In the early years of the century a Kingswood foundryman gambled on the future of the new-fangled combustion engine. Not only did his gamble pay off, it put the then small South Gloucestershire town on the map and his name into the history books. He was William Douglas and over a span of 50 years
he turned the motorcycle industry upside down with his remarkable machines.
His achievements were unique and shook the foundations of an industry with its roots in the Midlands.THE GLORY YEARS AT THE KINGSWOOD FACTORY
The Douglas motorcycle became a world beater.
It was a favourite of royalty at home and abroad, and in its heyday the firm employed nearly 3,000 workers at the Kingswood factory. The rise to fame of the company was nothing short of meteoric, with orders for its early 340cc model soaring past the 2000 a year mark.
WAR OFFICE CONTRACT
The reputation of the company's motorcycles spread after they clinched seven victories at the 1912 TT races on the Isle of Man. In World War One, Douglas motorcycles played an important role as transport for despatch riders. By the end of the war the company's orders with the War Office had passed the 25,000 mark. When the war was over competition victories continued unabated and by 1923 Douglas held 150 British and World victories. The company swiftly moved from success to success and eventually won the royal seal of approval when the future King George VI joined the ranks of Douglas owners. Despite a disastrous fire at the factory in 1927 Douglas enjoyed another boom in the field of speedway racing. Their machines proved so successful that in 1929 the company sold 1,300 of them.
THE SAD END OF MOTORCYCLE PRODUCTION AT KINGSWOOD
But after years of recurring financial problems the bubble finally burst in the 1930s. After several buy-outs and further financial set-backs, the company was eventually taken over by Bendix Brake and Signal in 1956. Motorcycle production at the Kingswood factory finally ended in 1957 By 1948 it was effectively bankrupt, actually going into receivership that year.
THE VESPA SCOOTER
When on holiday in Italy that year the Managing Director, Claude McCormack, caught sight of a Vespa and soon made arrangements with Piaggio to build it under licence in Bristol.
A Piaggio built machine was on the Douglas stand at the Motorcycle Show at Earls Court in 1949, but production did not actually start until April 1951.
Whilst not quite a full manufacturing operation in the Piaggio mould - all chassis and bodywork pressings, for example, were imported from Italy - the Bristol factory was far more than a mere assembly plant. The Douglas foundry churned out items such as engine bearers, clutch covers and cylinder heads; whilst from the machine shop came gear clusters, brake drums and much else besides. It was a proper (if rather small) assembly line and a paint shop with infra-red drying equipment. Amongst the "bought in" components was quite a lot of "local content", items such as saddles, carbs, tyres and some electrical components being British made.
END OF THE LINE FOR DOUGLAS
Vespa production ceased in 1965 after 126,230 units had been completed. Douglas continued to be the British importer of Vespas (models such as the GS had always been imported) until 1982. The Douglas Vespas were the only scooters to be built in really large quantities in Britain, and Douglas themselves took a keen interest in supporting their product and scootering in general.
In the early years of the century a Kingswood foundryman gambled on the future of the new-fangled combustion engine. Not only did his gamble pay off, it put the then small South Gloucestershire town on the map and his name into the history books. He was William Douglas and over a span of 50 years
he turned the motorcycle industry upside down with his remarkable machines.
His achievements were unique and shook the foundations of an industry with its roots in the Midlands.