Following last week’s story about the history of the the sewing machine history of Coventry, Historian and Coventry Society member, Peter James, continues with the related story of George Singer. Peter writes…..
Stinsford is a small village in Dorset about a mile from Dorchester. It’s where George the son of George and Helen Singer was born on 26th January 1847. George Singer served an apprenticeship at John Penn & Company Marine Engineers based in Cold Bath Lane Greenwich. James Starley had worked there until 1859 before moving to Coventry with Josiah Turner to start building sewing machines. Ten years later in 1869 George Singer joined them at the Coventry Sewing Machine Company where he was employed as a foreman. While working here he became involved in bicycle design and manufacture. Around 1875 he left the company and established Singer & Co. and commenced building bicycles.
The first cycles made by Singer were the Challenge Series and were “Penny Farthings” sometimes referred to as Ordinary Bicycles. George Singer went on to develop and sometimes patent cycles or components. Around 1886 the company introduced curved front forks on the Courier model. This design which aids steering is still featured on most bicycles today. By 1890 extra capacity was needed so work began on a new factory in Canterbury Street. It opened in 1891 with a 90 metre frontage on a 5 acre site. A downturn in the cycle market in the mid to late 1890s caused Singer to diversify and adapt motor power. After introducing the “Motor Wheel” to the rear wheel of bicycles the company progressed to making motor cycles with the engine fitted to the frame. The first Singer cars went on sale in 1905, with either 3 or 4 wheels.
The company continued to develop and produce cars but eventually ran into financial problems. Singer became part of the Rootes Group on 29th December 1955. By now a part of Chrysler the last Singer model namely a Vogue was built in March 1970.
Life in Coventry
In Coventry on 15th January 1873 George married Eliza Anne Stringer from Kenilworth. He was elected to Coventry City Council in 1881 and became an alderman in 1893. In addition he was Mayor of Coventry from 1891 to 1894 eventually resigning from the council in 1898.
By 1881 George Singer was living at 8 Stoneleigh Terrace with his wife, 3 children and 3 servants. Ten years later in 1891 the family moved to Coundon Court. It was built by Charles Gray-Hill on land that was once part of Coundon Farm to George’s own basic design.
Eventually the house and grounds were purchased from George Finn by Coventry Council in 1953. Coundon Court High School opened in that year, becoming a comprehensive school for girls in 1956. Its most famous student being the late Mo Mowlam who was once Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The school is still in operation today with an estimated 1900 pupils.
In 1883 Willie Stanley, an employee of Singer Motors, founded the football club Singer Motors FC. A meeting was held at the Lord Aylesford Inn in Hillfields with Willie and fellow workers from the Canterbury Street factory. The White Lion on Gosford Green became the club headquarters and they played home matches at Dowells Field in Stoke. George Singer was elected President of the club. In 1898 the club became Coventry City Football Club after F.A. approval on 12th August.
George Singer died in Coventry on 4th January 1909 aged 61 years.
