Hartnett, Laurence John (1898-1986)

Automotive engineer, born in Woking, Surrey, SE England, UK. He was head of General Motors' English subsidiary, Vauxhall, and went to Australia in 1934 to take over GM-Holden, when GM acquired the company established by Sir Edward Wheewall Holden in 1917. His enthusiasm for a locally built mass-produced car, despite the opposition of his New York bosses, won over the Australian government. War production intervened, and the first "Holden' car appeared in 1946.