A Significant Day

[gord]

I have a 1949 issue of Harrison’s Austin Racing History and oddly there is no mention of Stanley Edge as per the attachment. Perhaps he was just considered a humble servant in 1949 and deserved no mention.

   

[A G Wood]

As a total side issue, Connaught two-strokes  (including a simultaneous firing horizontally opposed twin) seem to have had some very original ideas incorporated in their design, according to P H Smith in his book The High Speed Two-Stroke Petrol Engine. Edge's machine looks to be the 293 cc single which Smith mentions in his book.

[Tony Press]

I have a 1949 issue of Harrison’s Austin Racing History and oddly there is no mention of Stanley Edge as per the attachment. Perhaps he was just considered a humble servant in 1949 and deserved no mention.

And this quotes the old furphy that the Billiard Tables? were used as drawing boards.

[Bob Culver]

The basic Austin 20 Sports mentioned was sold as a slightly modified model on wire wheels. The camshaft had more lift and duration. A renownded local member has such a car he meticulously restored from a derelict. I have ridden in it on motorway where it is entirely happy at 50-55 mph. During the War Herbert ran a Hudson car, a very robust make used extensively here as service cars, which, in a low pop country with limited rail access, took over from stage coaches. American cars of the time demonstrated simple robust construction suited to large scale production and presumably influenced the Twenty

[Chris Garner]

Would love to know more about Stanley Edge. With a good secondary ed a lot could be learned from night classes but he seemd very young to have completed much study and to so accurately proportion  components, esp apparently with little contact with other makes. The motor apparently very closely follows the FN bike but there is much more to the car than themotor. not sure if Austin personally did the deatail design of earlier cars.

Bob,
A biography of Stanley Edge is in the process of being written and will be completed in time for the Centenary celebrations... and yes, the myth of the draughting being done on the billiard table is complete tosh, but it must have been a convenient surface to view and discuss drawings etc.

[Tony Griffiths]

The Connaught has no front brake but, to comply with the legal requirement of two being independently operated, a pair that press into the "dummy-rim" on the rear wheel. Frighteningly ineffective.

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I understand that Stanly, being very ambitious, left Austins shortly after the 7 was in production. He must then have become persona-non-grata and consequently never given credit for his detailed design work on the car.

[Chris Garner]

Tony,
There is no evidence that Edge was persona-non -grata at the AMC as he had contact with Lord Austin several times in later life and was well regarded by many of his peers there.

[Tony Griffiths]

Tony,
There is no evidence that Edge was persona-non -grata at the AMC as he had contact with Lord Austin several times in later life and was well regarded by many of his peers there.

I'm sure that's true - and it's wonderful that later in his life he was recognised for being chosen, at such a young age, to undertake the detailed design work.