Sheffield-Henderson
Sheffield-Henderson were motorcycles produced in Fitzwilliam Street, Sheffield from 1920 to 1923.
Henderson sidecars were made by the Aero works of Fitzwilliam Street.
November 1919. The company announced the Sheffield Henderson Motorcycle, designed by Leonard B. Henderson, who was an aeronautical engineer.
1920 Having previously been well-known for the production of sidecars, the company moved into motorcycle manufacture with a 3hp two-stroke model with their own engine and two-speed chain-cum-belt transmission. It introduced their own design of front fork, with C-spring linking the double tubed girder to the frame head. By late in the year, a 499cc sv Blackburne model had been added, with a three-speed Sturmey-Archer gearbox and all-chain drive and vacuum-operated oiling system for the engine. It was ideally suited to sidecar usage. In a relatively short time the make gained a fantastic reputation in speed events. The machine could be had with a side valve or overhead valve Blackburne engine or a Bradshaw engine. The machine had a three-speed Burman gearbox.
1921 A new model was tried, fitted with the 348cc ohv Blackburne engine.
1922 That new model was catalogued and sold with a guarantee of 70mph/112kmh. There was also a sporting sidecar outfit with a tuned 545cc sv Blackburne engine and streamlined sidecar. In June, the factory even claimed several world records in the 250cc class. Sheffield Henderson must have been one of the very few makes that placed the toolbox under the top tube behind the steering head, a position that obviated a rather unusual tank shape, an early form of saddle tank.
1923 The marque did not survive beyond the end of the year.
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
- The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle by Peter Henshaw. Published 2007. ISBN 978 1 8401 3967 9
- [1] Miscellaneous A-Z Classic and Vintage Motorcycles web site