A.J.S. Motorcycles Beginnings Joseph Stevens (senior) was born in
Wednesfield in 1856 and became a self employed engineering blacksmith in
1874. His company was called J. Stevens & Co. with premises in Cross
Street, Wednesfield. He undertook all kinds of metalwork from making
horseshoes, parts for a horses harness and bridle, to repairing or making
garden tools. He also worked on such diverse things as bicycles and
locks, and soon gained a reputation as a highly skilled craftsman. Joe and
his wife had nine children. All of them in time would be involved in
the family business.
A
simplified family tree showing Joseph senior's parents, family, children and
grandchildren Joseph's eldest son Harry joined him in
the business and they moved to premises in Tempest Street near Wolverhampton
town centre, where they were soon joined by Joseph's third son Joe junior.
Harry soon acquired his fathers engineering skills and began to design all
kinds of machines and tools for use in the lock industry. Joseph acquired a
small American, 'Mitchell' single cylinder, 4 stroke petrol driven
engine for use at the works. It was poorly built and unreliable but interested
Harry greatly. He decided that he could do better and set about designing and building his own engine. Rough
castings were obtained from a company at Derby. These were machined by the
two brothers who built the engine in their spare time. It was completed late
in 1897 and was an instant success. It outperformed the 'Mitchell' engine in
every way, being reliable and efficient, and delivered about 1.75h.p. Harry
and his father were quick to realise that a large market existed for reliable
petrol engines for use in industry. They decided to manufacture engines
and set up the Stevens Motor Manufacturing Company in 1899.
This was to have far reaching
consequences for Wolverhampton industry. Thanks to Harry who was the
mechanical genius of the family, Clyno would eventually move here to produce
motorcycles and cars, Sunbeam would start to produce engines of its own,
based on one of Harry's designs, and of course A.J.S. came along 15 years
later. One wonders if Wolverhampton would have been such a large vehicle
manufacturer without Harry starting it all. He is certainly one of the unsung
heroes of the town. The following sections describe the
company's motorcycle manufacturing history beginning with the manufacture of
petrol engines. The other products produced by the company are described in
different sections of the museum. I would like
to thank Geoff Stevens for all of his help and encouragement in producing
this section.
|
|||||||||||||||||||
