W. H. Raven and Co
Ray were motorcycles produced from 1922 to 1926 by W. H. Raven and Co of Castle Boulevard, Nottingham.
1922 April. Company incorporated. 'To acquire certain freehold properties in Lenton Boulevard, Nottingham, and to carry out the business of manufacturers of cycle, motor cycles, cars, engines and vehicles and apparatus and implements used in sports, games, engineers etc.' Subscribers are W. H. Raven, Ruddington, and H. J. Hallam, Redcliffe on Trent.[1]
1922 November. 'A new motor-cycle is to be marketed in 1923 by Messrs. W. H. Raven and Co., Ltd., Castle-boulevard, Nottingham. It is a two-h.p. (200 h.p.) four-stroke machine, and will have many special and interesting features. For instance, the transmission of the “Ray” (that is its name) will be by single chain, while the engine, two-speed gearbox and metal platform clutch form a unit. It will be shown at Olympia this month...'[2]
1922 The firm was already well known for pedal cycles when they produced a novel 198cc sv miniature. It had its engine in-unit with a two-speed gear and clutch, chain final-drive and a flywheel magneto.
1924 The specification now included a kick-starter.
1925 A further miniature called the T. S. Sports was introduced. This still had in-unit construction - a 172cc Villiers-Jardine three-speed two-stroke unit. The 198cc machine became known as the Ray Super Lightweight.
1926 The above model continued alone and kept its styling for that year, at the end of which production came to a close.
See Also
Sources of Information
- 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