1919 Swift Cheylesmore Lady’s
24″ Frame
28″ Wheels
Frame no D3908.
In 1919, Swift Cycle Co joined the ill-fated Harper-Bean organisation (which made the Bean motor car) and changed its name to Swift of Coventry Ltd, which is the name shown on the steering head transfer of this Cheylesmore. The model illustrated in the 1915 Swift catalogue, below, is the same, so I assume that, like other cycle companies, they carried over their pre-WW1 model range for a few years after the war. Not many Swift catalogues are available, and the 1922 Swift catalogue does not show a Cheylesmore model, which helped me date this Cheylesmore as 1919-1921.
The Cheylesmore is in unrestored original condition, with the much of its box lining, paintwork and transfers (decals) intact. There’s an old John Bull tyre on the rear. It has been in storage for the past 13 years and there is surface rust everywhere. The leather chain case either needs restoring or removing. It’s ready to ride.
1915 SWIFT CATALOGUE EXTRACTS
SWIFT of COVENTRY Ltd
The Coventry Sewing Machine Co. was set up in King Street, Cheylesmore, Coventry, c1859 by James Starley and Josiah Turner to import and market sewing machines from America. Later they manufactured their own sewing machines and changed the name to The Coventry Machinists Co. In 1869 they started to manufacture velocipedes, bicycles, tricycles and quadricycles and became the second largest cycle maker in Great Britain under the name of the Swift Cycle Co. They produced a vast range of these machines, one model being named the “Swift” and another the “Club” as many cycle clubs were being set up at that time.
In 1898 they produced their first motor cycle and a motor tricycle. The first prototype car was made in 1900 which went into production in1901. It had a tubular chassis, a single cylinder de Dion engine and a two-speed back axle. The Swift Motor Co. was formed in 1902 and produced one, two, three and four-cylinder cars, first using proprietary engines up to about 1907 and then those designed by their Works Engineer, William Radford, which were made in their own factory. During the early 1900’s Swift entered their cars in reliability trials and won many gold medals. Up to 1915 several models were produced each year.
During the First World War the factory produced munitions, Renault and Hispano-Suiza aircraft engines, military bicycles and other war equipment. In 1919 the Company joined the ill-fated Harper-Bean organisation and changed its name to Swift of Coventry Ltd. Production was then concentrated on the four-cylinder 10hp and 12hp models which were renowned for their reliability. Although Swifts had their faithful followers, by the late 1920’s their hand-built cars could not compete with the mass-production methods of Morris, Austin, and Ford, whose similar cars sold for only half the price of Swifts. In spite of producing a cheaper 8hp model, the Cadet, with a Coventry Climax engine and a centre-change three-speed gear box in late 1930, this was insufficient to save the Company and the factory closed its doors for the last time in April 1931.
Kirk & Merrifield bought the Swift name in 1933.
[History with thanks to the Swift Club – http://www.theswiftclub.co.uk]
1914 SWIFT CATALOGUE EXTRACTS
