Alick Buckley, 2nd from right - 1963
'I always seemed to get by on a Wing and a Prayer' - Alick Buckley
Buckley of Woodview House
Alexander Francis Buckley married Gertrude Charlotte Hurley
born 9 Jun 1893 9 Jun 1931 born 29 Mar 1892
South Circular Road St Mary's Donnybrook 9 Morehampton Road
died 16 Sep 1983 died 7 Jun 1963
Ailesbury Road Woodview
Alexander Buckley born 9 Jun 1893 at the SCR was the son of Francis Robert Buckley and Jane
Francis (Jennie) Cooper. He and his father both enlisted and Alick served with The Prince of
Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) and later as a fighter pilot. He was shot down over
Salonica in 1918, but managed to land his plane with only one wing intact. He survived just
shaken and bruised. He was founder, chairman and managing director of Messrs Buckley's
Motors Ltd. Initially based in Abbey Street in 1925 they were sole distributors for Hillman, Riley
and Star cars. He married Gertrude Hurley on 9 Jun 1931 at St Mary's Church, Donnybrook.
Gertrude was the daughter of William Hurley and Emilie Alberta Brien and the granddaughter
of Dublin hatter, William Hurley of Adelaide Road. They lived on Eglington Road before moving
to Woodview in 1937. In 1935 he opened an assembly plant on Ringsend Road and was
building Humber cars. In 1949 they moved to Santry and by 1965 they employed over 400
people at the Shanowen Road plant. Here they assembled the CKD (completely knocked
down) kits for the Hillman range of cars and Commer commercial vehicles for the Rootes
Group. In 1966 Buckley's became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Rootes Group which
was controlled by the Chrysler Corporation.
He was a director of Wallpapers Ltd and Newbridge Cutlery. He set up Evode Industries Limited
with Dr Herman Simon in 1954 with Alex owning 51% of the Company. Dr Simon wished to
create a company in Ireland to service the shoe Industry but because of the Irish Control of
Manufacturers Act, it was not possible for another country to own more than 50% of an Irish
company. The name 'Evode' was derived from the word Dove with the 'e' added. Dr Simon
had been the leading figure in Dove Polishes, prior to his association with Evode Industries. In
1955 an agreement was signed with Evode Limited for the rights to use the name 'EVO-STIK' in
Ireland. An astute businessman he was also sole agent for BAC (British Aircraft Corporation). It
is said that when Aer Lingus wanted to buy a four BAC 1-11 jets in the 1960s, the purchase had
to go through Alex Buckley as the sole agent. He was a member of the Royal Irish Yacht and
raced in the Dragon Class. He won numerous regattas and the Duke of Edinburgh Cup in 1953
in his Yacht Ashaka and again in 1958 with Nirvana II. Gertrude died in 1963 and is buried at
St Brigid's, Stillorgan. Alick retired in 1967 and in 1974 he moved to St Anne's on Ailesbury Road.
They were parishioners of St Brigid's and the following memorial can be found in the church.
'To the glory of God/and in memory of Alick and Gertrude Buckley/Late of Woodview, Stillorgan.
This organ was rebuilt in 1986'.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - April 2017
Return to Woodview House
Buckley of Woodview House
Alexander Francis Buckley married Gertrude Charlotte Hurley
born 9 Jun 1893 9 Jun 1931 born 29 Mar 1892
South Circular Road St Mary's Donnybrook 9 Morehampton Road
died 16 Sep 1983 died 7 Jun 1963
Ailesbury Road Woodview
Alexander Buckley born 9 Jun 1893 at the SCR was the son of Francis Robert Buckley and Jane
Francis (Jennie) Cooper. He and his father both enlisted and Alick served with The Prince of
Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) and later as a fighter pilot. He was shot down over
Salonica in 1918, but managed to land his plane with only one wing intact. He survived just
shaken and bruised. He was founder, chairman and managing director of Messrs Buckley's
Motors Ltd. Initially based in Abbey Street in 1925 they were sole distributors for Hillman, Riley
and Star cars. He married Gertrude Hurley on 9 Jun 1931 at St Mary's Church, Donnybrook.
Gertrude was the daughter of William Hurley and Emilie Alberta Brien and the granddaughter
of Dublin hatter, William Hurley of Adelaide Road. They lived on Eglington Road before moving
to Woodview in 1937. In 1935 he opened an assembly plant on Ringsend Road and was
building Humber cars. In 1949 they moved to Santry and by 1965 they employed over 400
people at the Shanowen Road plant. Here they assembled the CKD (completely knocked
down) kits for the Hillman range of cars and Commer commercial vehicles for the Rootes
Group. In 1966 Buckley's became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Rootes Group which
was controlled by the Chrysler Corporation.
He was a director of Wallpapers Ltd and Newbridge Cutlery. He set up Evode Industries Limited
with Dr Herman Simon in 1954 with Alex owning 51% of the Company. Dr Simon wished to
create a company in Ireland to service the shoe Industry but because of the Irish Control of
Manufacturers Act, it was not possible for another country to own more than 50% of an Irish
company. The name 'Evode' was derived from the word Dove with the 'e' added. Dr Simon
had been the leading figure in Dove Polishes, prior to his association with Evode Industries. In
1955 an agreement was signed with Evode Limited for the rights to use the name 'EVO-STIK' in
Ireland. An astute businessman he was also sole agent for BAC (British Aircraft Corporation). It
is said that when Aer Lingus wanted to buy a four BAC 1-11 jets in the 1960s, the purchase had
to go through Alex Buckley as the sole agent. He was a member of the Royal Irish Yacht and
raced in the Dragon Class. He won numerous regattas and the Duke of Edinburgh Cup in 1953
in his Yacht Ashaka and again in 1958 with Nirvana II. Gertrude died in 1963 and is buried at
St Brigid's, Stillorgan. Alick retired in 1967 and in 1974 he moved to St Anne's on Ailesbury Road.
They were parishioners of St Brigid's and the following memorial can be found in the church.
'To the glory of God/and in memory of Alick and Gertrude Buckley/Late of Woodview, Stillorgan.
This organ was rebuilt in 1986'.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - April 2017
Return to Woodview House
