Hercules Cycle and Motor Company

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The Hercules Cycle and Motor Company Limited was founded on 9 September 1910[1] in Aston in England.[2]

The name Hercules was chosen for its associations of durability and robustness.

Contents

[edit] History

The company was founded by Sir Edmund Crane and started life in Coventry Street, Birmingham, England, producing 25 bicycles a week.[3]

Within a few months, production had more than doubled, and the company was forced to move to larger premises in Conybere Street, Highgate.

[edit] Growth

In 1923, a third move was made to an ex-Dunlop factory in Rocky Lane, Aston. This became known as Hercules's Britannia Works and grew until it occupied 13 acres, and was the site of the company's offices.[3] Six years later another Dunlop works was acquired, this time less than a mile to the north-west in Long Acre, Nechells, Birmingham. This second site was named Manor Mills.[4]

During this period, Birmingham had been home to a large number of cycle manufacturers, most of which did not prosper. The success of Hercules was attributed to a number of factors, including the name. The production methods used by the company (after 1923, Hercules produced the majority of the components of their bicycles, apart from the inner tubes and tyres) on site. The factories were run using principles of mass-production, allowing the production of more than 1,000 cycles aday (each taking less than 10 minutes).

Hercules also exported a significant percentage of production – by the time Sir Malcolm Campbell was invited to see the three millionth bicycle in 1933, over half the production had been sold sent overseas, earning the country £6 million and letters of congratulation from the King and Prince of Wales.

Production continued and by the end of the thirties, Hercules had produced more than six million bicycles, and could claim to be the biggest manufacturer of cycles in the world.[3]

A third factory was added in the 1950s in Plume Street, Long Acre; a short distance from Manor Mills. By this time, Hercules had become one of the largest businesses in Aston, and helped give the area of its character.[5] To this day, the mascot of Aston Villa football club is Hercules the Lion.

In 1946, Hercules was sold to Tube Investments for £3¼ million. TI had been the main supplier to Hercules, providing the the tubing from which the bicycle frames were made. They combined the company with the Norman, Phillips and Sun brands to form the new British Cycle Corporation. Hercules adopted the slogan 'Wonder Wheels'.

[edit] Sponsorship

In 1952 Eileen Sheridan became involved with Hercules. She broke records for Hercules between 1952 and 1954.[6]

It was also at this time that Derek Buttle, a leading cyclist, approached Hercules about forming a racing team. In 1953 Hercules agreed, and became one of the first British bicycle manufacturers to run a professional road race team. The team raced on the Continent for a couple of years and disbanded in 1955. [7]

[edit] Consolidation and decline

The British cycle industry suffered a severe downturn from this time, and Hercules was badly affected due to its reliance on exports – new tarifs were brought in in the US, and the British Empire started to purchase bicycles produced in Africa and Asia. An 1955 attempt to diversify into moped production was largely unsuccessful. In 1956 Tube Investments made 1,250 employees of the British Cycle Corporation redundant, following deadlock with unions over changed working practices. Many of the workers were from Hercules factories.[8]

As a result, Tube Investments bought the Nottingham-based Raleigh Cycle Company in 1958 to form TI Raleigh Industries. Combined, they controlled 80% of the British bicycle market. Management of the British Cycle Corporation was handed to the Raleigh management, as that company with its greater domestic focus, was larger and better known. Raleigh quickly decided to cut the number of brands, and move to using Raleigh designs and standards. Production was concentrated in Nottingham in 1960, and by 1963 there was little left of a distinctive Hercules.

The original company – still part of Raleigh – was dissolved on 2 December 2003.[2] The company archives are at the National Cycle Archive.[9]

While no longer on the market in the UK, the brand lives on today as part of TI Cycles of India.[10]

[edit] References

  1. ^ British Cycle Corporation, July 1958
  2. ^ a b Company registration 111679: Companies House – http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/
  3. ^ a b c Birmingham Voice, 24 September 2003
  4. ^ Hercules Cycles
  5. ^ Birmingham City Council – History of Aston
  6. ^ "Eileen Sheridan – A Cycling Life" Peter Whitfield, Wychwood Publishing (2006)
  7. ^ Dennis Talbot - ex-professional racing cyclist
  8. ^ Our Century 1950-1975
  9. ^ A Collection-level Description of the National Cycle Archive
  10. ^ TI Cycles
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