It is with great sadness that we report that Victor Riley passed away on the 12th August 2025.
Victor was one of the last connections with the golden age of Coventry’s motoring heritage. He was the grandson of the founder of the Riley Cycle Co. in 1896.
The Riley family have lived in Coventry since the Elizabethan age. They were silk weavers, who moved into the maintenance of weaving machinery and then bicycle manufacture, tuning later to car parts and then cars themselves. A replica of the first Riley car, from 1896, is sited at the Riley Archive, in the Canal Basin.
The Riley Archive was one of Victor’s proudest achievements.
Many CovSoc members will recall Victor coming to our Heritage Conference in 2023 and telling us about the plans for the archive.
A Book of Condolence for Victor Riley is available at The Riley Archive, Coventry Canal Basin. It is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays or by appointment.