Crypto Works Co
of Clerkenwell Road, London.
1872 Company established
1884 Crypto Cycle Co listed at 3 Queen Victoria Street, London [1]
1888 February. Stanley Exhibition of Cycles in Westminster. Tricycle with two front wheels and one rear. [2]
1888 April. Company took limited liability to take over Crypto Cycle Company, carried on by William Thomas Shaw. [3]
1890 Jan/Feb. The Stanley Exhibition of Cycles at the Crystal Palace. Tricycle. [4]
1892 Announced the Crypto Geared Ordinary Bicycle
1894 Alfred William Marshall became a manager and a partner. The company made cycles, dynamos, and carried out general engineering work.
1899 William Gilbert James became managing director
1900-1 Lawson 1900-1901 motorcycles were built by the Crypto Works.
1902 The company started to build motorcycles and forecars fitted with Peugeot and MMC engines of various powers. Some of their models had two-speed gearing. Crypto produced motorcycles from 1902 to 1909. [5]
1904 They produced a light model that was well braced, and fitted it with a modified frame and a 2.5hp Peugeot engine. They also had a heavier model with a 3.5hp MMC engine and flat-belt drive. Also on offer was a range of electrical equipment, suitable for the home and garage.
1905 During that year they took over the agency for the Belgian Kelecom range.
1906-1908 They offered singles and twins, plus a 5hp four.
1909 The company went out of production.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ 1884 Business Directory of London
- ↑ The Engineer 1888/02/15 p131
- ↑ The Engineer 1888/04/27 p353
- ↑ The Engineer 1890/02/14 p138
- ↑ The British Motorcycle Directory - Over 1,100 Marques from 1888 - by Roy Bacon and Ken Hallworth. Pub: The Crowood Press 2004 ISBN 1 86126 674 X