Harry John Lawson

Henry John Lawson, also known as Harry Lawson, (1852–1925) was a British bicycle designer, racing cyclist, motor industry pioneer, and fraudster. As part of his attempt to create and control a British motor industry Lawson formed and floated The Daimler Motor Company Limited in London in 1896. It later began manufacture in Coventry. Lawson organised the 1896 Emancipation Day drive now commemorated annually by the London to Brighton car run on the same course.

The son of a brass turner, Lawson designed several types of bicycle in the 1870s. His efforts were described as the "first authentic design of safety bicycle employing chain-drive to the rear wheel which was actually made", and has been ranked alongside John Kemp Starley as an inventor of the modern bicycle.

Lawson saw great opportunities in the creation of a motor car industry in Britain, and sought to enrich himself by garnering important patents and shell companies.

In 1895, as one of many attempts to promote his schemes and lobby Parliament for the elimination of the Red Flag Act, Lawson and Frederick Simms founded the Motor Car Club of Britain.

Lawson and the Motor Car Club organised the first London to Brighton run, the "Emancipation Run", which was held on 14 November 1896 to celebrate the relaxation of the Red Flag Act, which eased the way for the start of the development of the British motor industry.

Lawson attempted to monopolise the British automobile industry through the acquisition of foreign patents. He acquired exclusive British rights to manufacture the De Dion-Bouton and Bollée vehicles. He founded a succession of promotional companies including: the British Motor Syndicate — not to be confused with British Automobile Commercial Syndicate Limited. (BMS was the first of many of Lawson's schemes to collapse in 1897. Lawson also founded the British Motor Company, British Motor Traction Company, The Great Horseless Carriage Company, Motor Manufacturing Company, and of E. J. Pennington, forming the Anglo-American Rapid Vehicle Company. With his one great success, The Daimler Motor Company Limited, he bought in the rights of Gottlieb Daimler though this company too was to be reorganised in 1904. After a succession of business failures the British Motor Syndicate was reorganized and renamed the British Motor Traction Company in 1901, led by Selwyn F. Edge.

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