Holdsworth
Encyclopedia
Holdsworth was a bicycle
manufacturer in London
, United Kingdom
. It was created by William Frank Holdsworth, known as Sandy.
Sandy Holdsworth took over Ashlone Cycle Works at 132 Lower Richmond Rd, Putney
, south-west London
in 1927. Holdsworth continued to work in the insurance business and appointed his wife's brother, Owen Bryars, as manager. The shop mechanic, Jack Capeling, made the first Holdsworth frames there around the end of the 1920s, using a shed behind the building.
The company expanded by the end of 1930, it had further premises at 121 Lennard Rd, Beckenham
, Kent
; 185 Markhouse Road, Walthamstow
; and 5 Thesiger Road, Penge
.
Holdsworth's wife, Margaret, came from a family in the clothing business. The clothing background appears relevant because Holdsworth began advertising cycling garments and shoes under the brand name Worthy. The company was better regarded for clothes than for frames until the arrival in 1938 of an established frame-builder, Bill Hurlow.
Harlow arrived at the time of an internal dispute, which led the manager, Owen Bryars, to open a rival shop across the road, and another in Beckenham, south London.
The original company formed a subsidiary, Holdsworthy Factoring, which built W.F. Holdsworth bicycles and wholesaled British-made parts and those it began importing from the continent.
In 1953, Holdsworth appointed a former sailor, Roy Thame, who had worked at a cycle shop in Hemel Hempstead
, Hertfordshire
, where he lived. He worked with the company for more than 50 years and managed the professional team that the company established in the 1960s as well as Great Britain teams in world championships. Thame also served on British Cycling Federation
committees nationally and acted as commissaire
, or chief referee, on domestic multi-day races such as the Tour of the West.
Holdsworth became a national name in British cycling through its catalogue, "Aids to Happy Cycling", later renamed "Bike Rider's Aids", and through its professional team. Holdsworth had rights to import Campagnolo
accessories from Italy and Campagnolo was named as joint sponsor of the team. Its riders included Colin Lewis
, who twice rode in the Tour de France
, and the Tour of Britain
winner Les West (cyclist).
The shop at 132 Lower Richmond Rd, Putney, is still there. After a period selling just low to mid-range mountain and hybrid bikes, it has now tried to resurrect some of the Holdsworth heritage by selling road bikes, including some top end frames (e.g. De Rosa) and recently reintroduced some Holdsworth branded road bikes and clothing.
Roy Thame died aged 85 in 2006.
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
manufacturer in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It was created by William Frank Holdsworth, known as Sandy.
Beginnings
Sandy Holdsworth took over Ashlone Cycle Works at 132 Lower Richmond Rd, Putney
Putney
Putney is a district in south-west London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, south-west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1927. Holdsworth continued to work in the insurance business and appointed his wife's brother, Owen Bryars, as manager. The shop mechanic, Jack Capeling, made the first Holdsworth frames there around the end of the 1920s, using a shed behind the building.
The company expanded by the end of 1930, it had further premises at 121 Lennard Rd, Beckenham
Beckenham
Beckenham is a town in the London Borough of Bromley, England. It is located 8.4 miles south east of Charing Cross and 1.75 miles west of Bromley town...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
; 185 Markhouse Road, Walthamstow
Walthamstow
Walthamstow is a district of northeast London, England, located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is situated north-east of Charing Cross...
; and 5 Thesiger Road, Penge
Penge
Penge is a suburb of London in the London Borough of Bromley. It is located south east of Charing Cross.-History:Penge was once a small town, which was recorded under the name Penceat in a Saxon deed dating from 957...
.
Holdsworth's wife, Margaret, came from a family in the clothing business. The clothing background appears relevant because Holdsworth began advertising cycling garments and shoes under the brand name Worthy. The company was better regarded for clothes than for frames until the arrival in 1938 of an established frame-builder, Bill Hurlow.
Harlow arrived at the time of an internal dispute, which led the manager, Owen Bryars, to open a rival shop across the road, and another in Beckenham, south London.
The original company formed a subsidiary, Holdsworthy Factoring, which built W.F. Holdsworth bicycles and wholesaled British-made parts and those it began importing from the continent.
In 1953, Holdsworth appointed a former sailor, Roy Thame, who had worked at a cycle shop in Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire in the East of England, to the north west of London and part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2001 Census was 81,143 ....
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, where he lived. He worked with the company for more than 50 years and managed the professional team that the company established in the 1960s as well as Great Britain teams in world championships. Thame also served on British Cycling Federation
British Cycling
British Cycling is the national governing body for cycle racing in Great Britain. It administers most competitive cycling in Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man...
committees nationally and acted as commissaire
Commissaire (cycling)
A commissaire is an official in competitive cycling, usually seen with a copy of the racing rules, a stopwatch and a clipboard. Commissaires are similar to judges or referees in other sports — a commissaire is the person in charge of the race and the Chief Commissaire has the power to shut...
, or chief referee, on domestic multi-day races such as the Tour of the West.
Mass market
By the time Sandy Holdsworth died on 28 August 1961, the company had grown too large to build the individual frames that racing cyclists were demanding. The solution was for Holdsworth to sell to the mass market and for a frame-builder, Reg Collard, to make frames to order at 132 Lower Richmond Road. The division of operation was made clearer when Bryars died in 1963. His shop was taken over by Holdsworth, that shop sold mass-produced Holdsworth bikes, whilst the individual orders were handled in the original shop.Holdsworth became a national name in British cycling through its catalogue, "Aids to Happy Cycling", later renamed "Bike Rider's Aids", and through its professional team. Holdsworth had rights to import Campagnolo
Campagnolo
Campagnolo is an Italian manufacturer of high-end bicycle components with headquarters in Vicenza, Italy. The components are organised as groupsets and are a near-complete collection of a bicycle's mechanical parts. Campagnolo's flagship components are the Super Record, Record, and Chorus...
accessories from Italy and Campagnolo was named as joint sponsor of the team. Its riders included Colin Lewis
Colin Lewis
Colin Lewis is an ex-professional racing cyclist. He started racing at 19 and rode the Milk Race in 1960, finishing 7th.- Biography :...
, who twice rode in the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, and the Tour of Britain
Tour of Britain
The Tour of Britain is a cycle race, conducted over several stages, in which participants race from place to place across parts of Great Britain....
winner Les West (cyclist).
Change of ownership
Roy Thame inherited two-thirds of the company when Mrs Holdsworth died. The wholesaling company stayed in her family and so the original business divided. The shops were operated by W.F. Holdsworth and the wholesaling branch became the Holdsworthy Company. A change in cycling tastes from road to mountain bikes, general foreign competition and a sequence of management difficulties led to Holdsworth being bought out. It has changed hands several times and now is owned by Falcon. A new Holdsworth Professional road bike was announced in Jan 2011, using the famous orange and blue colour scheme.The shop at 132 Lower Richmond Rd, Putney, is still there. After a period selling just low to mid-range mountain and hybrid bikes, it has now tried to resurrect some of the Holdsworth heritage by selling road bikes, including some top end frames (e.g. De Rosa) and recently reintroduced some Holdsworth branded road bikes and clothing.
Roy Thame died aged 85 in 2006.