Good afternoon to all list contributors. My name is Charles Bert Kingsbury, known to everyone as Charly. I am 82 years young and started cycling in the early 1930's with the Westway C.C. moved to the Allondon when I started racing but my main interest has always been cycle touring.
I still ride my Higgins tricycle occasionally and my Russ touring bicycle not so often.
My favourite builders were Fred Higgins, Ernie Russ, Ewing & Deans (Granby), Duckett, Buckley Brothers, Selbach, Harrry Rensch, R.O.H and Claud Butler.
I have been wading through the archives regarding welded and bi- laminated constructed frames. I have always referred to welded or fillet brazed frames as lugless which is a far better generic term and one which was in common usage with the British cycling fraternity from the late 1930's through to the 80's.
I especially enjoyed Mike Butler's contributions on this subject with his detailed historic references from the British cycling journals so that you can cross check his statements and accuracy of his assertions.
My recollection of seeing the first lugless frames was at Harry Rensch's Balls Pond Road shop in 1936 and the Butler Massed Start model at the 1937 Earl's Court cycling exhibition. Which if my memory serves me correctly was C.B's first welded (lugless) production model.
Please keep up the good work and I look forward to putting in my twopenn'orth from time to time.
P.S Be very careful in the use of neats foot oil on saddles. This can over soften and ruin a perfectly good seat. There is a product available here in Britain called Dubbin which is wonderful for restoring dried out leather saddles, there is also a product very similar to this available in Germany but I cannot remember its name.
Yours in cycling C.B.K. (Charly Kingsbury) Notting Dale W.10 London UK.