Australian Motorcycles (U-V-W)

Union Jack

Saward writes that William Humphris & Son of 126 Grenfell Street, Adelaide built Union Jack motorcycles around 1903.

Source: Robert Saward

Unkenstein

Robert Saward writes in his A-Z of Australian-Made Motorcycles: 1893-1942 (p.92) "P Unkenstein, engineer, of 363 Smith Street, Fitzroy, Victoria, advertised motorcycles built to order in 1911. No evidence of his machines has been found."

Graham Clayton:

Searches for "Unkenstein" and "363 Smith Street" failed to yield any results. However, I found a reference to a Paul George Herman Unkenstein (1872-1931)

Trove searches revealed that a H Unkenstein placed the same generic advertisement in Melbourne newspapers during 1911. The advertisement clearly has no reference to motorcycles, only bicycles.

So the "P Unkenstein" is probably Herman Unkenstein, who operated the Imperial Cycle Works at 408 Bay St (North) Port Melbourne, and who never made motorcycles to special order.

Saward no doubt had many sources, and as it was quite common for bicycle manufacturers to create motorcycles under their own name there is every chance that there is some substance to his entry.

Sources: Trove NLA, et al

Uneeda

Manufactured by George Arnold at his workshop in Lilydale, Tasmania, 1914 to 1918.

Some 10 machines were built using engines by Villiers, Precision, Dalm, Blumfield and Veloce. All were sold locally, some after first being registered by the Arnold family.

A photgraph from circa 1916 shows George Arnold sitting on a Uneeda machine.

Sources: Robert Saward p. 80; Graham Clayton.

Utility

Saward states that Utility motorcycles were sold from 1931 until 1940 by Utility Motorcycles Pty. Ltd, run by Wilf and Les Darty of 354 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, Victoria, until about 1935, and later at 319 Swanston Street, Melbourne.

A post at classicmotorcycleforum.com states that Findlay & O'Connor were the main selling agents for Utility.

Utility motorcycles used Montgomery cycle parts and Villiers two-strokes and JAP 250, 350 and 500cc single-cylinder engines.

The Utility tank transfer said "made in England".

Sources: Robert Saward; classicmotorcycleforum.com.

Vale

Saward writes that a Vale motorcycle with free engine clutch was advertised in Melbourne in 1914. Further research thus far offers no clue as to the origin of the machine.

Source: Robert Saward

Victor Sidecars
VICTOR SIDECARS.— Lightest, strongest, from £10/10/; catalogue with pleasure.
Victor Motor Manuf , 223 High St., Malvern.
Winner Wed 21 Apr 1915 (Trove NLA)

Victor (Freeling)

Saward writes that L.R. Anders of Anders & Son, Freeling, S.A., built at least one Victor motorcycle in about 1903 which was powered by a Minerva 2¾ h.p. clipon engine. The firm as known for their "Victor" windmills.

Source: Robert Saward

Victor (Hobart)

Manufactured by the Meadowcroft brothers at their Victor Cycle & Motor Works, 137 Elizabeth Street, Hobart from about 1903 until 1917 or later.

Edward and Sydney Meadowcroft were established as bicycle builders in 1901. They are recorded as offering motorcycles from Indian, Minerva, NSU and JAP badged as "Victor".

Later renamed to Meadowcroft Bros, the business also sold machines with JAP engines using the name Remington.

Sources: Robert Saward; Trove NLA.

Victor (Melbourne)

Manufactured by Edward Victor Bowen, of Windsor Crescent, Surrey Hills, Victoria. 1908 to 1914.

Sources: Robert Saward; Illawarra Motor Museum.

Wagener of Adelaide

Waratah

Ward

Built in Victoria 1912 to 1915 using JAP SV V-twins.

Sources: OTTW, Simon Fleming.

Watson 1903~06 (S.A)

Watson (Sydney)

A motorcycle of this brand is listed as being built in Sydney prior to WWI.

The Sun newspaper of 25th March 1913 writes: "A little time ago Mr. Daft took over Mr. Frank Watson's cycle works at Burwood."

bicycles.net.au lists:
Watson, R., Sydney Road, Granville, 1910
Watson, George R., 88 South Street, Granville, 1911-1932

Sources: Simon Fleming, Trove NLA

Webster of Bendigo

Two sources list them as motorcycle manufacturers. This advertisment appears to confirm that.

Sources: Trove NLA, Leon Mitchel, Simon Fleming.

West 1920 (W.A)

Western Star

Thought to have been assembled by a business in Hamilton, Perth, the machine is a rebadged Arno.

Dated 1911, the 500cc motorcycle is in the Sammy Miller Museum. It is probably the sole survivor.

Source: Muzza Guzzisti at Early Motorcycle Literature

Whalley

Albert Whalley of North Brunswick, Melbourne, is listed as having constructed motorcycles with Fafnir engines in 1911-1912.

Albert James Whalley was fined ten shillings for speeding on his motor cycle along Sydney Road, Brunswick, in 1910. Other than this the press was silent on his exploits.

Sources: Simon Fleming, Trove NLA

Whitbourn

Saward lists Walter Whitbourn Pty. Ltd. of Melbourne as producing two motorcycles of 2¾ h.p. in 1910. These are not mentioned in the newspapers of the day.

Whitbourn advertised Paige cars in 1919

Sources: Simon Fleming; Trove NLA

White

Manufactured by Topic Cycle Works, Melbourne c.1903~1904

Scientific Australian stated that all parts were locally made.

Sources: OTTW, Simon Fleming.

P. J. Williams

Pulteney Street, Adelaide

The business was already established as "P.J. Williams' Bicycle Depot - Manufactory and Repair Workshop" in 1895, as attested by a photograph from the era.

John Bullock worked with them as a mechanic before opening his own business around 1902.

Saward writes that they are thought to have built motorcycles from roughly 1906 to 1910.

Sources: Simon Fleming, adelaideaz.com, et al

Willow

Built in Tasmania in the 1920s, believed to be a bicycle with a motorwheel attachment.

Sources: OTTW, Simon Fleming.

Wimmera 1914-1915 (Vic.)

Windsor

A. W. Johnson of 6 Chapel Street Windsor, Melbourne, is listed as a motorcycle manufacturer in 1912-1913 using British and Continental engines. The only advertisement in Victorian newspapers of the era which has surfaced mentions bicycles, but not motorcycles.

Source: Trove NLA

Winton

Manufactured by Alexander Johnson, 171 St. George's Road, North Fitzroy, Melbourne in 1909 and 1910.

Similar advertisements appeared from Oct 1909 to Oct 1910. There are no other mentions of the marque other than the well-known American machines built by Alexander Winton.

Source: Trove NLA

N.B. Perhaps there is a relationship between the Winton by Alexander Johnson of 1909-1910 and the Windsor of A.W. Johnson of 1911, built just a few miles apart.

Withington

Built by A&G Withington in Lindisfarne, near Hobart Tasmania, about 1916.

(There was a T. Withington who rode dirt track on a Douglas for Manchester in the 1920s. Likely no relation.)

Source: Simon Fleming

Wizard 1914

Wood & Co 1901-03 (NZ)

Woolston 1905

Woolston

Manufactured by B. B. Woolston, Eudunda in 1905 using Minerva and Brown engines.

There was also an F. W. Woolston of Jamestown (about 100 miles away) who had S.A. registration numbers 121 and 122 in 1907. In 1911 he had #1573, with a De Dion Bouton engine.

Source: Trove NLA

Wyatt S.A.

Rarer Australian Marques

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