[CR] Betrands of Finchley

(Example: Framebuilders:Dario Pegoretti)

Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2004 13:13:56 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Michael Butler" <laquelda@yahoo.com>
Subject: [CR] Betrands of Finchley
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


Hello Dave, I have a terrible memory nowadays, sorry for not replying sooner. Think you must mean C.Betrands of Finchley, North London. They had several shops 42 Hutton Grove, Finchley N.12 and at 10 Woodhouse Parade Finchley N.12. The last was very near to the famous"Tally Ho" pub a popular cycling watering place in the old days.The pub was also famous in the 1960's when all the major jazz and blues artists played there, Long John Baldry, Rod Stewart, Steam Packet with Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and Rod the mod, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, Graham Bond Organization and Zoot Money and his Big Roll Band. Oh back to Betrands they started in 1900 and were still going I think into the early 1950's. Think they built a strange tandem out of solo parts which I think they called the Solite. Hilary will know about this. One famous frame maker who worked at Betrands in the 1930's was H.R.Morris (Titch) he went there after completing his apprenticeship at F.J.Saunders of Orford Road Walthamstow incidentally Titch Morris finally purchased the F.J.Saunders shop in Orford road and started making under his own name. Betrands Woodhouse Parade shop later finished up as Shorter Rochfords and then Alan Shorters or the other way round?. Dave I will post this on the CR site as well.

Yours in cycling. Michael Butler Huntingdon UK.

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