Calcott Brothers

Calcott was a small English motor vehicle manufacturer[1] from Coventry in Warwickshire[2]. The company began as a bicycle manufacturer in 1886 taking advantage of a boom in the cycling industry at that time[3]. The end of the century brought an end to the cycling boom and the demise of many bicycle manufacturers however Calcott managed to continue production and by 1904 was also building motorcycles[4]. Production switched to automobiles in 1913 of which around 2,500 were made[5]. By the early twenties Calcott was producing 55 cars a week[6] however this was not enough to generate the funds needed for expansion, restricting their automobile manufacturing to a space designed to accommodate bicycle construction[7]. Following the death of chairman James Calcott in 1924 and large financial losses in 1925[8] it was acquired by the Singer automobile company in 1926[2].

References

  1. ^ 1921 Picture of the Calcott factory in operation
  2. ^ a b British Motoring Manufacturers
  3. ^ The Growth and Significance of the Coventry Car Component Industry, 1895-1914 by Brad Beaven
  4. ^ Coventry Transport Museum
  5. ^ National Motoring Museum
  6. ^ A History of the County of Warwick by W.B. Stephens
  7. ^ The motor car industry in Coventry since the 1890's By David Thoms, Tom Donnelly
  8. ^ The motor car industry in Coventry since the 1890's By David Thoms, Tom Donnelly