Good Relations, was the aptly named company founded by public relations guru, Tony Good, in 1961. The company went on to become the first public relations business to be listed on the London Stock Exchange. During the 1960s, Good Relations picked up a variety of interesting accounts, including Jensen Motors. Other major accounts included the Carlton Tower, Smith’s Industries and Radiomobile.

SYDNEY J.BELSHAM – NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GOOD RELATIONS

Former director of Canada Life Assurance. Known to everyone, including Tony Good as ‘S.J’.

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GETHIN BRADLEY – DEPUTY CHAIRMAN / CO-FOUNDER OF GOOD RELATIONS

Born 23rd December 1932, Bradley finished his education at Cambridge University. It was here that Bradley became the Secretary of the Cambridge University Automobile Club between 1953 and 1955.

Bradley left university and found employment as a Press Officer for Rover. Bradley had known Tony Good from his university days and heard that he had just left British Aviation Services.

Immediately, Bradley contacted Good and asked if he would like to meet for lunch. Bradley had the idea of offering Good a position with him at Rover.

The two men met at Brown’s Hotel in London for lunch and Bradley put forward to Good the possibility of working as his number two. Bradley hadn’t known Good had just started his own public relations company.

Outlining to Bradley his ambitions for the new company, Bradley became excited and ironically found himself agreeing to join Good Relations Ltd.

Bradley left Rover in 1962 and joined Good. The following year Bradley was offered a position with the Rootes Group as Overseas Press Officer. He accepted the position and remained with the Rootes Group until 1966; although maintaining a directorship with Good Relations Ltd.

Good had been contacted in 1964 by a former colleague of British Aviation Services Ltd, Michael Day. It transpired Day had been offered the position of Managing Director at Jensen Motors Ltd. Knowing Good had a background in motoring, Day asked Good if he would like to take on the public relations account for Jensen Motors Ltd.

By 1966, Good wanted Bradley back on board working with ‘Good Relations Ltd’, especially with the new Italian styled Jensen cars about to be launched. Bradley agreed and left Rootes to work with Good Relations full time, and remained with the company until 1976. Bradley died in November 2013.

NICK BRITTAN – CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT GOOD RELATIONS

Born on 9th July 1936, Brittan started his career in trade newspapers as a journalist. Later he became a motoring journalist and launched Popular Motoring. Good Relations had started the so called ‘Spring Grove Saloon Car Championship’, Brittan became involved in this and later became the Creative Director at Good Relations Ltd.

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DOUGLAS BROWNSWORD – FINANCE DIRECTOR AT GOOD RELATIONS

Good had known Brownsword when he was a Silver City Airways Accountant. Brownsword later joined Good Relations Ltd as their Finance Director. He died in 1971.

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MICHAEL COOPER – PHOTOGRAPHER FOR GOOD RELATIONS

Born on 15th March 1938, Cooper later became a freelance photographer. Having been contracted to undertake photographic work for the Michelin Tyre Company, Cooper met Alan Powell.

Through this contact, Cooper was later asked to undertake many photographic assignments for Good Relations Ltd. Cooper worked for Good Relations Ltd (on a freelance basis) between 1966 and 1976 and was responsible for most of the Jensen press photography. He died of a heart attack on 19th March 2005.

 

 

GRAHAM COTTON – ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE AT GOOD RELATIONS

Cotton was the nephew of Jack Cotton the property developer, he joined Good Relations Ltd in approximately 1968 and remained with the company into the early 1970’s. 

 

 

 

 

 

TONY GOOD – CHAIRMAN OF GOOD RELATIONS

Born on 18th April 1933, Tony Good was educated at Felsted  and went on to become a management trainee. Later he joined Temple Press, as an Editorial Assistant. In 1955 Good left Temple Press to join the Silver City Airways section of British Aviation services Ltd.

Silver City Airways were the pioneers of car ferry companies and Good was given a position as Press Officer. Later becoming Marketing Director. In 1960 Good left British Aviation services Ltd and started his own company called Good Relations Ltd.

Gethin Bradley had known Tony Good from his university days, and heard that he had just left British Aviation Services. Bradley contacted Good and asked if he would like to meet for lunch. Bradley had the idea of offering Good a position with him at Rover.

The two men met at Brown’s Hotel in London for lunch and Bradley put forward to Good the possibility of working as his number two. Bradley hadn’t known Good had just started his own public relations company. Outlining to Bradley his ambitions for the new company, Bradley became excited and ironically found himself agreeing to join Good Relations Ltd.

Bradley left Rover in 1962 and joined Good. The following year Bradley was offered a position with the Rootes Group as Overseas Press Officer. He accepted the position and remained with the Rootes Group until 1966; although maintaining a directorship with Good Relations Ltd.

Good had been contacted in 1964 by Michael Day, a former colleague of British Aviation Services Ltd. Day had been Technical Director at Silver City Airways. It transpired Day had been offered the position of Managing Director at Jensen Motors Ltd. Knowing Good had a background in motoring, Day asked Good if he would like to take on the public relations account for Jensen Motors Ltd. Good drove up to West Bromwich, viewed the factory and had a test drive of the powerful Jensen CV8. Impressed, Good agreed to take Jensen Motors on board.

Not long after Good had agreed to take on Jensen Motors Ltd, Day was superseded by Brian Owen as Managing Director. Good believed he might lose the Jensen Motors contract, a feeling, which was exasperated by a call from Richard Jensen. Good was asked if he would meet with Richard Jensen at his home, Soddington Hall. Good agreed, but believed he was going to be told Jensen Motors no longer required his services.

To his surprise, Richard Jensen was likewise worried, that Good would no longer wish to manage public relations for Jensen Motors after Day had left. The evening went well, and the outcome was a greater bond developing between Jensen Motors and Good Relations.

By 1966, Good wanted Bradley back on board working with Good Relations Ltd, especially with the new Italian styled Jensen cars about to be launched. Bradley agreed and left Rootes to work with Good Relations full time again. Good had worked well with the new Managing Director Brian Owen, but once again, when Owen departed in 1968, he was equally enthusiastic about Duerr’s appointment as Managing Director.

As far as Good was concerned, Duerr would work as an excellent figurehead for this company. Good and Duerr devised a scheme to sell Jensen Motors from Norcros to merchant bank, William Brandt, Sons & Co.Ltd. The scheme was agreed and Brandt’s acquired the Jensen company in June 1968, at which time 100% of the Jensen Motors equity passed over to them.

In turn Brandt gave 40% of the equity over to the Jensen board; this consisted of Duerr, Beattie, Graves and Good. As a part of about it the overall agreement, Brandts’ also placed a nominee into the Chairmanship of Jensen Motors Ltd, one Frank Welsh. Good Relations acted for Jensen Motors until its demise in 1976.

 

ALAN POWELL – PRESS OFFICER / DIRECTOR WITH GOOD RELATIONS

Born on 13th November 1922, Powell joined the RAF in 1942 and after being de-mobbed joined the Croydon Advertiser as a trainee reporter. By 1964 he had become Technical Press Officer with the Rootes Group and via Gethin Bradley (they worked in the same office at Rootes) joined Good Relations Ltd in 1966.

Powell left Good Relations in 1969, after being offered a position as Press Officer with the Michelin Tyre Co.Ltd.

 

 

 

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Our thanks to Gethin Bradley, Michael Cooper, Tony Good, Alan Powell

COPYRIGHTS: All images and text copyright of The Jensen Museum

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: If you have any additional information, please contact us at archive@jensenmuseum.org or telephone on: +1694-781354

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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