of Coventry
See Townend Brothers
1871 Company founded by George Townend initially at Wellington Street and later Lower Ford Street, Coventry
Later his sons Frank Townend and Ernest Townend joined the company
1896/7 Directory: Listed under cycles. More details [1]
The Townend motorcycle was produced from 1901 to 1904. It was a typical primitive machine with a choice of 2.5 hp engine powers mounted into a heavy-duty bicycle frame, with suitable fittings and a tank transfer.
It probably came from a cycle dealer who left the powered market when the slump of 1905 occurred.
1901 September. 'Messrs. Townend Bros., Ltd., of Coventry, are one of the latest firms to turn their attention to the motor bicycle, and will probably be placing one of the "Minerva" type on the market shortly.'[2]
1905 Listed as 'Townend and Co'
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Peck's Trades Directory of Birmingham, 1896-97: Cycles
- ↑ Coventry Evening Telegraph - Thursday 12 September 1901
- The British Motorcycle Directory - Over 1,100 Marques from 1888 - by Roy Bacon and Ken Hallworth. Pub: The Crowood Press 2004 ISBN 1 86126 674 X
- The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle by Peter Henshaw. Published 2007. ISBN 978 1 8401 3967 9
- Coventry’s Motorcycle Heritage by Damien Kimberley. Published 2009. ISBN 978 0 7509 5125 9