Minstrel and Rea Cycle Co
of Barn Street, Birmingham.
1903 Minstrel Cycle Co was in business.
The company made 3 types of bicycle: the Minstrel (a reference back to the preceding Bard company), the Rea (the name of a local river near the Works) and the Fiscal, a cheaper machine which could also be supplied unbadged so that retailers could apply their own transfers.[1]
1906 Formation of Minstrel and Rea Cycle Co Ltd; directors were George Hands, Mrs F A Hands, A Willow, T R Fletcher, Mrs M Fletcher, A L Stamps and Mrs Agnes Stamps.[2]
By 1908 the company was building a range of motorcycles in Birmingham
1908 The range of cycles included the Dux, Fiscal, Rea, and Minstrel models
Proprietors of the Calthorpe Motor Co; the car-making activity was soon moved to works in Cherrywood Road but the cycle business stayed in Barn Street.
c.1909 Introduced motorcycles, also made in Barn Street
1911 Included the Tourist model in the range of cycles.
1912 of Birmingham[3]
1925 Proprietors of the Calthorpe Motorcycle Co.
1938 At an EGM of the company, the decision was made to wind it up voluntarily; W. M Hands was chairman[4]