103-644: The Singer Bantam is a car which was produced by Singer from 1936 to 1939. It was the first model from Singer to have an all-steel body, by Pressed Steel Company . It was offered as a new economy model at the 1935 Motor Show in London , replacing the earlier Singer Nine series. Derived from the Singer Nine , with styling a close copy of the Ford Model Y , it debuted with two models and two trim levels: 2- and 4-door, either Popular or De-Luxe. All four shared
206-586: A 2+2 on the Junior chassis appeared, and the Senior disappeared, while the Six gained a 1,792 cc (109.4 cu in) sidevalve . This was joined by a Super Six , with a 1,921 cc (117.2 cu in) OHV and four-speed manual transmission. This was, said The Autocar , "the most impressive Singer yet" The 8 hp (6.0 kW) 848 cc (51.7 cu in) Junior of 1931, with styling resembling
309-480: A 1,308 cc (79.8 cu in) engine and modernized styling. It was offered in several models, from the £195 four-seat Popular to the £295 Saloon Limousine Del Luxe. At the 1926 London Motor Show, the company debuted the Junior , powered by a 16.5 hp (12.3 kW) OHV 848 cc (51.7 cu in). Priced from £148 10s as a four-seat tourer , it had only rear-wheel brakes to start. A racing 10 set
412-454: A Saxon landowner called Cofa , and a tree which might have marked either the centre or the boundary of the settlement. Around c. AD 700 a Saxon nunnery was founded here by St Osburga , which was later left in ruins by King Canute's invading Danish army in 1016. Leofric, Earl of Mercia and his wife Lady Godiva built on the remains of the nunnery and founded a Benedictine monastery in 1043 dedicated to St Mary. It
515-420: A Tourer model was announced, although few were made and very few survive. The Saloon got an upgrade in 1937 for the 1938 model year. The chassis and suspension were strengthened to take the larger 1074 cc inline-four engine with a stated 30 hp of output, and the brakes were converted to a cable system. The bodyshell remained the same apart from an extra chrome trim strip across the doors and changes to
618-685: A combined annual budget of around £1 billion. In 2021 Coventry became the UK City of Culture . A range of artistic and local history events and projects took place over the next year, including "Coventrypedia" and the creation of the Coventry Atlas local history map. As with the rest of the British Isles and the Midlands, Coventry experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. The nearest Met Office weather station
721-490: A copy right off Singer's stand at the 1912 Olympia Motor Show . Martin gave the car a thorough going-over, improving the engine's power and raising the top speed from 40 to 70 mph (64 to 113 km/h). Martin set up shop in Henniker Mews , Kensington , England, tuning the four-cylinder cars, and did a robust business. This was aided by the motor racing success of Martin's own improved Ten, in particular at
824-477: A dated fixed head. This new 15 used a chassis very similar to the 10's, and had one interesting feature, a retractable luggage rack. In 1924, the 15 was offered with a Weymann fabric body. Sales of the 15 were "modest". The 10's engine was converted to overhead valves in 1923 and monobloc , while the next year, the Ten also got a Waymann body option. The new 10/26 replaced the older 10 in 1924. it offered
927-441: A female passenger, making good time in torrential rain. The first Singer-designed car was the 4-cylinder 2.4-litre 12/14 of 1906. The engine was bought in from Aster . Singer made their first four-wheel car in 1905. It was designed by Scottish engineer Alexander Craig and was a variant of a design he had done for Lea-Francis having a 2-cylinder 1,853 or 2,471 cc (113.1 or 150.8 cu in) engine. The Craig engine
1030-620: A large rear wheel and small front wheels which could be folded aside. and in 1885 with a tricycle, rear wheels driven by chain, which also featured a handbrake (designed by Singer and his associate, R. H. Lea) on the rear axle. In about 1888, Singer introduced the Rational , a diamond-framed model with wheels the same size, each about 30 in (76 cm) diameter. It also offered removable handlebars and removable rear wheel. While safer, its performance suffered. Nevertheless, it proved popular with cycle tourers. In 1895, Singer Cycle faced
1133-551: A large settlement for centuries. Founded in the early Middle Ages , its city status was formally recognised in a charter of 1345. The city is governed by Coventry City Council , and the West Midlands Combined Authority . Formerly part of Warwickshire until 1451, and again from 1842 to 1974, Coventry had a population of 345,324 at the 2021 census, making it the tenth largest city in England and
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#17327869625441236-417: A lower compression ratio and single Solex carburettor . Power transmission was through a three-speed manual gearbox with synchromesh on third gear. Early models were equipped with wire wheels, while the optional easyclene wheels became standard from 1937. A chromed mascot portraying a flying Bantam chicken was mounted on the radiator surround until this was outlawed by new legislation in 1937. For 1937
1339-402: A moving assembly line in their latest acquisition, Singer's offerings were eclipsed by new models from Austin, Morris, and Hillman ; from 1932, these were joined by the new Ford Model Y . The Senior would be redesigned in 1928, with capacity increased to 1,571 cc (95.9 cu in) and an additional crankshaft main bearing added (up from two to three). And, like the Junior and Six,
1442-464: A new range of larger cars introduced. All cars were now White and Poppe powered. Singer experimented with a cyclecar, powered by a transversely-mounted aircooled engine in 1911–12. Instead, the company built a light car, the Ten , which debuted in 1912 with a 10 hp (7.5 kW) 1,096 cc (66.9 cu in) four-cylinder engine; its main drawback was a three-speed transmission built into
1545-403: A particularly severe blow: By 1981, Coventry was in an economic crisis, with one in six of its residents unemployed. By 1982, the number of British Leyland employees in the city had fallen from 27,000 at its height, to just 8,000. Other Coventry industrial giants such as the tool manufacturer Alfred Herbert also collapsed during this time. In the late-1970s and early-1980s, Coventry also became
1648-561: A scale) and in 1962 Sir Basil Spence 's much-celebrated new St Michael's Cathedral (incorporating one of the world's largest tapestries) was consecrated. Its prefabricated steel spire (flèche) was lowered into place by helicopter. Further housing developments in the private and public sector took place after the Second World War, partly to accommodate the growing population of the city and also to replace condemned and bomb damaged properties. Several new suburbs were constructed in
1751-460: A side-valve it sounds and feels efficient. The change speed lever was a little stiff and vague in action. A slight pause is necessary when changing gear to allow the synchromesh to do its job. The brakes proved effective though they pulled towards the nearside. The driver's position is excellent. "The accelerator might be cranked a little more to the right for the benefit of a large and heavy-footed driver". A comfortable top speed (in poor gusty weather)
1854-462: A spoked aluminium wheel, known as a motorwheel . It was a 222 cc (13.5 cu in) four-stroke designed by former Beeston employees Edwin Perks and Frank Birch. A unique feature was that the engine, fuel tank, carburettor and low-tension magneto were all housed in a two-sided cast alloy spoked wheel. It was probably the first motor bicycle to be provided with magneto ignition. It was perhaps
1957-502: A while, this caused a devastating slump in Coventry's economy. A second wave of industrialisation, however, began soon after. Coventry's pool of highly skilled workers attracted James Starley , who set up a company producing sewing machines in Coventry in 1861. Within a decade, he became interested in bicycles , and developed the penny-farthing design in 1870. His company soon began producing these bicycles, and Coventry soon became
2060-402: A £600,000 "floatation by that egregious company promoter" Terah Hooley , but survived. It also weathered an industry slump in 1898 that wiped out many British bicycle makers. Singer Cycle Company began producing motor cars in 1901. Singer Cycle began motor vehicle production in 1901, purchasing the manufacturing rights to the Perks & Birch Motor Wheel, a one-cylinder engine contained in
2163-492: Is 19 miles (31 km) east-south-east of Birmingham , 24 miles (39 km) south-west of Leicester, 10 miles (16 km) north of Warwick and 94 miles (151 km) north-west of London . Coventry is also the most central city in England, being only 12 miles (19 km) south-west of the country's geographical centre in Leicestershire . Coventry became an important and wealthy city of national importance during
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#17327869625442266-654: Is Coundon/Coventry Bablake. Temperature extremes recorded in Coventry range from −18.2 °C (−0.8 °F) in February 1947, to 38.9 °C (102.0 °F) in July 2022. The lowest temperature reading of recent years was −10.8 °C (12.6 °F) during December 2010. Coventry forms the largest part of the Coventry and Bedworth Urban Area . The city proper covers an area of almost 100 km (39 sq mi). The protected West Midlands Green Belt , which surrounds
2369-539: Is known as the Lunt Fort . The fort was probably constructed around AD 60 in connection with the Boudican revolt , and then inhabited sporadically until around 280 AD. The origins of the present settlement are obscure, but Coventry probably began as an Anglo-Saxon settlement. Although there are various theories of the origin of the name, the most widely accepted is that it was derived from Cofa's tree ; derived from
2472-618: Is now occupied by Singer Hall, a hall of residence for Coventry University . The main models produced were: e. & o.e. capacity stroke Coventry Coventry ( / ˈ k ɒ v ən t r i / KOV -ən-tree or rarely / ˈ k ʌ v -/ KUV - ) is a cathedral city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands county, in England , on the River Sherbourne . Coventry had been
2575-481: Is thought likely that the idiom " sent to Coventry ", meaning to ostracise someone, derived from this period, owing to the often hostile attitude displayed towards the prisoners by the city folk. Following the restoration of the monarchy , as punishment for the support given to the Parliamentarians, King Charles II ordered that the city's walls be slighted (damaged and made useless as defences) which
2678-583: The Aston Clinton hillclimb . The Ten would also be sold by William Rootes , former Singer apprentice turned dealer. On 11 July 1914, Beatrice Blore drove a Singer Ten car up the cable track (with a gradient of 1 in 3 in places) of the Great Orme , in Llandudno , North Wales , becoming the first woman to drive up the steep and challenging headland. She was six months pregnant at the time and
2781-511: The Brooklands lap record in 1921 at 74.42 mph (119.77 km/h). Meanwhile, the 10/26 became the 1,308 cc (79.8 cu in)-engined Senior , joined by the new Six , powered by a 1,776 cc (108.4 cu in) inline six based on the 10/26's and four-wheel servo-assisted brakes from Clayton Dewandre . The same year, Singer took over Calcott Brothers . In the 1920s, Singer sales climbed steadily, By 1928, Singer
2884-798: The Coventry Gazette and Birmingham Chronicle , first published in 1757; the Coventry Herald, first published in 1808; the Coventry Observer, first published in 1827; and the Coventry Advertiser , first published in 1852. The ribbon weaving and clock industries both rapidly collapsed after 1860, due to cheap imports following the Cobden–Chevalier free trade treaty , which flooded the market with cheaper French silks, and Swiss Made clocks and watches. For
2987-703: The English Civil War Coventry became a bastion of the Parliamentarians : In August 1642, a Royalist force led by King Charles I attacked Coventry. After a two-day battle, however, the attackers were unable to breach the city walls, and the city's garrison and townspeople successfully repelled the attack, forcing the King's forces to withdraw. During the Second Civil War many Scottish Royalist prisoners were held in Coventry; it
3090-531: The Great War. Approximately 35,000 men from Coventry and Warwickshire served during the First World War , so most of the skilled factory workers were women drafted from all over the country. Due to the importance of war production in Coventry it was a target for German zeppelin attacks and defensive anti-aircraft guns were established at Keresley and Wyken Grange to protect the city. In June 1921,
3193-642: The Middle Ages . Later it became an important industrial centre, becoming home to a large bicycle industry in the 19th century. In the 20th century, it became a major centre of the British motor industry ; this made it a target for German air raids during the Second World War , and in November 1940, much of the historic city centre was destroyed by a large air raid . The city was rebuilt after
Singer Bantam - Misplaced Pages Continue
3296-511: The Peugeot factory at Ryton-on-Dunsmore in 2006, ended volume car manufacture in Coventry. By 2008, only one motor manufacturing plant was operational, that of LTI Ltd, producing the popular TX4 taxi cabs. On 17 March 2010 LTI announced they would no longer be producing bodies and chassis in Coventry, instead producing them in China and shipping them in for final assembly in Coventry. Since
3399-560: The War Memorial Park was opened on the former Styvechale Common to commemorate the 2587 soldiers from the city who lost their lives in the war. The War Memorial was designed by Thomas Francis Tickner and is a Grade II* building. It was unveiled by Earl Haig in 1927, with a room called the Chamber of Silence inside the monument holding the roll of honour. Soldiers who lost their lives in recent conflicts have been added to
3502-567: The Wars of the Roses , the Royal Court was moved to Coventry by Margaret of Anjou , the wife of Henry VI , as she believed that London had become too unsafe. On several occasions between 1456 and 1459 parliament was held in Coventry, including the so-called Parliament of Devils . For a while Coventry served as the effective seat of government, but this would come to an end in 1461 when Edward IV
3605-436: The doom painting at Holy Trinity Church which features Christ in judgement, figures of the resurrected, and contrasting images of Heaven and Hell. By the 13th century, Coventry had become an important centre of the cloth trade, especially blue cloth dyed with woad and known as Coventry blue . Throughout the Middle Ages , it was one of the largest and most important cities in England, which at its Medieval height in
3708-557: The 13th largest in the United Kingdom. It is the second largest city in the West Midlands region , after Birmingham , from which it is separated by an area of green belt known as the Meriden Gap ; it is the third largest in the wider Midlands after Birmingham and Leicester . The city is part of a larger conurbation known as the Coventry and Bedworth Urban Area , which in 2021 had a population of 389,603. Coventry
3811-635: The 1850s, Coventry had overshadowed its rivals to become the main centre of British watch and clock manufacture, which by that time employed around 2,000 people. The watch and clock industry produced a pool of highly skilled craftsmen, who specialised in producing precision components, and the Coventry Watchmakers' Association was founded in 1858. As the city prospered industrially in the 18th and early 19th centuries, several Coventry newspapers were founded. These include Jopson's Coventry Mercury, first issued by James Jopson of Hay Lane in 1741;
3914-475: The 1935 Ulster Tourist Trophy , where all three wrecked, all from the same cause (steering failure) and all, incredibly, at the same spot. All the drivers literally walked away unscathed, but Singer's reputation in racing was beyond repair. In summer 1934, the Eleven was launched and was very innovative in its class by including the clutch-less "Fluidrive" Fluid coupling and Independent front suspension , and
4017-465: The 1980s, Coventry has recovered, with its economy diversifying into services, with engineering ceasing to be a mass employer, what remains of manufacturing in the city is driven by smaller more specialist firms. By the 2010s the biggest drivers of Coventry's economy had become its two large universities; the University of Warwick and Coventry University , which between them, had 60,000 students, and
4120-554: The Bishops of Coventry and Lichfield, or Lichfield and Coventry (from 1102 to 1541), and in the medieval period Coventry was a major centre of pilgrimage of religion. The Benedictines , Carthusians , Carmelites and Franciscans all had religious houses in the city of Coventry. The Carthusian Priory of St Anne was built between 1381 and 1410 with royal patronage from King Richard II and his queen Anne of Bohemia Coventry has some surviving religious artworks from this time, such as
4223-595: The Black Prince . In 1451 Coventry became a county in its own right , a status it retained until 1842, when it was reincorporated into Warwickshire . Coventry's importance during the Middle Ages was such, that on a two occasions a national Parliament was held there, as well as a number of Great Councils . In 1404, King Henry IV summoned a parliament in Coventry as he needed money to fight rebellion, which wealthy cities such as Coventry lent to him. During
Singer Bantam - Misplaced Pages Continue
4326-626: The First World War. The Singer brand was absorbed into their Rootes Group which had been an enthusiastic exponent of badge engineering since the early 1930s. The next Singer car, the Gazelle , was a more up-market Hillman Minx . which retained the pre-war designed Singer OHV engine for the I and II versions until 1958, when the IIA was given the Minx pushrod engine. The Vogue, which ran alongside
4429-512: The Ford Model Y (a popular subject for copying), with two-bearing crankshafts and a 972 cc (59.3 cu in) engine; this, and its high £127 pricetag, made it uncompetitive. It had a two-bearing crankshaft and was the first Singer with a synchromesh gearbox, albeit with only three forward gears. Continuing decline in sales led to financial trouble, and Singer attempted to cut costs, such as by switching back to mechanical brakes on
4532-686: The Hunter in 1954; the high-priced Hunter was equally in vain. (Though specified with an optional HRG-designed DOHC engine, this was likely never sold. ) In the December 2011 edition of Automobile Magazine , a 1954 SM1500 was compared to an MG TD , finding the Singer the superior roadster. By 1955, the business was in financial difficulties and the Rootes Brothers bought it the following year. They had first handled Singer sales just before
4635-536: The Lockheed system. There is also a hand lever fitted with a sensibly shaped trigger to control the back brakes. The springs front and back are half-elliptical with oilite bearings and double-action hydraulic shock absorbers. The rear suspension like the frame passes below the axle. Steering is by worm and nut in a box held by a bracket to the frame. The Times' correspondent reported that the engine pulls strongly and quickly lifts vehicle speed. Though not as quiet as
4738-623: The Minx/Gazelle from 1961, was based on the Hillman Super Minx with differing front end styling and more luxurious trim. After 1958, all Singer products were mere badge-engineered models. By 1970, Rootes were themselves struggling financially. They had been acquired by the American Chrysler corporation, and founder (by then Sir) William Rootes had died in 1964. In April 1970, as part of a rationalisation process,
4841-540: The Nine in 1939. In May 1936, W. E. Bullock, who had been managing director from 1919 together with his son, general manager from 1931, resigned following criticism from the shareholders at their annual general meeting. No longer viable, Singer & Co Limited was dissolved in December 1936 and what had been its business was transferred to a new company, Singer Motors Limited. In 1938, the three-bearing 9 hp (6.7 kW) OHC engine of 1,074 cc (65.5 cu in)
4944-534: The Ten and Twelve saloons all returned to production with little change. In 1948, Singer's first streamlined car appeared, the SM1500 (designed by Technical Director Shorter ), which featured coil spring IFS. and a separate chassis, still using the SOHC 1500cc engin; It was, however, expensive, at £799, and hopes it would save the company proved in vain. The SM1500 was given a traditional radiator grille and renamed
5047-675: The arts benefited. A new sports centre, with one of the few Olympic standard swimming pools in the UK, was constructed and Coventry City Football Club reached the First Division of English Football. The Belgrade Theatre (named in recognition of a gift of timber from the Yugoslavian capital city ) was also constructed along with the Herbert Art Gallery . Coventry's pedestrianised Precinct shopping area came into its own and
5150-659: The bonnet louvres. Many Bantams survive in Australia and New Zealand . Singer exported these vehicles as rolling chassis with complete powertrain . They were mainly bodied by the Flood company in Australia as tourers and roadsters, and this seems to have prompted the development of the roadster model by Singer in 1939, based on the Bantam chassis and engine. The four-wheel brakes are operated hydraulically. They are designed on
5253-399: The cathedral tower The spire of the ruined cathedral forms one of the "three spires" which have dominated the city skyline since the 14th century, the others being those of Christ Church (of which only the spire survives) and Holy Trinity Church (which is still in use). St Michael's Cathedral is Coventry's best-known landmark and visitor attraction. The 14th century church
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#17327869625445356-726: The centre of the Two-tone musical phenomena. The two-tone style was multi-racial, derived from the traditional Jamaican music genres of ska , reggae and rocksteady combined with elements of punk rock and new wave . Bands considered part of the genre include the Specials , the Selecter , Madness , the Beat , Bad Manners , the Bodysnatchers and Akrylykz . Most famously the Specials 1981 UK no.1 hit ' Ghost Town ' reflected
5459-545: The centre of the British bicycle industry. Further innovation came from Starley's nephew, John Kemp Starley , who developed the Rover safety bicycle , the first true modern bicycle with two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive in 1885. By the 1890s Coventry had the largest bicycle industry in the world, with numerous manufacturers, however bicycle manufacture went into steady decline from then on, and ended entirely in 1959, when
5562-525: The city a connection to the growing national canal network. Nevertheless, during the 18th century, Coventry lost its status as the Midlands' most important city to nearby Birmingham , which overtook Coventry in size. During the same period, Coventry became one of the three main British centres of watch and clock manufacture and ranked alongside Prescot , in Lancashire and Clerkenwell in London. By
5665-515: The city centre and to Coventry's historic cathedral , leaving only a shell and the spire. More than 4,000 houses were damaged or destroyed, along with around three quarters of the city's industrial plants. Between 380 and 554 people were killed, with thousands injured and homeless. Aside from London, Hull and Plymouth , Coventry suffered more damage than any other British city during the Luftwaffe attacks, with huge firestorms devastating most of
5768-482: The city centre, the University of Warwick on the southern outskirts and the smaller private Arden University with its headquarters close to Coventry Airport . In addition, Coventry was awarded UK City of Culture for 2021. The Romans founded a large fort on the outskirts of what is now Coventry at Baginton , next to the River Sowe , it has been excavated and partially reconstructed in modern times and
5871-532: The city centre. The city was probably targeted owing to its high concentration of armaments, munitions, aircraft and aero-engine plants which contributed greatly to the British war effort, although there have been claims that Hitler launched the attack as revenge for the bombing of Munich by the RAF six days before the Coventry Blitz and chose the Midlands city because its medieval heart was regarded as one of
5974-429: The city on all sides, has prevented the expansion of the city into both the administrative county of Warwickshire and the metropolitan borough of Solihull (the Meriden Gap ), and has helped to prevent the coalescence of the city with surrounding towns such as Kenilworth , Nuneaton , Leamington Spa , Warwick and Rugby as well as the large village of Balsall Common . Panoramic views of Coventry City Centre from
6077-412: The city was badly hit by Henry VIII 's dissolution of the monasteries . Between 1539 and 1542, monasteries, priories and other properties belonging to the Carmelites , Greyfriars , Benedictines and Carthusians , were either sold off or dismantled. The greatest loss to the city was of Coventry's first Cathedral, St Mary's Priory and Cathedral which was mostly demolished, leaving only ruins, making it
6180-444: The city, starting in the 1930s and being completed in 1940, helped deliver more urban areas to the city on previously rural land. In the 1910s plans were created to redevelop Coventry's narrow streets and by the 1930s the plans were put into action with Coventry's medieval street of Butcher Row being demolished. even before the war, the plans had been put in place to destroy the medieval character of Coventry. The London Road Cemetery
6283-425: The drive was a publicity stunt developed by her partner George Wilkin Browne to help sell the cars at his Llandudno garage, North Wales Silver Motors. The cars were advertised for sale for £195. Production was suspended for the First World War , then resumed afterward. Except for detail changes, the engine remained the same until the Ten ended production in 1923; the chassis was redesigned in 1921. The two-seater
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#17327869625446386-537: The early 15th century had a population of up to 10,000, making it the most important city in the Midlands , and possibly the fourth largest in England behind London , York and Bristol . Reflecting its importance, in around 1355, work began on a defensive city wall , which, when finally finished around 175 years later in 1530, measured 2.25 miles (3.62 km) long, at least 12 feet (3.7 m) high, and up to 9 feet (2.7 m) thick, it had two towers and twelve gatehouses. Coventry's city walls were described as one of
6489-427: The entire first year's supply. It became a best-seller. Ultimately, Singer's business was acquired by his Rootes Group in 1956, which continued the brand until 1970, a few years following Rootes' acquisition by the American Chrysler corporation. George Singer began his bicycle-making business in Coventry in 1874. At the time, he was foreman of the Coventry Sewing Machine Company , from which he resigned. He
6592-460: The finest in Britain. Following the raids, the majority of Coventry's historic buildings were demolished by a council who saw no need of them in a modern city, although some of them could have been repaired and some of those demolished were unaffected by the bombing. In the post-war years Coventry was largely rebuilt under the general direction of the Gibson Plan , gaining a new pedestrianised shopping precinct (the first of its kind in Europe on such
6695-491: The growth of the car industry attracting workers, Coventry's population doubled between 1901 and 1911. For most of the early-20th century, Coventry's economy boomed; in the 1930s, a decade otherwise known for its economic slump , Coventry was noted for its affluence. In 1937 Coventry topped a national purchasing power index, designed to calculate the purchasing power of the public. Many Coventry factories switched production to military vehicles, armaments and ammunitions during
6798-416: The large influx of workers who came to work in the city's booming factories. The areas which were expanded or created in this development included Radford , Coundon , Canley , Cheylesmore and Stoke Heath . As the population grew, the city boundaries underwent several expansions, in 1890, 1928, 1931 and 1965, and between 1931 and 1940 the city grew by 36%. The development of a southern by-pass around
6901-424: The last Singer rolled off the assembly line, almost 100 years after George Singer built the first cycle. The last car to carry the Singer name was an upmarket version of the rear engined Hillman Imp called the Chamois. With the take over of Rootes by Chrysler begun in 1964 and completed in 1967, many of the brands were set to vanish and use of the Singer name ended in 1970. The site of the Singer factory in Coventry
7004-593: The last bicycle manufacturer in the city relocated. By the late-1890s, bicycle manufacture began to evolve into motor manufacture. The first motor car was made in Coventry in 1897, by the Daimler Company . Before long Coventry became established as one of the major centres of the British motor industry . In the early-to-mid 20th century, a number of famous names in the British motor industry became established in Coventry, including Alvis , Armstrong Siddeley , Daimler , Humber , Jaguar , Riley , Rootes , Rover , Singer , Standard , Swift and Triumph . Thanks to
7107-439: The monks from the adjacent priory of Saint Mary in 1144, and converted it into a fortress from which he waged a battle against the castle which was held by the Earl. Marmion perished in the battle. It was demolished in the late 12th century. St Mary's Guildhall was built on part of the site. It is assumed the name "Broadgate" comes from the area around the castle gates. The Bishops of Lichfield were often referred to as
7210-595: The name was changed to Singer 9 Roadster series 4A to herald the introduction of a four-speed transmission, but the model continued to be built in 1.1 litre form until 1953 and in 1½-litre form as Singer SM Roadster until 1955. Singer Motors Singer Motors Limited was a British motor vehicle manufacturing business, originally a bicycle manufacturer founded as Singer & Co by George Singer , in 1874 in Coventry , England. Singer & Co's bicycle manufacture continued. From 1901 George Singer's Singer Motor Co made cars and commercial vehicles. Singer Motor Co
7313-492: The new Sports Nine Sports , which made its debut at the London Motor Show that same year; it featured a two-bearing crankshaft engine of 972cc, which gave the car its name. Owing to manufacturing difficulties of the new bodywork, the "9" engine was fitted to a number of Junior chassis' as a stopgap until the production cars were ready, which gave rise to the incredibly rare "Junior-Nine". The production numbers are unknown, and only 8 are known to have survived. And in 1933, The Nine
7416-549: The only English Cathedral to be destroyed during the dissolution. Coventry would not have another Cathedral until 1918, when the parish church of St Michael was elevated to Cathedral status, and it was itself destroyed by enemy bombing in 1940. Coventry therefore has had the misfortune of losing its Cathedral twice in its history. William Shakespeare , from nearby Stratford-upon-Avon , may have witnessed plays in Coventry during his boyhood or 'teens', and these may have influenced how his plays, such as Hamlet , came about. During
7519-471: The only motorcycle engine of its era with reliable ignition. These were fitted to bicycles. The design was used by Singer & Co in the rear wheel and then the front wheel of a trike. In 1904, he developed a range of more conventional motorcycles which included 346 cc two strokes and, from 1911, side-valve models of 299 cc and 535 cc. In 1913 Singer & Co offered an open-frame ladies model. Singer & Co stopped building motorcycles at
7622-476: The outbreak of the First World War . In 1909, Singer & Co built a series of racers and roadsters and entered several bikes in races, including the Isle of Man Senior TT in 1914. George E. Stanley broke the one-hour record at Brooklands race track on a Singer motorcycle in 1912, becoming the first ever rider of a 350 cc motorcycle to cover over 60 miles (97 km) in an hour. Singer's first tricar
7725-411: The post-war period, including Tile Hill , Wood End , and Stoke Aldermoor . Coventry's motor industry boomed during the 1950s and 1960s and Coventry enjoyed a 'golden age'. In 1960 over 81,000 people were employed in the production of motor vehicles, tractors and aircraft in Coventry. During this period the disposable income of Coventrians was amongst the highest in the country and both the sports and
7828-525: The rear axle. The Ten was the company's first big seller. The same year, two years after George Singer's death, the "bicycle wheel" radiator emblem was deleted. That year's primary product was a 16/20, powered by a White & Poppe engine. The use of their own power plants spread through the range until by the outbreak of the First World War all models except the low-volume 3.3-litre 20 hp were so equipped. The Ten's performance attracted interest from former racing cyclist Lionel Martin , who bought
7931-401: The roll of honour over the years. With many of the city's older properties becoming increasingly unfit for habitation, the first council houses were let to their tenants in 1917. With Coventry's industrial base continuing to soar after the end of the Great War in 1918, numerous private and council housing developments took place across the city in the 1920s and 1930s to provide housing for
8034-566: The same basic bodyshell but, whereas the De-Luxe models had a sliding sunroof , the Popular version had a fixed panel in the roof. Other features of the De-Luxe model were leather seats, chrome bumpers, and a rear luggage rack. The Bantam re-used many existing components from the Singer parts bin. It used the Le Mans ' underslung chassis and 972 cc overhead cam engine, although with
8137-469: The time of the Norman Conquest in 1066, Coventry was probably a modest sized town of around 1,200 inhabitants, and its own minster church. Coventry Castle was a motte and bailey castle in the city. It was built in the early 12th century by Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester . Its first known use was during The Anarchy when Robert Marmion , a supporter of King Stephen , expelled
8240-522: The top of the price range was the £480 Charles Frederick ‘C F’ Beauvais-designed Kaye Don saloon, built on the Silent-Six platform. Hydraulic brakes were standard, except for the Kaye Don, which relied on servo-boosted Dewandre brakes. A sliding sunshine roof was also available. In 1932, Leo J. Shorter became chief engineer (by 1940, technical director ). He and two other designers created
8343-486: The top-priced saloon and a "waterfall" grille, which lent the car its common name. The range continued in a very complex manner using developments of the ohc Junior engine, with an 848 cc (51.7 cu in), the Ten, the sidevalve 1,476 cc (90.1 cu in) 12/6, the sidevalve 18/6 (now 2,041 cc (124.5 cu in)), and the OHV Silent-Six (now 2,180 cc (133 cu in)). At
8446-506: The track was increased. One other model was a fabric-bodied convertible saloon , the Sun . The redesign left Singer with a few hundred older chassis, which the company bodied and sold as Deliverys , at £180. Toward the end of the year, a privateer ran a two-seat Junior up Porlock Hill one hundred times in fifteen hours, which moved Singer to rename that model the Porlock. In 1929,
8549-608: The unemployment and desolation of Coventry at the time. Some motor manufacturing continued into the early 21st century: The research and design headquarters of Jaguar Cars is in the city at their Whitley plant and although vehicle assembly ceased at the Browns Lane plant in 2004, Jaguar's head office returned to the city in 2011, and is also sited in Whitley. Jaguar is owned by the Indian company, Tata Motors . The closure of
8652-530: The very first in Coventry—was opened on Eagle Street to serve the city's growing Pakistani community. The 1970s, however, saw a decline in the British motor industry and Coventry suffered particularly badly, especially towards the end of that decade. By the 1970s, most of Coventry's motor companies had been absorbed and rationalised into larger companies, such as British Leyland and Chrysler which subsequently collapsed. The early 1980s recession dealt Coventry
8755-412: The war, and the motor industry thrived until the mid-1970s. However, by the late-1970s/early-1980s, Coventry was in an economic crisis, with one of the country's highest levels of unemployment due to major plant closures and the collapse of the respective local supply-chain. In recent years, it has seen regeneration and an increase in population. The city also has three universities: Coventry University in
8858-479: The wonders of the late Middle Ages. Today, Swanswell Gate and Cook Street Gate are the only surviving gatehouses and they stand in the city centre framed by Lady Herbert's Garden . Coventry claimed the status of a city by ancient prescriptive usage , and was granted a charter of incorporation and coat of arms by King Edward III in 1345. The motto " Camera Principis " (the Prince's Chamber) refers to Edward,
8961-524: Was 60 mph (97 km/h). Tom Brady won the 1939 Australian Stock Car Road Championship driving a Singer Bantam. In 1939 Singer decided that they needed a more comfortable, but still sporting model in their lineup. Thus, the open four-seater Nine Roadster appeared 6 March 1939 with a lightly tuned version of the larger 1074 cc overhead camshaft engine already seen in the Bantam Nine, as well as that car's three-speed gearbox. In September 1949
9064-428: Was Britain's third largest car maker after Austin and Morris . Singer, restricted by a built-in site, acquired other companies for factory space. In 1926, they made 9,000 cars. In 1929, with seven factories and 8,000 employees, they produced 28,000 cars, though having just 15% they trailed far behind Austin and Morris which shared 60% of the market. Hampered by their new acquisitions, the cost of new machinery and
9167-579: Was also offered with "aerodynamic" Airstream coachwork ; the name was given independent of the Chrysler . Independent front suspension was added to the Nine in 1935, while the larger models got Fluidrive transmissions. The new two litre Sixteen debuted that year as well, also with IFS. The Nine became the Bantam in 1935, which also debuted at the London Motor Show; it was a close copy of
9270-471: Was carried out in 1662. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, silk ribbon weaving and watch and clock making became Coventry's staple industries. In the 1780s, the silk ribbon weaving industry was estimated to employ around 10,000 weavers in Coventry, and its surrounding towns like Bedworth and Nuneaton . Coventry's growth was aided by the opening of the Coventry Canal in 1769, which gave
9373-421: Was considered one of the finest retail experiences outside London. In 1965 the new University of Warwick campus was opened to students, and rapidly became one of the country's leading higher-education institutions. Coventry's large industrial base made it attractive to the wave of Asian and Caribbean immigrants who arrived from Commonwealth colonies after 1948. In 1950, one of Britain's first mosques —and
9476-516: Was designed by Joseph Paxton on the site of a former quarry to meet the needs of the city. Coventry suffered severe bomb damage during the Second World War . The most severe was a massive Luftwaffe air raid that the Germans called Operation Moonlight Sonata. The raid, which involved more than 500 aircraft, started at 7pm on 14 November 1940 and carried on for 11 hours into the morning of 15 November. The raid led to severe damage to large areas of
9579-423: Was during this time that the legend of Lady Godiva riding naked on horseback through the streets of Coventry, to protest against unjust taxes levied on the citizens of Coventry by her husband, was alleged to have occurred. Although this story is regarded as a myth by modern historians, it has become an enduring part of Coventry's identity. A market was established at the abbey gates and the settlement expanded. At
9682-582: Was installed on the throne. In 1506 the draper Thomas Bond founded Bond's Hospital , an almshouse in Hill Street, to provide for 10 poor men and women. This was followed in 1509 with the founding of another almshouse, when the wool merchant William Ford founded Ford's Hospital and Chantry on Greyfriars' Lane, to provide for 5 poor men and their wives. Throughout the Middle Ages Coventry had been home several monastic orders and
9785-405: Was introduced, the three speed gearbox only had synchro between 2nd and top. From 1938 to 1955, Singer Motors Ltd supplied new OHC engines (a few 9HP, a 10HP and numerous 12 HPs plus 4-speed gearboxes) for fitment to HRG Engineering Company 's sports cars at Tolworth, Surrey - these replaced the 1.5 litre Meadows engines fitted to earlier cars. After the Second World War , the new Roadster and
9888-525: Was joined by a new 14 hp (10 kW) six-cylinder, a 1.5 Horsepower six-cylinder, and a 2-Liter six-cylinder, while the Junior was dropped and the new sidevalve-engined 12 displaced the Ten. The Sports Nine was "an immediate success" among trials racers, and Singer entered a specially-prepared version at Le Mans , which led to the Nine being commonly called the Le Mans. Singer earned an "excellent reputation" in racing before three works Nines appeared at
9991-504: Was joined in the business by J. E. Stringer, his brother-in-law. It appears Singer was inspired to produce a bicycle safer than the Ordinary ( penny-farthing ) type standard at the time, by cyclist George Dominy. Singer did not alter the large front and small rear wheel design of the Ordinary, but by raking the front forks (a first) did make it safer. He patented the design on 24 October 1878. He followed this with an 1879 model having
10094-411: Was largely destroyed by German bombing during the Second World War , leaving only the outer walls and spire. At 300 feet (91 metres) high, the spire of St Michael's is claimed to be the third tallest cathedral spire in England, after Salisbury and Norwich . Due to the architectural design (in 1940 the tower had no internal wooden floors and a stone vault below the belfry) it survived the destruction of
10197-468: Was priced at £395. In 1921, Singer purchased motorcycle and cyclecar maker Coventry Premier , selling a four-wheeler of their design, powered by a 1,005 cc (61.3 cu in) water-cooled V-twin , for £250, under that name until 1924. The engine was changed to a four-cylinder Singer in 1922, but the car ceased production in 1923. In 1922, Singer's first six-cylinder was a 1,999 cc (122.0 cu in) of 15 hp (11 kW), with
10300-417: Was replaced by another tricar, which had two front wheels and a driven rear, more horsepower, and a coachbuilt body, but with the passenger now in front of the driver. Muriel Hind drove a Singer Tricar in the 1906 Land's End to John O'Groats Trial, with aviation pioneer Hilda Hewlett as her passenger and mechanic. She also drove a tricar in the twenty four hour London to Edinburgh Trial, again with
10403-537: Was replaced in 1906 by White & Poppe engines in Singer's two light car models. These were a 7 hp (5.2 kW) twin and a 12/14 four-cylinder. These were joined by a White & Poppe-engined Doctor's Brougham and two Auster -powered tourers , a 12/14 and a 20/22. For 1907, the Lea-Francis design was dropped and a range of two-, three- and four-cylinder models was launched, using White and Poppe engines. The Aster engined models were dropped in 1909 and
10506-787: Was the Tri- Voiturette . It was powered by a 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 hp (1.9 kW) engine, and offered in two models, the No. 1 (passenger facing backward) and Mo. 2 (passenger facing forward); both fitted the passenger seat well behind the rear axle. At the 1902 Cordingly Show, at the Islington Agricultural Hall, Singer showed two commercial variants of the Tri-Voiturette, the Motor Carrier, one for tradesmen, one for dairymen. The Tri-Voiturette
10609-518: Was the first motor manufacturer to make a small economy car that was a replica of a large car, showing a small car was a practical proposition. It was much more sturdily built than otherwise similar cyclecars . With its four-cylinder ten horsepower engine the Singer Ten was launched at the 1912 Cycle and Motor Cycle Show at Olympia . William Rootes , a Singer apprentice at the time of its development and consummate car-salesman, contracted to buy 50,
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