Holdsworth
| Industry | Bicycle manufacture and accessories |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Ashlone Cycle Works |
| Founded | 1926 |
| Founder | William Frank "Sandy" Holdsworth |
| Headquarters | London, England |
|
Area served
|
United Kingdom |
| Owner | Planet X Limited |
| Website | holdsworth-bikes |
Holdsworth is a bicycle manufacturer in London, England. It was created by William Frank Holdsworth, known as "Sandy", and is now owned by Planet X Limited Based in Rotherham.
Sandy Holdsworth took over Ashlone Cycle Works at 132 Lower Richmond Rd, Putney, south-west London in 1927. Holdsworth continued to work during the day in his life 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.
Hurlow 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.
Holdsworth bought the business and brands of Freddie Grubb in 1952 from the Grubb family who were still running the cycle business of Freddie Grubb after his demise. After the business of Claud Butler had gone bankrupt, Holdsworth also bought the rights to this brand in 1958. In 1963 the company bought the Macleans brand.
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 division of operation was made clearer when Owen Bryars died in 1958, with the company acquiring his shops which had sold mass-produced Holdsworth bikes, whilst the individual orders were handled by frame-builder Reg Collard at 132 Lower Richmond Road.
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Wikipedia