Named after the island off the coast of Ayr, Scotland, Ailsa Craig, the company began as a bicycle manufacturer in Glasgow in 1891, later moving to Putney, London, where the then owner went into partnership and set about building early vehicles, going on in 1904 to produce the world's first V12 engine intended for a Russian airship[1] and even a petrol engined vacuum cleaner for Hubert Cecil Booth in 1904.
At the other extreme was a 50 hp four-cylinder fitted with a luxury body and supplied to the Earl of Norbury.
[1] A little later, Ellis Kisch took over and the company moved to 46/47 Strand-on-the-Green, Chiswick in West London.
Harold Linford, who was the chief designer and general manager, was killed when an aerial bomb exploded over the Factory at Strand-on-the-Green in 1941.
John Watson took over the running of the factory until the move to Ashford in 1949/1950 and there produced further quality diesel engines, with the help of Ricardo Engineering, under the direction of Robert Kisch – son of Ellis, between 1958 and 1963/4 when he was taken ill and moved ultimately to Jersey.