Selbach made between about 4000 frames over the 1930s - about 400 a year on average with the greater number in the first half so being generous they may have built 600-700 a year in the early 30s. Saxon were one of the larger builders - they built about 2000 in 1938. Claud Butler never reached these sort of figures pre-war. Bill Gray who was Claud Butler's chief foreman framebuilder in post WWII days and started at Claud's pre-war reckoned that their highest production was in the late 40s/early 50s when their best year was about 2500. Grubb wwas I think of similar size. Hetchins produced about 600 frames a year in the period 1936-39. Bates made about 2000 frames in the period 1936-39 - 600-700 frames a year. But what is important that these are very small fry alongside the likes of Raleigh, BSA, Hercules etc and even the Dayton, Dawes etc who would have been building 5000-10000 frames a year. Of course there were a large number of much smaller builders who built between a handful and a 100 or so a year such as Ferris, F H Scott and a very large number of others. Typical of these might be Stevens of Southgate who built around 100 frames a year pre-war. And I would entirely agree with you that no English builder in the 1930s survived on purely racing frames. Very few pure racing frames were built in the 1930s - most frames built were multi-purpose - ridden to work during the week ridden in the odd time trial or on club runs at weekends and toured on during the annual holiday. Pure touring or racing bikes were the preserve of the few - such as the some of the wealthier CTC members who's bikes were sometimes featured in the CTC Gazette. My research into the bikes of the 30s, 40s and 50s have utilised many sources - Cyclin magazine, CTC Gazette, personal reminscences, interviews with framebuilders, analysis of frame records and company numbering systems and a very extensive collection of period catalogues many of which are copies as they are kept for their information primarily. When researching or writing on a particular make different sources need to be used as catalogues for example frequently contain mistakes or are something a maker wishes to build. Equally oral history oftens needs independent corroboration. I always aim to paint as an accurate a picture as possible but inevitably I have made mistakes and I am always willing to correct my mistakes as members of CR have found.
Hilary Stone, Bristol, England
> From: <vergrandis@tesco.net>
> Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 21:43:11 +0100
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Subject: [CR]Small builders.
>
> I too will stand by what I said, but Claud Butlers, Grubbs ans Selbachs small
> builders you are not serious surely?
> Didn't you once say that Stan Butler was a builder at Bates this is
> historically inaccurate he never built a frame.
> Many members left the old SVCC in disgust at the name change.
> Now regarding touring bikes, from cyclings beginings well into the 1950's
> British cycling was about 70% utility cycling and 30% club cyling and only
> about 10% of club cyclists would have raced regulary. Using these figures you
> just couldn't survive as a builder making purely racing frames they all made
> touring frames and Butler's a small firm you are having a laugh. Ferris,
> Scotts and Sanders were small builders. Finally 25 years puts you back to the
> early 80's so how can you possibly comment on Evans most of these bikes were
> junked before you put an appearance on the scene.
> I am begining to regret all those nice things I said about you.
> Yours fraternally Frank.
>
> Frank Cohen Hoxton UK