Page 22 - PBCOctober2019

Pickwick Bicycle Club Magazine Volume 16 No.2 October 2019 !22

Tom Martin (-aka Cedric Chicken) has sent me a short

history of the family business - Chicken Co since it’s
beginnings 100years ago

Bob Chicken’s father John imported tubing from Carl Coppel in Germany, taking over from
his grandfather William in the early 1900s. The principal dealings were on behalf of rim
maker Kronprinz. The 1927 William Chicken balance sheet showed a profit on agency sales
commissions of £346.18.10 1/2.

The Goswell Road, London EC address - Tel: Terminus 1721 - contained from memory -
bells, carriers, steam-roller toys and Reynold chains. The 1957 wholesale sales ledger
included Leo Rotger's General Fittings Company. He was a Pikeman at the HAC and Bob's
brother Harry was another HAC territorial. In 1951 Bob started to import Yellorex chains
from the Sedis factory in Isere - where Cedric aged 14 was sent to work in his school
holidays - Bob selling them to Raleigh and other OEMs. He became owner of Baycliff a
Halifax based company known for its Roughrider saddle bag production. Sales agreements
followed with Vredestein Dutch-made tyres, with whom Chicken was to have a joint-stock
company.

Son Robert helped organise a small warehouse next to the King’s Head pub. In the mid
70s Weinmann and Maillard appointed the Industrial Chain Supply Co, Chicken's trading
name, as their distributors and the company moved to Watford. Cedric, a member of the
Lantern Rouge CC, along with Phil Liggett, resigned his job as General Manager of Cycles
Peugeot (UK) Ltd, extending contacts with several Italian manufacturers and, under the
company name of Chicken & Sons, took over the sponsorship of three race classifications in
the Milk Race. Robert's hobby at the time was Robson’s Transport which formed part of the
MMB cavalcade. Bob meanwhile, involved Carlton Cycles as a co-sponsor in a very successful
pro-racing team ably supported by Gerald O'Donovan.

The decision was taken to buy Bisley Works near Dunstable, an ex-armaments factory
owned by IMI. Improvements to the building were underway when international
commissaires arrived on route for Goodwood for the 1982 World Cycling Championships. The
in-house Penguin and Goldfish Bowl pub provided the necessary refreshments, including
vodka. The hanging pub sign was courtesy of commentator and Halford’s buyer David
Duffield, a lifelong friend. Membership cards ensured its future notability among the
directorate at Raleigh and other companies.