Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and
manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 167,717 pages of
information and 247,131 images on early companies, their products and the
people who designed and built them.
Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and
manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of
information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the
people who designed and built them.
'''Bown Manufacturing Co''' of Snow Hill, Birmingham
Bown were motorcycles produced from 1914 to 1923.
1911 The factory was established by [[William Bown]] and the marque is related to [[Motor Transport Co|Aeolus]], [[Aberdale]] and [[Levis]].
1913 According to some sources '''Bown''' was associated with Aeolus motorcycles as early as 1913.
From 1922 to 1924 William Bown assembled small [[Villiers]]-powered machines of 147cc capacity, and also 248cc and 348cc JAP and [[Burney and Blackburne|Blackburne]] powered machines.
1914 The machines were very basic and powered by a 269cc Villiers two-stroke engine with front-mounted magneto ignition. Single or two-speeds were available, both with belt final-drive. Petroil lubrication and [[Druid]] forks were used. A 2hp [[Precision]] engine was available as an option.
1915 That model continued and then all production ceased.
1921 Late that year four models were produced - two two-strokes and two four-strokes. One of the two-strokes was little changed since before the war, with a 269cc Villiers engine and flywheel magneto. The other, listed as a ''Bownian'', was smaller and simpler. Of the four-strokes, one had a 348cc Blackburne engine driving a three-speed gearbox and the other had a 293cc JAP engine and two speeds.
1922 Only the models with Villiers engines were listed.
1923 Just one model, with a 147cc Villiers engine was available. It was to be Bown's last year.
* ''Note:'' Taken over by [[Aberdale]] in the 1930's, '''Bown''' is associated with [[Aberdale]]s from 1946 to 1949 and [[Levis]] from 1950 to 1958. From 1950 to 1958 the '''Bown''' marque was associated with autocycles of 98cc and 123cc with engines by [[Villiers]], and after 1955 they also built [[Sachs]]-powered mopeds.
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'''Bown''' of Tonypandy, Wales
'''Bown''' of Tonypandy, Wales
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1956-1957 The name returned for only two years. It was used for an imported German moped with a 47cc Sachs engine.
1956-1957 The name returned for only two years. It was used for an imported German moped with a 47cc Sachs engine.
==Cycles==
1888 February. Stanley Exhibition of Cycles in Westminster. W. Bown components for cycle manufacture.
Until 1949 they built the autocycle for Aberdale of London, and in that year adopted the Bown name.
1950 Having revised their autocycle design, they used a 99cc Villiers 2F engine with a cradle frame fitted with blade girder forks and enclosing side panels below the petroil tank.
1951 The firm added a small motorcycle to their list. It had a 99cc two-speed Villiers 1F engine, neatly fitted into a frame with duplex downtubes and tubular girder forks.
1952 Those two models were joined by their Tourist Trophy which was fitted with a 122cc Villiers 10D engine and telescopic forks.
1954 Production stopped.
1956-1957 The name returned for only two years. It was used for an imported German moped with a 47cc Sachs engine.
