On Wednesday, when I was in Redditch, I bought this lovely original bicycle as I’d never seen an Eadie steering head transfer (decal) before. The factory where it was built was in nearby Lodge Rd. The original factory gates (above) are still intact, though the building is now occupied by B&Q.
…Of course, I had to take my new Eadie for a drink at ‘The Royal Enfield’ pub in town!
1898 Eadie Ladies
22″ Frame
28″ Wheels
Fixed wheel with inch pitch chain
Frame No 56118
By 1898, Eadie Fittings had become an important supplier to the cycle trade, with healthy sales in both the home and export market. Many of their components were their own patents, marked with either the Eadie name or that of R.W Smith, director of the company. You can see such patents here – on the head clip, chain, pedals, etc.
Though BSA did not fit Smith’s Patent steering lock until 1899, the patent was registered in 1894: as you can see in the dated advertisement below, it was already being fitted to Eadie’s own bicycles in 1896.
The open fork crown on this bicycle is from 1898 (they introduced an enclosed pattern in 1899). The chainwheel is the 1897 pattern.
EADIE MFG CO
Along with other businessmen, an established cycle manufacturer ‘George Townsend, & Co’ was acquired by Albert Eadie in November 1891. This provided the base for Eadie to start supplying bicycles and components. He obtained the services of Robert Walker Smith, formerly of ‘Daniel Rudge & Co’, where he had been assistant manager. Smith became the works manager and also a director. Production continued at the Townsend premises at Givry Works, Hunt End, Redditch. Townsend’s ‘Ecossais’ name was dropped and the model name ‘Enfield’ was first used from October 1892.
A new factory was laid down in 1896 at Lodge Road and Union Street, Redditch. On 25 June 1896 the company became the ‘New Eadie Manufacting Co. Ltd‘ and continued to make both components and complete machines, primarily for the trade. Eadie also formed the ‘New Enfield Cycle Co. Ltd’ on 1 July 1896.
THE EADIE CYCLES
After absorbing George Townsend, the Eadie Mfg Co had the facilities to establish themselves as cycle manufacturers. As well as selling components as Eadie Mfg Co, they marketed complete machines under their own name (and as Royal Enfield).
Customers could either buy a complete bicycle from the Eadie Mfg Co (as above), or a local builder could buy the components through the trade to create a bespoke machine for a customer. The latter option was cheaper and, as it provided the same top quality parts, it was a much more popular choice, particularly in the export markets where there were often import tariffs on complete bicycles but not on components (to encourage local cycle builders). In the photo below you can see an example of a shop advertising ‘Invincible Cycles’ built of either BSA or Eadie fittings.
SMITHS PATENT STEERING LOCK
On the BSA (example below), the design of the Smith’s Patent steering lock is slightly different, and it just says SMITH’S PATENT.
In the photo below you can see how the lock fits inside the steering head (this is an early 1900s BSA frame).
Here is a copy of Smith’s original patent application in 1894.
EADIE CHAINWHEEL & INCH PITCH CHAIN
THE ROYAL ENFIELD PUB, REDDITCH
EADIE FITTINGS
