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BSA Factory 1940s Onwards

I am interested not in the guns made by BSA but in any old records that may have survived. My husbands great grandfather was a gunsmith in Birmingham. When he died in 1888 he was a widower and his 4 children were sent to Canada by Middlemore Homes. We have just discovered that their fare (or at least some of it) was paid for by workmen at a Small Arms Company with a grant from their hospital fund. I presume this to be a fairly large company so BSA comes to mind. At some time before his death their father had travelled to Austria presumably representing a gunmaking company. Some time ago another relative wrote to BSA but was told that they had no records. Does anyone know of any local historian who would maybe know about the early days of this company. It was started by 14 individuals and we wonder was John Garner maybe one of the early owners. Thanks for any assistance you can give.
Regards
Pat
 
Interesting videos, my father worked in the Smithy in the 50s my mother also worked at the BSA. During the war ( 2nd ) my mother was insulted by a German pow, the German later apologised and gave her his Panzer regiment tank badge which I still have
 
BSA 1917.png my father worked at the BSA during ww2, I don't know what his occupation was but he finished his working life as a viewer at The Brook Tool factory in Greet. I remember when I was little more than a toddler Mom and Dad took me and my ywo brothers to a Military Tattoo of some sort and we could see the factory from where we were sitting on the grass
 
My mother worked at the BSA during the war years. During the 50s and 60s she also worked an evening shift ( 6pm-10pm ). During the war there was a German POW working in the same shop as her, he apparently insulted her and she threw a large spanner at him. The following day he apologized and gave her his panzer regimental badge which I now have. My father also worked at the BSA after the war he worked in the smithy. Mom at one time was spraying the Bantam petrol tanks and hand painted a thin red line along the tank, these were for Spanish police bikes.
 
Hi stitcher,great photograph just as i remember it , it was my daily route to work as an apprentice in Bordesley green from Greet,
walked it,cycled it,bused it not to mention on motor cycles (BSA A7 and others) before getting a van,bet it's changed in the last 40 years
 
Great pics... Does any one know what happend to a memorial fountain that was fixable from Small Heath by-pass. It was like a large tripod that was wind powered.
 
In the 1960s/70s. It's claimed that the BSA sign was once the largest neon sign in Birmingham. Love the wings on the "B". Viv.

image.jpeg
 
In 1940 the BSA took a bit of a pounding from the Luftwaffe and 53 people lost their lives, but this didn't daunt the spirit of the workforce of mostly women who had taken the place of the men who were fighting in the army.
1. Armoury Road soon after the bombing.
2. The BSA Monument to the victims.
3. The Workforce in 1944

Small Heath Armoury Rd BSA Bombing.JPG Small Heath BSA War Memorial.JPG Small Heath BSA Workers c1944.JPG
 
I ad family's sides who worked at the BSA. My father Roland Bott, grandfather James Henry Bott and my grandmothers side the Quincey's.
Are any of these names in lyndeloos book please.
 
Hi Phil .Are you sure that pic 1 is Armoury Road ..We have looked at this picture in earlier posts and there was some doubt
 
Interesting posts. I worked on the line with B33's, Gold Flashes etc in my youth (circa 1952). My friend was son of the (then) Sales Director who had 'procured' an ex "Six Day Trial" B31. He had it restored to original for his Son who had been lending me his Bantam to learn on - and take my test. This was presented to him a week before my test and he said "You'll just have to go on this". Photo was taken - with me looking smug - on the BSA 'Rec' on the day he had his new bike. Wonder what it would be worth in that condition today ?
 

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My dad started nights after ww2 having left Rover,one morning he came home and told my mom that he was leaving, mom asked why ,he told her that they had let the Japan try some new nylon ball bearings in theBSA bikes and that it would not be long before BSA WOULD BE FINNISED and what happened
 
Interesting posts. I worked on the line with B33's, Gold Flashes etc in my youth (circa 1952). My friend was son of the (then) Sales Director who had 'procured' an ex "Six Day Trial" B31. He had it restored to original for his Son who had been lending me his Bantam to learn on - and take my test. This was presented to him a week before my test and he said "You'll just have to go on this". Photo was taken - with me looking smug - on the BSA 'Rec' on the day he had his 'new' bike. Wonder what it would be worth in that condition today ?
 

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Jeff Smith & Brian Povey were star trials riders, Jeff married a school girlfriend (though she never knew it) I was very jealous. Brian had a business and - after my RAF service - I went to work for him.
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Jeff Smith & Brian Povey were star trials riders, Jeff married a school girlfriend (though she never knew it) I was very jealous. Brian had a business and - after my RAF service - I went to work for him.
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great stuff. i started there in 63 and me my number was ba 414. when i started there, you had to be inisiated in our dept. they coverd your wiz in swarfega and washing powder. :mad:did you remember jeff smith in the compt dept. my sister worked in the office when they got robbed when i left school..after my 6d dinner in the canteen i would walk through the crome plant, and have a nose in the final despatch dept. or go over the canal bridge to the club. i alter'd a tiger cub frame and put a bantam d7 engine in it. to play over the cow fields in shard end. my road bike was a trident 750. wish i still had any of them now.
 
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