Wow, Michael Butler, thanks for that incredible billing..I should have appointed you as my agent some years ago,, and perhaps I would have sold more frames. I'm not sure that I can live up to that sort of a CV,, but simply reckon that most folk who hang around a certain neck of the woods long enough and get involved in a trade and any associated sporting activity, must eventually pick up some bits of usual information on the way even if most of it is just nostalgia.. or deja-vu.
Just as you have been down in the south and around the London builders for a number of years, so I have tended to work up in the north and mix with builders such as Bob Jackson, Maurice Woodrup, William Baines, Johnny Mapplebeck, Jack Briggs, Hilton Wrigley, Ron Kitching, Langsett cycles... although I did venture to the south in my "formative years", and actually bought my first Rotrax "La Premiere" from none other than than old acquaintance of yours, Jack Baguley, at 48, The Crossway, in 1951. I always called on him when I had satiated myself sufficiently along the road at Harry Rensch's shop. Later on in the mid-60s I returned to the big city to refresh my welding and brazing skills at the BOC Training Centre on the North Circular Road, Staples Corner, not far from where George(?) Flemming has a shop in the 50s (I think).
Although I have been away from the List..or at least not contributing for some months due to a long visit but barren (ie no Herse, Singers etc) to France followed by a disasterous period of severe technical difficulties due to a bout of equally severe Broadband fever., I have managed, from time to time to read some of the threads on the List.
Of particular interest would be the book dealing with the classic British handbuilt cycle/frame that attracted so many contributions on the List. About three years ago, in a letter to the News and Views magazine, a member of the V-CC suggested that members should start writing down notes on aspects of the lightweight trade, so that the vast stock of knowledge and cycling folk-lore should not be lost. I can only conjecture at the average age of the members of the V-CC, but it must be around 55.. so there is a lot of info stored in the combined memory. I volunteered to deal with builders in and around Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield, York, Sheffield etc, and was amazed at how many builders there had been over a period of fifty years. I still have my notes and would be pleased to contribute what I have written so far.. plus whatever else I can root out, but many of the older end are disappearing these days.
I reckon that the UK-based members of the List could put together a very thorough working document, that could be perused ,refined and added onto by others members.The the "publishers" could take hold of the project.
Norris Lockley.. just packing my bags for another jaunt to France shortly.. Settle. UK