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Dunford & Elliott (Dunelt) Bicycles - Early History in Birmingham

Aidan

Aidan

master brummie
I wonder if anyone has some info on when Dunford & Elliott (Dunelt) started making bicycles and bicycle parts in the Birmingham area please? According to the internet https://tradesmansbike.wordpress.com/1939-dunelt-tradesmans-carrier-model-c1/ they seem to have had a location at both Bath St, Snow Hill, Birmingham 4 and Rabone Lane, Smethwick, Birmingham 40 but I have also seen Handsworth mentioned. In the early part of the 1900s several of my family were involved in the cycle industry, I don't know what company (and I know there were many in the area) but thought I'd start with a family name... Any info gratefully received
 
Aidan
There is no mention of them in 1913, but in 1915:
Dunford & Elliot (Sheffield) Ltd ,. Swedish Steel merchants. 159 Gt Charles St
Then in 1921:
DUNFORD & ELLIOTT(SHEFFIELD)L1MITED steel manufacturers 96 to 99 Bath st. T A
" Dunelt;'"T N 881 Central
Here they have taken over the old Humphries & Dawes cycle works (who were there 1913, but no occupant listed 1915)
They are still listed just as steel manufacturers in 1932 and only address is Burlington chambers , 118 New St, so unless they had a factory under another name, they didn’t manufacture cycles then. I do find the Bath St address being an ex cycle works indicative that they may have been involved there.

Don’t know what period you were interested in. do you want me to go nearer today?
Mike
 
Mike - thanks for this. This is consistent with the (little, mostly from the link I posted) info I have gleaned that suggests cycle production (along with Motorcycles) started approx 1919 until they moved back to their roots in Sheffield in approx 1931.

I was actually hoping for earlier dates to tie in with my Surman family working in the Bicycle industry in 1901C (living in Moland Street) & 1911C (Living in the adjacent Legge Street [altho if B2b maybe the same!]). My Gt-grandma Surman married an Elliott, so I jumped at the Elliott part of Dunelt as I have no other clue to go on.

I believe there were quite a number of Bicycle Manufacturers in 1901-1911 period in Birmingham including of course the great BSA, but I think BSA were at Small Heath , 3 miles away - not impossible (and likely I suppose) but am wondering if there is a way to find if there were any Bicycle manufacturers within say a mile of Moland/Legge Street (ie around the current Aston University area)?
 
In case you need something to occupy your time Aidan (!!) here are the cycle manufcaturers (and most of the accessory firms) from kellys in 1903. i hope you can read word ok.
mike
 
Mike - :explode: again that is fantastic , 1) cos it'll keep me busy over a damp B/H 2) I had read that there were "many" bicycle works and this just shows what a craze it was at the time - but out of the few that survived came motorbikes and cars of course.... thanks again
 
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