Norman Tuckwood Downes
1875 Born in Nottingham[1], son of Robert Downes, commercial traveller, and his wife Elizabeth[2]
1891 Draper's apprentice in London[3]
1901 Cycle manufacturer, working on his own account, living in Aston with his parents[4].
1901 Having already been established in the bicycle trade, Downs (sic) entered the powered market at the Stanley Show. A model was exhibited that had a 3.5hp engine mounted above the front wheel driven by belt. Only one machine was sold and all the others were used by staff.
Produced Imperial motorcycles between 1901 and 1903 in Birmingham. The name was later changed by adding New in front of it.
1901 It is also said that he created New Imperial in 1901 but no official record of the earliest company formation has been found. Official records do show the formation of a limited company in 1908, called the New Imperial Cycle Company.
1911 Manager of cycle manufacturer, employer, living in Kings Norton with Mabel Downs 36, Marjorie Elizabeth Downs 7, Joan Mabel Downs 3[5]
1936 Died[6]
See Also
Sources of Information
- 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