For what it is worth, the brakes on British bicycles certainly back to
the nineteen twenties had the front brake lever on the right. Most roller
brakes operating on Westwood rims would have been difficult to change as part
of the rear linkage was handed where it attached to the frame.
When a short pull up lever was used with only one brake on the bike, it
could be attached either way as it clipped round the handlebar and they are
often on the right as that was the normal set-up when there were two brakes.
However, if the bicycle came from the factory with a short pull up and a
matching lever for the rear brake, then the levers crossed over (they were
operated from the central part of the bars rather like a modern safety bar
extension). As the pivot fittings were brazed to the bars, you had to have
what the factory decided on. I just looked at mid twenties BSA and
Rudge-Whitworth with these dwarf levers as they were known: both had the
front brake lever under the left hand. Every other bike from the twenties
onwards that I looked at (about thirty) had the front brake operated by the
right hand. This does not help the argument, but I take childish pleasure in
keeping the water muddy.
With respect, the strong hand argument is nonsense. How much difference
is there between the two? Back in the days when the hand brake on a car was
expected to be your main brake, you had to put some real muscle and a little
prayer into an emergency stop. The only preference for right or left placing
was the convenience of actually fitting the lever somewhere.
Stuart Tallack in Sussex where we resisted Napoleon's attempts to invade
and make us all use our left hands to work the front brakes. Long live
freedom of choice.