No doubt some of you eager collectors of the "best of British" will have noted and discarded this bike.
I reckon that the frame dates back to the 70s, due to its very full sloping fork crown often seen on Anquetil bikes over here - some were made up for Ron Kitching's organisation
Ellis_Briggs isa very well respected builder dating back to the 1930s whose best period was probably in the 60s when he sponsored top amateurs such as Brian Robinson and his brother Desmond, and none other than Ken Russell who did so well in winning and always being highly placed in the Tour of Britain. Brian was the first English rider to make a success of a Pro career on the continent, winning a couple of stages in the Tour, being quite highly place a few times on Gen Cat, helping Charly Gaul win the Tour and generally showing the way to riders such as Tommy Simpson and Barry Hoban.
I used tobe in the same club as Brian and train with him - those were the days - and happended to meet up with him about four years ago, by chance. he told me that his Ellis-Briggs were simply resprayed and redecalled for his French team, and that he still has the same bike today, including the original Cyclo front mech. It's only recently that he gave away his "proper" team bike - was it a "Geminiani or a Pelforth-Sauvage " or something like that?
The 61cms Briggs is Item No 3654709307, was running at $177.50, is somewhere in the States and looks like a bargain.
Gone on and bid for a little bit of northern England, Yorkshire craftsmanship and heritage - far better than the Bronte sisters- and from the same neck of the woods, give or take 15 miles.
Norris Lockley