William Chater-Lea (1860-1927)
1911 Living at Cransley Lodge, Dyke Road Avenue, Patcham, Sussex: William Chater Lea (age 51 born Cransley), Motor Engineer. With his wife Pamela Lea and their two daughters and two sons. Also a visitor Edward Bradford Ware (age 26 born Camberwell), Science Master (Northampton Institute).[1]
1927/28 Obituary [2]
William Chater-Lea was born in 1860 and received his early engineering experience with Linley and Biggs, the makers of the early "Whippet" cycles.
During this period he successfully competed in numerous road events, and in 1890, on leaving the firm, he commenced in business as a manufacturer of cycle parts. From this he developed the famous business of Chater-Lea, which was responsible for numerous special fittings for cycles and motor cycles.
He died as the result of a paralytic stroke on 15th September, 1927, at the age of sixty-eight.
He was elected a Member of the Institution of Automobile Engineers in 1918, and was a Member of the Council for several years up to the time of his death.