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Victoria Bicycle Works

F

foolingreens

Guest
My G3 grandfather
Sewing machine and bicycle manufacturer, founded United Steel Wire Mill
Had shops on Steelhouse Lane (126, 145 and 3) and Victoria Road from the 1870's to 1890's.
Trade name was the Sanspareil
Eventually bought out by the company that would become Triumph.
Wife Fanny Elizabeth and children William Richard, Walter Munro, Albert George and Fanny Elizabeth.
Interested in any postcards, pictures or maps showing location of his factory or his sewing machines and cycles
Andy Brockway
 
Would have been helpful...

..if I'd posted his name
William Andrews born 1839
 
Andy....Check out the Kelly's for 1897 to find that William Andrews shop/factory was on the corner of Victoria Road and Rife Cresent....the attach photo shows where the shop/factory was....only two pictures apply to you..top and bottom left, it was taken in 1930....you will need to blow it up a couple of times to obtain a better view.....Now for the spooky part....read the notes attached to the two photo's.....
 
Bizarre

Thanks John
That is bizarre but no relation to my William.
Thanks for the picture. Can you tell me what book it came out of?
Cheers
Andy
 
John are Betts and Ridley the men who killed the night watchman at Taylors of Potters Hill? I believe one of them was hung.
 
Sylvia.....It was William Andrews who was killed....he was the head porter of Taylors....he was attacked by Betts on the 21st July 1930 and died on the 24th....both men were sentence to death....Ridley won his appeal against the death sentence and served life, Betts was hanged on the 3rd of January 1931....he was only 21 years old....

Andy, the pictures come from the book "Murderous Birmingham"
 
Has anyone heard of the Swann Cycle made by Daniel J.Bradley in Hope street Birmingham around 1900
Shelagh
 
Hello there Andy - Have just started to research some family history on behalf of my husband - William Andrews was my husband's Great Grandfather on his Mother's side. Would be really interested in any other details you may have. have traced William and Fanny's marriage and the childrens' births but am struggling with tracking down the actual birth entry of William Andrews himself as we could like to get a copy birth certificate - can't quite tie the dates together. Paul says he has seen the photo of the son's wedding before. I know this is an older thread so I am really crossing my fingers here!! Kind regards Sylvia
 
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