▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁ ▁Wil ks ▁family ▁From ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁until ▁merged ▁with ▁British ▁Ley land , ▁R over ▁had ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁nature ▁of ▁a ▁family ▁business . ▁▁ ▁Maurice ▁Wil ks ' s ▁elder ▁brother , ▁Sp encer , ▁Sp encer ▁Bern au ▁Wil ks ▁( 1 8 9 1 — 1 9 7 1 ), ▁was ▁general ▁manager ▁from ▁September ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁then ▁man aging ▁director ▁of ▁R over ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁until ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁direct ors . ▁Sp encer ▁was ▁h ired ▁by ▁R over ▁man aging ▁director , ▁Frank ▁S ear le , ▁from ▁his ▁position ▁of ▁joint ▁( with ▁John ▁Black ) ▁man aging ▁director ▁of ▁Hill man ▁following ▁the ▁purchase ▁of ▁Hill man ▁by ▁the ▁Ro otes ▁brothers . ▁Sp encer ▁brought ▁Maurice ▁from ▁Hill man ▁to ▁R over ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁to ▁be ▁R over ' s ▁chief ▁engineer . ▁▁ ▁A ged ▁ 7 0 ▁Sp encer ▁retired ▁from ▁the ▁chair ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁his ▁much ▁younger ▁( 1 3 ▁years ) ▁brother ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁remaining ▁on ▁the ▁board ▁in ▁a ▁non - exec utive ▁capacity . ▁He ▁was ▁made ▁president ▁of ▁R over ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁▁ ▁William ▁Martin - H urst ▁( 1 9 0 5 - 1 9 8 8 ) ▁R