Author Topic: Chauffeur with motorcycle  (Read 3859 times)

Offline jo68

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Chauffeur with motorcycle
« on: Friday 08 October 10 20:50 BST (UK) »
I think this may be James Thomas Cramond born 1877 and died tragically in 1913 while "testing" the automobile of his employer a Norman Greenhut in New York by stripping it down to the chassis and testing it while sitting on top on a strapped on wooden box and testing it's capabilities (an interesting article which made the front page of New York Times but I'm not sure if i can post it here)..I think James also have had an interest in motorcycles - this may or may not have been his but  can someone advise me of it's make and date or tell me if I should post elsewhere? There is something written on the bike but I can't read it. I'm guessing this must be 1908 -1913 ?
Cramond, Black, Stewart, Ronaldson, Bennett, Lewthwaite, Carvel, Anderson, Smith,

Offline jo68

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Re: Chauffeur with motorcycle
« Reply #1 on: Friday 08 October 10 20:55 BST (UK) »
Sorry forgot to ask if someone could clean and sharpen it up a bit etc that would be lovely
Cramond, Black, Stewart, Ronaldson, Bennett, Lewthwaite, Carvel, Anderson, Smith,

Offline jo68

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Re: Chauffeur with motorcycle
« Reply #2 on: Friday 08 October 10 21:02 BST (UK) »
Also do you think he is 5'11" tall or just 5'3" - two brothers James Thomas and Robert Brash were both chaffeurs in New York and had serious accidents reported in the newspapers there. James died 1913 whereas Robert survived until at least 1942. Photo of Robert with dogs attached below
Cramond, Black, Stewart, Ronaldson, Bennett, Lewthwaite, Carvel, Anderson, Smith,

Offline oldhippy

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Re: Chauffeur with motorcycle
« Reply #3 on: Friday 08 October 10 21:06 BST (UK) »
It looks like this one. The date given is 1911.
Please scan photos at 300dpi or higher. Thank you.


Hambling. Mexter. Taylor. Bailey. Bolton. Boyse. Davenport. Fisher. Godfrey. Goff. Hawkins. Holmes. Jarvis. Joseph. Leek. Morgan. Osborne. Ross. Sharp. Webber.

Websites
http://hamblingfamily.tribalpages.com

http://taylorfamily1.tribalpages.com


Offline jo68

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Re: Chauffeur with motorcycle
« Reply #4 on: Friday 08 October 10 21:15 BST (UK) »
How did you find that so quickly???? It is virtually identical and I'm sure the name is Indian from looking at  your photo. Just going back for another peek!
Cramond, Black, Stewart, Ronaldson, Bennett, Lewthwaite, Carvel, Anderson, Smith,

Offline jo68

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Re: Chauffeur with motorcycle
« Reply #5 on: Friday 08 October 10 21:21 BST (UK) »
Only difference I can see in an "inner band" on the rear wheel but presumably model adaptations happened. Any idea whether you would need to be mega rich to afford these? The people in question weren't wealthy at all but they had enjoyed steady employment and had all been educated to mid -late teens.
Cramond, Black, Stewart, Ronaldson, Bennett, Lewthwaite, Carvel, Anderson, Smith,

Offline nickgc

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Re: Chauffeur with motorcycle
« Reply #6 on: Saturday 09 October 10 04:02 BST (UK) »
I would guess that the man in the first photo is very short, thus the 5'3" one you mentioned.  Compare his stature to the parts of the MC versus the photo that oldhippy found.

Nick
McLellan - Inverness
Greer - Renfrewshire
Manson - Aberdeen & Orkney
Simpson - Hereford, Devon, etc.
Flett - Orkney
Chisholm - Scotland
Wishart - Orkney
Shand - Aberdeen
Pirie - Aberdeen

-----
Theology is never any help; it is searching in a dark cellar at midnight for a black cat that isn't there.   -Robert Heinlein

Offline old rowley

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Re: Chauffeur with motorcycle
« Reply #7 on: Saturday 09 October 10 08:10 BST (UK) »
The Indian Motorcycle had been manufactured from 1901 at Springfield Massachusetts and both motorcyles pictured appear to be single valve motorcycles.

OR
Claxton- East London & Essex<br />Cuthbert- Mile End East London <br />Edwards - East London & Essex<br />Goll- Norfolk<br />Harris-Mile End East London<br />Hurr - Suffolk<br />Law- Bethnal Green East London<br />Moll- East London<br />Robinson- Bethnal Green East London<br />Tait- Argyll & Glasgow<br />Thompson Shoreditch East london<br />Watson- Glasgow<br />Wood- Bethnal Green East London<br /><br />Local history interest; Noak Hill & Harold Hill Essex<br /><br />census information crown cop

Offline oldhippy

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Re: Chauffeur with motorcycle
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 09 October 10 08:15 BST (UK) »
How did you find that so quickly???? It is virtually identical and I'm sure the name is Indian from looking at  your photo. Just going back for another peek!

I just googled moter bikes 1910's and picked a site at random. Pure luck to find that picture. :)

I also think the guy is on the short size when you compare both men against there bikes.  
Please scan photos at 300dpi or higher. Thank you.


Hambling. Mexter. Taylor. Bailey. Bolton. Boyse. Davenport. Fisher. Godfrey. Goff. Hawkins. Holmes. Jarvis. Joseph. Leek. Morgan. Osborne. Ross. Sharp. Webber.

Websites
http://hamblingfamily.tribalpages.com

http://taylorfamily1.tribalpages.com