Here's a CWS bike, not that you can see a lot of it. Either 22" or 24" wheels, not new, almost certainly pre-war, with its original black paint heavily repainted and the chrome as polished up as far as its condition allowed.
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And that's me on it. The very first go, on our back lawn in Streetly. I had long outgrown my fairy-cycle and it either lay unused in the garage or it had been sold. This bike was a present from Mum and Dad, and so we are looking at it either on Christmas Day 1943 or on April 7th 1944. Secondhand of course - whether you had the money or not, brand new bikes were virtually unobtainable.
Not long after its appearance I examined its maker's badge, partially obscured by the repainting. A momentary disappointment - I hadn't heard of the CWS make and I was hoping it would say "Hercules" or "Raleigh" or something similar. But very soon forgotten - here was, to me, a NEW bike and one which actually fitted me! The promise it offered - long rides with Mum and Dad, to places like Shenstone and Lichfield, to the Avion Cinema in Aldridge and much else...... All fully met over the next few years until this much-loved machine was replaced, much, much later, with a brand-new bike with the "right" badge and more what they call these days "street-cred". - a REAL Hercules this time!
Chris
Both my parents worked at the CWS factory in the late 40s. In fact this is where they first met after a brief encounter at Walford road roller skating rink. At that time my dad was a carpenter making pram frames and my mom was a pram upholster. My mom stayed on and transfered to cycle manufacture in the factorys final years. My Dads brother also worked there too as a bike frame welder.
onlinebicyclemuseum.co.uk
