Brooks saddle

"Back in 1865, John Boultbee Brooks left his hometown of Hinckley in Leicestershire with just £20 in his pocket. He headed for Birmingham, where in 1866 he established a business in horse harnesses and general leather goods in Great Charles Street under the name JB Brooks & Co. In 1878, the unfortunate death of Mr Brooks’ horse led to a stroke of inspiration. Unable to afford another horse, he borrowed a bicycle in order to commute to work. He found the seat so uncomfortable that he vowed to do something about it.

On 28 October 1882, Mr Brooks filed his first saddle patent. Waddling cyclists everywhere rejoiced and the new product was a roaring success." from www.brooksengland.com

Advertisement in an English school magazine published in July 1946

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Below: a few more advertisements of bicycle industry products available in Britain shortly after the war. They all appeared in the July 1946 issue of the magazine of the former Henry Thornton Grammar School, Clapham, South West London; it closed in 1986.

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