Swift Cycle Co were market leaders in the early years of cycle manufacture, and the company behind Swift – the Coventry Machinists Co – was Britain’s first cycle manufacturer (1869). Swift tricycles were prestigious models. Previously known as the ‘Swift No 1’, an early 1900s Swift Gentlemen’s Tricycle was more than twice the price of a bicycle (though half the price of a motor bicycle) and it is now a rare machine.
1903/ 1904 Swift Royal Gent’s Tricycle (F.W)
Fixed Wheel
25″ Frame
28″ Front wheel
26″ Rear wheels
Swift Rear Axle, manufactured under Starley’s Patent
The Swift ‘Royal Gent’s Tricycle (F.W)’ – denoting fixed wheel rather than freewheel – was listed in the 1904 Swift catalogue at a price of £28 15/- though only the Ranelagh Gent’s Tricycle was illustrated. The company had a large turnover of bicycles – they claimed to have “the largest self-contained cycle factory in the kingdom” with a “capacity for 35,000 cycles per annum.” Even taking into account the ambiguity of that declaration, production of bicycles in the early 1900s was way more than that of tricycles, so presumably illustrations of different models of tricycle did not warrant extra space in an annual cycle catalogue.
I would have assumed this example to be a Ranelagh, as illustrated …but the transfer (decal) on the steering head clearly shows the word ROYAL. The other words on the transfer are ‘Garage, Hayling Island.’ I believe there was once a ‘Royal Garage’ in that Hampshire town, so it was a Swift Royal Tricycle sold appropriately by Royal Garage. Presumably that was why the garage was allowed to add their name to the head transfer, a location usually used only by the manufacturer.
1904 SWIFT CATALOGUE EXTRACTS
1898 SWIFT CATALOGUE
