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Delivery Bikes

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
I love these. They remind me of my old tricycle, but back-to-front ! Don't remember any deliveries by bike to our house, but perhaps they'd gone out of use by the 1950s.

Today, you can sometimes spot them propped up outside a shop, but not for delivery use, more as as decorative/advertising pieces. Viv.





The Standard Carrier from Alldays 1905
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Alldays 1910 tricycle and carrier models
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And this is the Roundsman from this interesting site https://cyclemaster.wordpress.com/page-57-1956-mercury-hermes-50cc-scooter/
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Badgerys’ the grocers shop on the corner of Station Road and Johnson Road Erdington still ran a delivery service right up until the late 70’s. They may have been one of the last shops doing it. It may have kept them going when the corner shop was falling out of fashion.
 
That's interesting Mort, and at a time when 'do-it-yourself' supermarkets had become fashionable too. I expect for some people it was still a very convenient service, especially where regular orders were concerned.

According to the 1947 Roundsman advert one problem for shopkeepers claims to be: "It is difficult to find youths willing to pedal a loaded bicycle ..."

Viv
 
Yes, I recall the guy in the shop, David, saying it was the older customers who still had delivery’s. I can certainly remember those bikes. The front basket was enormous and heavy.
 
Very surprised to find more manufacturers or 'carrier specialists' such as the companies of Grundle and James. Who remembers the "stop me and buy one" ? Viv.

Pashley at Earl's Court Exhibition in 1948
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There's still evidence of Grundles on the corner of Hockley Street and Barr Street here in post #81
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/ghost-signs.40355/page-5

1949
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The image below was extracted from the Museum of Tradesmen's Delivery Bikes here https://tradesmansbike.wordpress.com/1924-james-carrier-cycle-model-d1/ (Note: it's on online bike museum)
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The stop me and buy ones are popular again. We have one down here, tourists love it and you often see them having their photos take with it. And kids love it. They're also popular for wedding parties too.

I remember them in Cornwall, but don't remember them in Brum in the past. Viv.
 
The one I rode when working for Herbert Pollit's garage was a Gundle and their workshop was just off Great Hampton Street.
I think pictures of the place popped up on here some time ago.
 
This delivery is being made by a young lad on the Wake Green Road (originally posted on the Wake Green Road thread). I think it says 'Boots' on the bike. Possibly Boots the Chemists ? Or is it Books ? Not sure. Viv.

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Yes my younger brother used to ride one of them bikes with the basket on the front for timsons shoe shop on Astoncross
way back in 1960 we used to laugh at him wearing a cow gown as well it was a brown one
 
Anyone have any information on Samuel Stanton’s bikes. He traded in the 1870s and early 80s at 132 Tower St, Aston , Birmingham. He went bankrupt in approx 1883. Any reason why this may have happened.
I know it’s a long shot but it’s amazing what you guys know.

many thanks Thornwood
 
Reported in the Bham Mail 20 Nov 1883 liabilities of £400.

However his bicycle works are mentioned in 1888.

And more details in Bham Mail 2 Oct 1888. Started in partnership with a W Taylor.
 
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Thanks for that MWS, what a speedy reply. I will have to look at Birmingham Mail in Newspaper archive. I presume the prison sentence was for debts but maybe not. Did small businesses get squeezed out as larger ones established?
 
Sorry, the prison sentence (deleted now) was for a different Samuel Stanton.

He seems to have had a good sized business in 1881 - employing 72 men and 92 boys.
 
Oh dear, I quite liked the idea of a criminal in the family! I had seen on the 1881 census about the number of people he employed which is why I hoped there may be some news report on the business going bankrupt and why.
thanks again
 
Not sure what court records are available from that time. He was summoned to the Official Receiver' chambers in 1888.
 
Vivienne14 said:
There may even be evidence of the old Pashley works in Chester Street too. Is this the old works, now an electricity station near the junction with Rocky Lane ? Viv.
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pashley was just around the corner from whitehouse st. i remember the works before it was sold to a hollowware companypashley.pnges
 
When I lived on Hobmoor Road the Butchers (whose name I cannot recall) and the grocery shop Wrenson‘s had delivery bikes with the large basket / frame on the front of the bike ,late on a Friday (the busy delivery night) I and some of my mates would act as’ runners‘ for the delivery boys , and we would then jump on the front of the bike 1 on the saddle, the delivery boy peddling, and 2 of us on the front basket frame. Coming down Hobmoor hill at a rate of knots, the bike had the old rigid bar brakes (and a dynamo rear wheel)
We were young and reckless then and thankfully our bodies more flexible and bounced when we hit the ground.
 
Vivienne14 said:
That's interesting Mort, and at a time when 'do-it-yourself' supermarkets had become fashionable too. I expect for some people it was still a very convenient service, especially where regular orders were concerned.

According to the 1947 Roundsman advert one problem for shopkeepers claims to be: "It is difficult to find youths willing to pedal a loaded bicycle ..."

Viv
Click to expand...
not all youngsters :)1664605241985.png
 
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