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Swift Cheylesmore made in Birmingham. But where?

V

Viscount

master brummie
Here's a rare bicycle made in Birmingham in the early 30's after Swift of Coventry ceased production there.

SwiftDsideprofile.jpg


The Swift name and some of the machinery perhaps, was bought by two Birmingham companies, and production of Swift machines were produced for a couple of years at least in Birmingham somewhere.

Kirk and Merifield acquired the name in 1933 I believe, and they made bicycles under the name of Kirmer.

However my Swift Chelylesmore is badged as a Swift, not Kirmer so I suspect the Swift was produced in Birmingham for a while after 1931 (When Swift of Coventry went bust) and was then bought by Kirk and Merifield in 1933.

Thanks to Bicycle Historian Dorothy Pinkerton, (of Erdington) for her information that may well help solve this puzzle.

SwiftDTubeDecalBham.jpg
 
I found this reference to 'Swift' Bicycles on the web'

In 1893 Sangster joined The New Howe Machine Co., taking a position in the Glasgow works under the banner of R. L. Philpot, a leader who was to exercise great influence on the rising young designer. His next move was to the Rudge factory in Coventry where he was associated with W. Radford, a works manager with a deserved reputation for efficiency.
Shortly after this the Philpot group migrated to the Cheylesmore works of the Coventry Machinists Co., and here Sangster had his great opportunity; with a free hand he designed the new "Swift" models for1895, completely revolutionising the somewhat stodgy patterns of the oldest firm in the cycle trade. The new "Swifts" were received by the trade and public with enthusiasm, and placed their designer - if not on a pedestal - in the front rank of his chosen craft.
Fresh Worlds to Conquer
But aspiring to conquer fresh worlds, our subject, while retaining his interest in the "Swift", secured financial backing to erect a big new factory at Selly Oak, on the outskirts of Birmingham, where, in collaboration with R. F. Hall and Harvey du Cros, jun., he inaugurated the Cycle Components Mfg. Co., making fittings for the trade.
Old traders will remember "Components" parts as being extremely well finished, and if I may say so a bit in advance of the times for which they catered
 
Hi! Thanks for that.
I did know about Sangster and his exploits at Selly Oak, but the trail went cold there when I learned that no Swifts were ever made there.

Ariel Motorcycles and 'Components' yes.
Ariels, Fleet bicycles etc. but no Swifts!

https://www.arielcycles.me.uk/index.htm
has more info on this.
And some great historic photographs.

I think that Sangster sold his interests in Swift in 1931.
There was also another smaller factory in Balsall Heath but I can find no information about it.
Yet.

The trail has long gone cold but I'm hoping somebody in Birmingham has some knowledge, or clue, to lead to the solution!!
Swift was such a big name for so long, from the 1880s to early 1930s, I can't believe it just disappeared so easily.
Even the Coventry Transport Museum (who have a superb collection of Coventry made Swift bicycles) know nothing about the Birmingham connection.
In the slump/depression of the early 30's it is not surprising that Swift went down, but I would like to find out just how it happened, and where.
My Swift is proof that the story finished in Birmingham.
I just want to discover where and when!
 

Harvey du Cros, M.P. for Hastings from 1906 to 1908.
Du Cros, who was the founder of the Dunlop Tyre Company in the West Midlands, ousted Hastings Liberal M.P. Freeman Freeman-Thomas in the general election of 1906. Hastings and Rye were the only seats in the country won by the Conservatives in what was otherwise a landslide victory.
Harvey du Cros retired in 1908 on in health grounds & his son, Arthur was elected in his place.
 
Austin had identified a suitable site for his factory whilst working for Wolseley's. The site, seven miles from Birmingham, was at Longbridge. It was well served by road and rail with ample room for future expansion. Finance for the company was provided by: Austin, Frank Kayser of Kayser, Ellison and Company, and Harvey du Cros of the Dunlop Rubber Company. Although the purchase of the site and buildings actually took place on 26th January 1906, Austin had already installed himself and his staff in the empty buildings and was at work well in advance of that date. The reason for this was that Austin wanted to exhibit at the Olympia Motor Show in November 1905. One of Harvey du Cros’s businesses: Du Cros Mercedes Limited, allowed Austin to use part of their stand to promote the fledgling company. Austin and his draughtsmen, armed with blueprints, generated considerable interest and managed to secure a number of firm orders.
 
It looks as if the Swift company sold off the bike division and concentrated on cars in Coventry:
"In 1902 the Swift Motor Co, formerly the Swift Cycle Co, was formed, with its headquarters in the Cheylesmore area of Coventry.
Its first product was a 5.5-hp vehicle and until 1905 Swift used engines from several other manufacturers until it perfected its own - a twin-cylinder 9/10-hp - which was used successfully for a number of years.
Expansion was quick to come with a move to Quinton Road, leaving the old Cheylesmore site to the cycle side of the business.
By 1912 Swift was making a name for itself for the reliablilty of its product and was one of the major manufacturers in the city.
A lightweight model with pressed steel chassis in place of tubular one was produced in 1914 and a decision to drop cycle production was taken. And in 1919 a Tipton company called Harper Bean took a 50 per cent shareholding in the Swift company which nearly led to disaster.
Harper Bean folded the following year and nearly brought the Coventry firm down with it.
As with many other car firms, Swift turned its production to the war effort from 1914-18, producing aero engines.
Post-war production resumes with a 1,100 cc four-cylinder Ten and a new 2-litre Twelve.
Swift continued to supply up-market, hand-built models until 1931 when the company was the victim of mass production models produced by its competitors.
Unable to compete, the company's factory and tooling was bought by Alfred Herbert, Coventry‘s biggest machine tool firm, with the spares and the Swift name being sold to two Birmingham companies."
 
Thanks for that Lloyd.
Yes, I've seen, and don't disagree, with your quote.
The car production though, stopped before the bicycles as I understand it.
The Birmingham Swift bicycles were made after the Coventry Swift operation ceased.
It's the two Birmingham companies that bought the Swift rights in 1931 that are the key to this enquiry.
It could have been Kirk and Merifield, but if so where did they make them?
K+M reportedly took over Swift in 1933 as I understand it, but Swift bicycles and cars stopped production in 1931 in Coventry I believe.
Where were the bicycles made in Birmingham in the intervening two years is the question?
Perhaps a look in the contemporary newspaper archives would answer this, but as yet I have not been able to do this. If they exist....
 
Lloyd said:
A Google search found this for sale in Australia:
https://www.biblioz.com/main.php?action=3&i=1646638&record=1

The company still exists, nothing to do with cycles now apparently.
The Kirk & Merifield Investment Company Limited
(01926) 484201
Five Ways Road Shakespeare Cottage,
Hatton
CV35 7HZ
Warwick
Click to expand...

Quite interesting that!
Hadn't had time to check the K+M link yet, but I'd like to find out how long the company has been in existence!!
Probably was in the 20s and 30s from what I understand, and if still in existence might well provide the information.

The catalogue in Oz is quite a long shot but I will chase that one up.
Many thanks anyway.
I'm determined to get to the bottom of this.
John.
 
I think I have solved your problem. I thought the name Kirk & Merrifield rang a bell. I attach 2 photos, one of Kirk and Merrifield and one of the next building (Westingouse rectifiers) showing part of the K&M building next door and showing position (on bradford st, corner of Rea st). On the building it also says Swift cycles, and has a plate saying Swift near the door, though this doesn't show up too well on he image I'm putting on the site. I've tried not to take up too much bandwidth and so have reduced the picture. If you message me your e-maIL address I'll gladly send you the higher resolution version. This would have been taken between 1969 and 1973, so presumably Swift went on for longer than you thought. I don't have any better estimate of the time as I took quite a lot of photos in the period, but unfortunately my notes (though luckily not the negs) were submerged in a cellar full of sewage some years later. The identification of where it is is from the street names on the second photo.



Best Wishes

Mike Jee

17A_Kirk_Merrifield_bradford_st.jpg


16A_bradford_st_rea_st.jpg
 
Hi Mike.
Wow, that is an amazingly helpful discovery!
I've spent several months digging away at this with no appreciable progress and your photo and location is a big leap forward.
Very little is known about the Swift bicycles after they stopped production in Coventry.
I believe they made very few and were probably absorbed into the Kirmer range, I've certainly never seen another Birmingham made Swift. Even Kirmers are few and far between.
I would certainly appreciate some hi def copies of your photographs and will PM my email address promptly.
Many thanks,
John.
 
hello,
just looking through this site after a few months off, i worked at kirk & merifield from 1979 - 1988ish assembling cycles, we used to build swift cycles on the premises right up to when i left in 1988, mostly 3speed sturmey archer ''tourist' models. you could have had then in either royal blue or piller box red, working there was the best job i had, sadly even as i write this the factory is now being pulled down ( i went past there today) the pics from the above post really brought back some memories....thanks.
 
captblack said:
hello,
just looking through this site after a few months off, i worked at kirk & merifield from 1979 - 1988ish assembling cycles, we used to build swift cycles on the premises right up to when i left in 1988, mostly 3speed sturmey archer ''tourist' models. you could have had then in either royal blue or piller box red, working there was the best job i had, sadly even as i write this the factory is now being pulled down ( i went past there today) the pics from the above post really brought back some memories....thanks.
Click to expand...

Well, how interesting!
I had no idea that Swifts were being made as late as 1988!
I missed out on a late 60s K&M trade catalogue on ebay a couple of months ago which clearly had the Swift Logo on the cover of it.
I assumed they were merely selling components.

They must have been made in relatively small quantities.
Would you have any idea how many they made per week or month?
I assume they built their own frames and bought in components?
I wonder if the latter models had the beautiful, original Swift chain-wheel for example.

Hope you don't mind me asking you a couple of questions about it, but it seems fascinating to me that the Coventry Transport Museum know absolutely nothing about Swifts Birmingham production.
I'm sure they will be interested when I tell them about my discoveries.
And to find somebody who actually worked there is a little icing on the cake!

Swift must have been one of the last bicycle manufacturers in Birmingham and may have outlasted Dawes by the sound of it.

How sad that the factory is being torn down right now!
I was intending to go and check next time I was in Birmingham.

Many thanks for your information, and I hope you'll tell us more!
Be great to have Swifts later history recorded and remembered.
 
Last edited:
Viscount i started work at K + M in 1979 when i first left school, my first job there was cycle assembly, there were 8 of us in a line each building a cylcle from scratch, the frames were brought in from
raleigh in nottingham, as i have said you could have had red or blue, the swift cycles were at the bottom of the range if i remember right, the top end were badged Royal Enfield. most of the parts were from the uk, frames from raleigh, wheelrims from france, tyres from the far east, spokes from a company in aston, as time went on like everything else parts were sourced from the far east, eventually the frames too were from taiwan (and they were so bad, we scrapped more than we used) i left in 1988 for another job in the cycle trade, every year when the new catalogue came out we stored the old copy in an old case, it was full of old ones dating back to the 30's. (whatever happened to it i dont know, probably ended up in a skip ) as i said earlier it was the best job i had and there are some very funny stories and memories i have, the pic from another earlier post really brought back some fond memories, if i can be of any further help then i would be glad to try.
tony
 
captblack said:
Viscount i started work at K + M in 1979 when i first left school, my first job there was cycle assembly, there were 8 of us in a line each building a cylcle from scratch, the frames were brought in from
raleigh in nottingham, as i have said you could have had red or blue, the swift cycles were at the bottom of the range if i remember right, the top end were badged Royal Enfield. most of the parts were from the uk, frames from raleigh, wheelrims from france, tyres from the far east, spokes from a company in aston, as time went on like everything else parts were sourced from the far east, eventually the frames too were from taiwan (and they were so bad, we scrapped more than we used) i left in 1988 for another job in the cycle trade, every year when the new catalogue came out we stored the old copy in an old case, it was full of old ones dating back to the 30's. (whatever happened to it i dont know, probably ended up in a skip ) as i said earlier it was the best job i had and there are some very funny stories and memories i have, the pic from another earlier post really brought back some fond memories, if i can be of any further help then i would be glad to try.
tony[/quote

Thanks for that Tony.
It's really interesting to hear the story.
This stuff gets lost so easily and it's part of our history, isn't it?
And not too long ago either.

Swift was there from the very beginnings of the British bicycle industry.
You only have to visit the Coventry Transport Museum to see that.
They have lots of the early machines there.
Swift exported thousands of machines all over the world in the early days.
Not only to the British Empire but also lots to Russia before the 1st World War.
I've got copies of Swift ads in Russian!!
Their army used them, the Officers having the top of the range models and the Infantry the basic machines.
But they suffered from the depression and 'lost it' in the early 30s.
Kirk and Merifield bought the rights to the name around 1932 and moved bicycle production to Birmingham.
Which is where I got interested because I bought the old machine pictured at the beginning of the thread.
I was puzzled by the fact that it was badged Swift but made in Birmingham!!
And now it's all becoming clear!

I really think it's important to record peoples memories of these things while it's still possible and I'm sure your memories and experiences will be very interesting to cyclists who have an interest in older, vintage bikes.
I'm a member of the Veteran Cycle Club for example and I know for a fact that there are many others in the club who would be fascinated by your recollections!
It seems a bit sad in a way that Swift ended up importing components from the far east, but if that was necessary to keep the business going I guess that's the way of the world right now. Bit like British Leyland in a way....

Your recollections of K&Ms trade catalogues are amazing because if you see the price that those catalogues get now you might be surprised.
£40/50 for a reasonable late 30s one is not unusual...

How about some of these funny stories then:)
I'll be interested to hear!!
Did they really make Royal Enfields at Bradford Street then?
And if the frames were Raleighs then Swifts were simply badge engineered Raleighs towards the end.
But I've never seen one, nor even seen one advertised for sale.
Do you know how they were sold?
Were they supplied to Bike Shops, for example?
I bet you have lots of tales to tell....
I got plenty of questions to ask you if you have the patience to answer them:)
Thanks for your time and interest anyway.
John.
Click to expand...
 
hi John,
yes they did build Royal Enfields at kirks right up to when i left in 88, at that time the cycle side was going down....far too many imports that were cheaper and in some ways better ( a bit like the BSA story) in the early 80's we were selling 5 speed racing cycles for about £100 trade to the catalouge company freemans, that was trade so you can see where the problem was.
during the early 80's all our frames came from raleigh in nottingham so yes swifts were just royal enfields / ralieghs with a swift badge, but like i said we used to think they were the cheaper end of the scale.....steel brakes instead of alloy(weinmann if my memory serves me right)swifts came with taiwanese (the kirmer range) tyres while the enfields came with good old michelin. so you can see the difference, during the later years all the frames came from taiwan but you could now have black or silver as well as blue or red but the quality was very poor. i have tried to remember were the components for the different models came from but looks like the brain cells are missing but in time, give me a few days and i will find them,
when i started i was earning £21 a week, we were payed weekly and i cash with a hand written payslip, when you could build a 3speed tourist in about 40 mins you could then go onto piece work, so one week my wage was £21 the next week it was £54, when a delivery of frames arrived then it took a whole day to unload, sort and put away a 40 foot container so we were paid ''average earnings'' for that day. i could go on and on but i wouldn't like to bore the pants off people but any questions i would be more than glad to try and answer them.
one last thing like i said earlier it was the best place i have ever worked for, the years 79 - 86 were the best, the boss was a man called mr Lewis (Esmund i think his name was) when he died his son steven took over, a really good bloke, he brought another guy in to help and in my opinion thats when things started to go downhill. the family run side of things stopped and things were not the same, but thats my opinion. one thing that not a lot of people know is that in the office there was a guy called
mr Booth and beleive it or not he was the brother of the guy who used to sing ''when i'm cleaning windows'' and leaning on the lampost'' the name escapes me but i am sure there are people on here who would know. just another snippet but i remember asking him if it was true and he said yes but he never wanted to elaborate. anyway enough for now hope these words are of interest
tony
 
George Formby's real name was James Booth, so yes he could well have been his brother. It was said he (James) called his childhood 'miserable' and ran away from home at an early age.
 
just a thought . i think the guy who used to work at kirks his first name was frank i think. he was an old guy who never smiled, i once remember i got called into his office because i claimed to have fitted an extra pair of dual levers in my log book, i had booked 6 pairs instaed of 5, we got paid an extra 6p per cylcle if we fitted those on account that when we taped the handlebars it was a little more fiddly and time consuming, i remember been scared witless tho after i had come out
 
Tony, I think all your details about working on the production line is fascinating stuff!
It's less than a month ago I asked the question about my old Birmingham Swift.
Nobody, but nobody could tell me anything until I posted it on here!

It's a sad tale in a way because it's telling the story of the decline in the British Cycle Industry.
Swift machines in the 20s were high quality but
couldn't hold on through the depression.
But even so when K&M took over and moved production to Birmingham they were still quality items.

The only difference I can see with mine is that they fitted the ordinary D forks instead of the characteristic fluted Swift type.
I'm wondering now how long they kept these traditional Roadsters in production.
Possibly up to the war, but I've never seen or heard of another example.

Couple more questions here for you:)
How many people worked at the factory. Do you have an idea?
I'm trying to get an idea of the scale of it.
I did some similar research on the Gundle Trade Bike factory in Smith Street and Gt Barr Street and found a picture of the actual production shop and it was tiny!
Were all the components bought in assembled, wheels for example, did they build the wheels there?
Thinking about the 3 speeds here.
Did they come from Raleigh already built?

I'm going to write an article about the Swift story (post 1932ish when K&M took over) for the Veteran Cycle Clubs (V-CC) magazine 'News and Views' and would like your permission to quote your experiences.
Would you mind me doing that?

John.
The George Formby connection is just brilliant!
 
Hi John,
how much detail would you like me to go into :):).
i will have a good think and see if i can get the old brain cells into gear. am a bit short of time today (monday) but am off over the next few days, i have a few pics somewhere....mainly of staff that worked there during 79 - 88, do you have any literature from the company?
one thought i had was this...
the premises were split into to halfs when it was sold/closed down, one side that was used for the new offices and storage was converted into a new cyle warehose (on yer bike own/runs it now) the older part that is now been demolished was the main part of the factory when i was there, if i get the chance over the next few days i can take a trip there and ask the manager if he has anything of interest left over (the case containing the old catalogues is a bit of a long shot but worth an ask) so i will be in touch on that point.
as for using some of my experiences and stuff, that is no problem at all, i am really grateful someone has taken an interest.
tony
 
captblack said:
Hi John,
how much detail would you like me to go into :):).
i will have a good think and see if i can get the old brain cells into gear. am a bit short of time today (monday) but am off over the next few days, i have a few pics somewhere....mainly of staff that worked there during 79 - 88, do you have any literature from the company?
one thought i had was this...
the premises were split into to halfs when it was sold/closed down, one side that was used for the new offices and storage was converted into a new cyle warehose (on yer bike own/runs it now) the older part that is now been demolished was the main part of the factory when i was there, if i get the chance over the next few days i can take a trip there and ask the manager if he has anything of interest left over (the case containing the old catalogues is a bit of a long shot but worth an ask) so i will be in touch on that point.
as for using some of my experiences and stuff, that is no problem at all, i am really grateful someone has taken an interest.
tony
Click to expand...

Hi Tony many thanks for your info.
I'm interested in anything you can remember.
Pics of the period would be very nice.
Do you know when it was actually shut down?
And do you still know any of your old workmates?

I don't have any literature from the Birmingham side but I've been looking for a K&M catalogue.
They do come up on ebay from time to time, but as I said some of the early ones are quite expensive now.
Bit like Brown Brothers catalogues, but they are full of period parts and a valuable reference these days.
It would be so good if you could get your hands on the old cats.
They would have been thrown out probably. But you never know...

I spent a good while yesterday writing up the story so far and I have submitted a raw outline to N&V.
It can be a slow process.

Last week I came across a 1920s Hercules loop-framed roadster and am now investigating the Britannia Works also.
Another Birmingham bicycle manufacturer with little recorded history.
Big as they were it is amazing to me that so little is known apart from catalogues.
John.
 
ok here goes, brain cells into gear :)

the factory was split into two halfs, as you look from the road the left hand side had 3 floors, the top floor was cycle assembly and frame storage,the first floor was warehousing, the ground floor was mainly wheel assembly and storage, the other side of the factory (to the right of the big steel doors in the recent pic) was ground floor ....more storage. the first floor was offices. during the later part i was there the company bought the property next door and converted that into further storage and offices, (this is now been used by on your bike)

the factory closed about 1994ish i think but dont quote me:thumbsdown:

a typical royal enfield 3 speed consisted of

frame........initially raleigh but then taiwanese
wheels.......steell rigida rims and hubs, (sturmey archer)
spokes from aston in birmingham
tyres and tubes.....michelin, with cloth rim tapes
mudguards and chain gueards......spencer(british made !!)
brakes......weinmann (swiss or german i think)
cables.....clarkes from nechells in birmingham
chainwheel and crank........an italian company (cant remember the name)
chain........sedis
pedals......weco.....german i think
handle bars and stems ......again an italian company
saddle.......selle royal s90 Gents or r90 ladies

hope thats of some use, any more questions please ask
tony
 
Sad indeed - I knew that factory well from the outside, it was behind Digbeth Midland Red garage but I didn't know its history. It's a good job that those like you who know the history are recording it before it is lost forever.
 
Sad indeed to see the demolition in progress.
But still nice to see it recorded for posterity.
Thanks for taking the trouble to do it.
Once it's on-line it's there for ever!

I wonder what happened to the signs off of the front?
You can see where they were before removal.
 
Don't know if this is any help, but using the digital earth program with the birds eye option you can get the attached picture. Rea st is running off at bottom right, and the building that was on the corner i(westinghouse rectifiers in the earlier picture) is clearly still there. Therefore the building next to that must be K & M before demolition. Looks a bit ramshackled. Not too bad a picture of the Anchor either.

Mike

Bradford_st.jpg
 
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