Person    | Male  Born 14/12/1854  Died 29/10/1901

John Kemp Starley

Categories: Commerce, Engineering

Inventor and industrialist, who sold the first recognizably modern bicycle. Starley went into business with William Sutton, with the intention of producing bicycles that were safe and easy to use. First sold in 1885 under the brand name 'Rover', the bicycle was a rear-wheel-drive, chain-driven cycle with two similar-sized wheels, making it more stable than the previous high wheeler designs.

For comparison see Denis Johnson and his hobby-horse bicycle.

Our picture source, albeit in French, has some lovely images.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
John Kemp Starley

Commemorated ati

John Kemp Starley

This plaque was erected between 2015 and 2018. We think this coincided with t...

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