1871

James Starley

 

 

James Starley (1830-1881), English inventive genius and cycling pioneer who became known as the 'father of the bicycle industry' and a few sewing machines!

 

Born in Albourne, West Sussex, the son of a farmer. From a young age, he was working on the family farm and showing early signs of a great inventive mind by making a rat trap from an umbrella rib and branch of a willow tree. At 15 years old, having decided farming wasn't for him, Starley hits the road for London dreaming of a brighter future.

 

By 1853, Starley was married and settled in Lewisham, working as a handyman and gardener for John Penn, owner of a large engineering works in Greenwich. When fate played a helping hand: He not only fixed, but improved on a then rare and broken sewing machine for Penn's wife. This led him to Joshiah Turner, which led him to earning a living making sewing machines, which in turn would lead him to making Coventry the centre of the bicycle industry.

 

The Penny Farthings bicycle obtained its name

from the penny and farthing coins of the time!

 

Starley believed that he could make and supply a better bike than the velocipede created by Frenchman, Pierre Michaux. Nicknamed the 'Boneshaker'. It was a particularly uncomfortable machine to ride, hence the name, but it was cutting edge for its time. It had a wrought-iron frame and wooden wheels surrounded by tyres made of iron.

 

In 1871, James Starley and William Hillman partner to produce the first true bicycle; the first self-propelled two-wheeler to use pivot-centre steering with ability to turn; and the first all steel bicycle to be massed produced in Britain. It featured much larger front wheels than the back ones. Named the 'Ariel' but has been referred to by several different names over the years such as: Penny Farthing, High-Wheeler, and Ordinary-Bicycle. Which sold for £8 or £12 with speed gear.

 

The idea of the penny-farthing’s large front wheel was to cover a longer distance with each revolution of the pedal. The pedals were directly connected to the driving wheel, making it quite difficult to control the steering. This improved the ability for cycling on more uneven terrains, but added more danger during fall or dismounting.

 

"You don't get down as you would from a horse, you get down as you would from a house afire."

said Mark Twain

 

Starley literally invented the 'differential gear' by accident. He and his son, William, on what would have been known as the 'Honeymoon Sociable', two penny farthings joined together, were unable to control a swerve in the road and careered face first in a dank ditch. Eureka... it was Saturday. At 6am on the Monday the prototype was being made and at 8am Starley was stepping on to the London train to register patent No. 3388,1877.

 

James Starley, although only 51, died a wealthy and respected man in the early summer of 1881. His children carried on with bicycle development and his son William worked with John Kemp Starley, who later produced the Rover safety bicycle and founded the Rover car company.

 

James Starley's inventions are still in use today from the differential gearing, used in almost every moving vehicle, to hollow bicycle tubing and adjustable, alternating, wheel spokes.

 

Not bad for the little farm boy from Sussex who had a dream of a brighter future!

 

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