Frank Farrer
Frank Howard Farrer, of Villiers
Inventor of the Flywheel Magneto
1878 Born in Handsworth, Birmingham[1], son of William Farrer and his wife Mary.
c.1898 Frank Farrer was manager of the Palmer Tyre's Coventry depot. He was appointed as sole agent for the sale of the surplus pedals made by Villiers Cycle Co. Farrer had many connections with the cycle trade, was a good engineer and a great salesman and was to become the driving force in Villiers.
1901 Living in Ladywood, Birmingham, William J Farrer 62, commercial traveller, Mary E Farrer 64, Thomas H Farrer 28, commercial traveller, Frank H Farrer 22, commercial traveller, Ethel M Farrer 19[2]
1902 Frank Farrer joined Villiers full-time.
1911 Commercial traveler, cycle trade[3]
By 1915 was a director of the Villiers Engineering Co when he patented improvements in oil supply to crankcases, etc
Became Works Director and Chief Engineer of the company
1916 of Penn Road, Wolverhampton[4]
1917/8 Patents with others on magnetos.
1919 Took over as managing director of Villiers Engineering Co from Charles Marston
1956 Chairman of Villiers Engineering[5]
1957 Retired as Chairman of the company; succeeded by his nephew Leslie W. Farrer[6]