Editing Rootes Group (section)

===Dealer and distributor for other manufacturers===
[[File:William_rootes_portrait.jpg|thumb|Founder [[William Rootes]]]]
Rootes was founded in [[Hawkhurst]], [[Kent]], in 1913 by [[William Rootes]] as a car sales agency independent from his father's Hawkhurst motor business. Rootes had moved his operations to [[Maidstone]] by 1914 and there he contracted to repair aero engines. In 1917 he formed Rootes Limited to buy the Maidstone branch of his father's motor business, founded by his father in 1897, to expand his aircraft engine repair business and the manufacture of aircraft parts.<ref name=CM08May1970>[https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/8th-may-1970/26/rootes-transplant Rootes transplant] ''[[Commercial Motor]]'' 8 May 1970</ref>

In 1919 the distribution of cars and commercial vehicles resumed and operations extended to London and other part of the country.<ref name =Times21Nov1949>Prospectus, Rootes Motors Limited ''[[The Times]]'' 21 November 1949 page 8</ref> As early as 1924 Rootes had become the largest truck and car distributor in the United Kingdom.<ref name=Courier>''[[Kent & Sussex Courier]]'' 25 April 2008 page 28</ref> They advertised that their showrooms in [[Devonshire House]], Piccadilly could supply new cars priced from £145 to £3,000 manufactured by Rolls-Royce, Daimler, Sunbeam, Austin, Hillman, Fiat or Clyno.