Monday, May 28, 2012

Harry Beanham...I've now done several posts on photos relating to him and as I've several old photograph albums that were his I've worked through some more interesting pics from the 1920's involving Harry...and his ABC motorcycles....Early Australian Motorcycling...

Harry Beanham.... an interesting chap who I've described in more detail in previous posts on this blog and you can find them by typing in "Harry Beanham" in the search facility over on the RHS of this blog....
Worth a look again....
Harry motorcycled all his life and had an interest in the 1920's in the ABC motorcycle and had at least one French version of this motorcycle...the ABC was designed by the Englishman Granville Bradshaw and the first photo is of great interest to me as the text on the back indicated that Harry visited the UK in 1927 taking his then ABC with him, named by HB..." Ziska II ".
The comment from Harry on the small print I've scanned is "At Reading, 1927 ( April) on way back from "Granville Bradshaw" run to London..."
The  registration for This ABC was DP4480, mostly visible on the front number plate and you'll see more of this in the following photos...
Since setting this post up I spoken with David Beanham, Harry was his uncle ...David has been in contact with Harry's daughter Pam and they and now myself are pretty sure Harry never left Australia...
The conundrum is who is riding the ABC in Reading, UK....perhaps a friend of Harry's. Harry calls this motorcycle ZiskaII  which tends to indicate he may have bought it off this chap/friend...
No text with this pic....
The text says....Ziska II with Fairie Queen up! (July 1926), then perhaps later penciled in ...Nosworthy Bridge....
I Googled the bridge name and there is a Norsworthy Bridge in Dartmoor, UK and the photo I captured from the site and below, taken in May 2011 by Innes Spanbauer to who I acknowledge credit for this photo, looks remarkably similar....
The text says...DP4480 as I first had her.... then later penciled in At The Rock, Yelverton. Again I made the assumption that Harry wrote on the back of the small photo, hence the "I first had her"....
Again a Google search reveals a Yelverton in Dartmoor area...
So perhaps Harry travelled to the UK to pick up a new ABC....pure speculation.
 With Ziska II...camshaft troubles...Sept.1926.
Ziska II...tyre trouble, 1926.
The engine unit with "Taylor rockers"....of Diana ...Jan.1925.
I have no other reference to the name Diana, which seems to refer to another of Harry's bikes...
 Ziska II in the background...likely still in UK by the car registration number.

We are now in Australia...the reference to the Bendigo centre sets that...
Perhaps another of HB's ABCs..the registration is now 21679 and I believe could be South Australian. 19 Sept. 1926.
ABC rego number 21679, date...1926.
Again two ABCs ....
 Again Harry with two ABC's, unsure where or when.
ABC rego 21679 but no information at two the lady and child ,where or when...
A Beanham photo, again with no details.....
Again a bit of a mystery, however the back was dated....5th April 1920.
Finally the pic below seems out of sequence, was with his stuff and I guess could be his parents...
My next Beanham post will be his photos from the early 1960's of many of these motorcycles that he kept, plus others acquired over the years.... Broughs, Harleys and so on...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Photo 15. The photo was taken on Christmas Day 1926. On a trip to Black's Spur,Victoria. The building is Fernshaw Guest House. Cannot identify woman and boy.
Photo 16. Harry and his camera.
Photo 17. Harry's Father on the right, leaning against a motorcycle. The lady on the left, could be Harry's Mother.But don't remember Olive Beanham ever being overweight.
Photos 1,2&3. Harry never left Australia. His Father was born in England, so the English connection is more likely to be with Harry's Father.
I find the legends and comments about my Father interesting and amusing.

The Velobanjogent said...

Pam...thanks for the identification of some of the photos...
Dennis Quinlan,
The Velobanjogent