An Italic model name is a link to that model’s dedicated page.
In 1927 Sandy acquired the Ashlone Cycle Works, 132 Lower Richmond Rd, Putney, London SW15. Jack Capeling (Sandy’s ‘fixtures and fittings’) made the first three Holdsworth frames here, numbered 01, 02, 03, possibly in 1929 but certainly by 1933.
Old Money: Pre decimalisation (15 Feb 1971) there were 12 pennies to a shilling and 20 shillings to a pound. So the price £13-19-6d means 13 pounds, 19 shillings, 6 pence.
1934 Catalogue:
Framesets alone will be supplied, in Reynolds HM tubing, with BSA, Brampton or Holdsworth fittings:
- Chater Lea or BSA £5/15/0
- Brampton £4/17/6
- Holdsworth £3/15/0
The average worker earned c£3/week then.
- Mistral £13/17/6
- Cyclone Path £13/17/6
- Sirocco £13/17/6
- Zephyr £10/10/0
- Stelvio £10/10/0
- Hurricane £9/10/6
- Typhoon £7/17/6
- No.1 Tandem £20
- No.2 Tandem £16/16/0
Holdsworth did not have a stand at the Olympia Show at Earl’s Court 5-10 Nov 1934, however in Cycling 9 Nov 1934 they advertise the Tornado and Double Diamond Tandem for 1935.
Frame production continued in the sheds at the rear of 132 Putney until a production facility was opened at Quill Lane in 1935. Bill Rann joined in 1935 and promptly designed the Tricycle Conversion Set
1936 Models from advert 4 Dec 1935
Cycles
- Tornado
- Stelvio (Touring)
- Cyclone (Road/Path)
- Shawbury
Tandems etc
- No 2
- Putney Race
- Double Diamond
- Tricycle Conversion Set
The Curlew was advertised in March 1936.
1936 Catalogue:
Cycles:
- Olympic
- Tornado
- Zephyr (Ladies)
- Stelvio (Touring)
- Cyclone (Road/Path)
- Curlew
- Upright Typhoon (also as Ladies)
- Shawbury (also as Ladies)
Tandems etc:
- No 2
- Putney Race
- Double Diamond
- Tricycle Conversion Set not mentioned but assumed available
La Quelda , the Cyclonic Tandem and a Solid-Drive Trike were launched during 1936. This Olympia Show advert dated 3 Nov 1936, mentions La Quelda, Cyclone Road-Path, Cyclonic Tandem and Tricycle Conversion Set ready for the 1937 range. The late 1936 sheet (far right) shows a Solid-Drive Tricycle and Abingdon Axle Tricycles were also available.
‘THE BICYCLE’ paper dated 31st March 1937 has an ad for the HOLDSWORTH CYCLONE for £10 10s, apologising for a 3-4 WEEKS WAITING FOR NEW BIKES due to demand.
New Models were normally launched at trade shows, so they do not run to the calendar year. “The main thing was to have something new for the cycle show at Earls Court. So launch dates were set around then” (Charlie Bruce, Holdsworthy 1967-71). Just because a model first appears in a particular catalogue that does not mean none were made in the previous year. The model may have been launched at the trade show in Sept-Nov of the previous year or indeed at any time during that year. cf The Super Rapid(e?) & Milanais(e?) first catalogue appearance was 1939, yet both were advertised in ‘The Bicycle’ on 15 Feb 1938.
22-29 Sept 1937 Earls Court Cycle Show, Holdsworth announced their ‘1938 cycle programme‘, they exhibited 12 cycles and 3 tandems. Models are as per the 1938 cat, except the Middlesboro Velo is not mentioned and a Ladies Typhoon is. The Reynolds Stand has ‘A’, ‘HM’ and ‘531’ tubing. Accles & Pollock display Kromo.
1938 Catalogue:
Cycles:
Tandems:
- Cyclonic (SWB)
- No. 2 Tandem
- Double Diamond
‘The Bicycle’ 15 Feb 1938 has a feature on 4 NEW MODELS for 1938 … LA VARIABLE (with pic ), MODELE TORNADO, TYPHOON and OLYMPIC plus a pic of the CYCLONIC SWB TANDEM and details of FRAMES and other products. There is also an advert for the SUPER RAPID, MILANAIS and LA QUELDA (source ebay ad). The Super Rapid(e?) & Milanais(e?) post-date the printing of the 1938 catalogue, so appear in the 1939 catalogue.
1 Feb 1939 5 new models were advertised: La Quelda Supreme, La Quelda Flyer, La Quelda Club, all steel welded, L’Internationale (Road Race) and Empire Champion Path.
The La Queldas are all the same, it is only the finish that varies.
1939 Catalogue:
Cycles:
- La Quelda Supreme *NEW*
- La Quelda Club *NEW*
- La Quelda Flyer *NEW*
- Empire Champion Path *NEW*
- L’ Internationale *NEW*
- Tornado
- Roi De Velo (Path)
- Middlesbro’ Velo (Track)
- Stelvio Tourist
- Cyclone
- Modele Milanaise *known advertised 15 Feb 38*
- La Variable
- Super Rapide *known advertised 15 Feb 38*
- Upright Typhoon
- Tricycle Conversion Set
Tandems:
- Cyclonic (SWB)
- No. 2 Tandem
- Double Diamond
ID Hint: Pre WW2 all Holdsworths had clip type headsets except L’Internationale. This model was new for 1939 and had the new push-in headset cups. Clip headsets continued to be used immediately after the war. In 1946 they used some pre-war components, but they were soon used up. Bill Hurlow recalls that when he returned in Oct 1946 the first frames he made had clip headsets.
Post WWII La Quelda frames were soon “bronze welded”, now called “fillet brazed”. Top seller from 1947-52 inclusive was the Cyclone.
In 1947 a specialist aluminium welder (Ray Cook) was employed and at least one all aluminium-alloy welded prototype frame was produced using Reynolds Hiduminium tubing.
In the 1940s to 1970s the UK applied a heavy Purchase Tax on new bikes (over 24% in 1949), but this tax did not apply to all components. To reduce the tax, many enthusiasts would buy a frameset, pick their components and do the assembly themselves. So a high end Holdsworth frameset could have any mix of components. However, a Holdsworth frame stockist in UK would probably have offered the Holdsworthy range of components too, so a certain kit similarity could occur. Many US bikes were bought as framesets and built-up.