William Lyons categorised himself as a belowaverage golfer. He always said to himself that given time he would improve. Being out on the greens and fairways was something he truly relished in the company of friends, both old and new. A round with Bertie Henly, either at the Coventry Club or at Hendon when he visited London was always a pleasure. The two men were both about the same standard, and with very much a common interest in the promotion and selling of SS cars.
The SS relationship with Hawker Siddeley began during a round of golf at Hendon Golf Club when Frank Hough of Henlys introduced Lyons to Frank Spriggs, its managing director. The ill-fated construction of AVRO Manchester bombers, the refurbishment of Armstrong Whitworth AW38 ‘Whitley’ bombers and the later Gloster Meteor jet-fighter contracts all emanated from Hawker Siddeley, the parent company of A.V. Roe, Armstrong-Whitworth and the Gloster Aircraft Company.
Freemasonry was also something that William Lyons considered himself not very good at. He was sold on the three founding masonic principles; brotherly love - tolerance, respect, compassion and understanding; relief - to help those less fortunate; and truth – striving for high moral standards in themselves and encouraging it in others. He left it to the rest of them to organise and spread the word. It was during one of his infrequent visits to the local lodge in 1941 where another fortuitous meeting took place.
‘I am amazed that as a car-maker, you
