated at Anzac Highway and Leader Street in Keswick, Adelaide. The introduction of the first mechanical body press occurred in 1924, soon followed by the implementation of an assembly line. The firm manufactured vehicle bodies for a wide array of automotive marques including Bianchi, Citroën, Fiat, Maxwell, Hudson, Oakland, Overland, Armstrong Siddeley, Austin, Hupmobile, Berliet, Durant, Amilcar, Rover, and Rolls-Royce.
A second manufacturing facility was established in Mile End in 1928. That same year marked the beginning of a key alliance with Chrysler Corporation; from then on, producing bodies for Chrysler’s brands—Chrysler, Dodge, DeSoto, and Plymouth—became the company’s primary focus. In 1936, Chrysler Dodge Distributors Limited purchased a portion of TJ Richards & Sons and secured majority ownership by 1937.
Richards Industries
The firm adopted the name Richards Industries Limited in 1941. During World War II, production priorities shifted toward munitions and aircraft parts manufacturing, including wing panels for aircraft such as the Bristol Beaufort and CAC Wirraway.
Chrysler Dodge DeSoto Distributors Limited
In 1946, the Richards family divested their remaining shares to Chrysler Dodge Distributors Limited, which subsequently renamed the company Chrysler Dodge DeSoto Distributors Limited. The parent organization also took on the name Chrysler Dodge Distributors (Holdings) Pty Ltd.
By 1951, the American Chrysler Corporation had acquired an 85% interest in Chrysler Dodge Distributors (Holdings) Pty Ltd and rebranded it as Chrysler Australia.