Dear Brian, That is high praise indeed coming from your self. Ron Cooper
began his apprenticeship at Gillott's in 1947. The frames they were building
at that time were inspired by best continental practice including
mandrelling the lugs to the desired angles. The lugs were made by Vaughans
of Birmingham and were full of hard inclusions. Oscar Egg lugs became
available circa 1949-50. Harry Carrington was the manager who instigated
frame building in May 1945. Jim Collier was the first employee. He had built
for Hobbs of Barbican before the war. Harry was a stickler for detail and
had a keen eye for what was right in a frame. All the employees at Gillott's
were racing men including the one armed Ron Brown. They were all to have a
profound influence on Ron who is still building frames today at the age of
74(?) He was the last builder of true Gillott frames. He was there until
1967 when he moved out of the Southampton road shop to set up on his own in
Honor Oak. I have several late Gillotts and a 1976 Cooper and they are just
lovely. Crisp, elegant, unfussy, just right!
Mark, Dingwall in Scotland.