Undaunted, he plunged his savings, now obtains top orders

Reprinted from the South London Press, Friday, September 25, 1959.

In a small workshop tucked away in a Deptford side street six men are working on special lightweight cycles soon to be shipped to top road race cyclists in America.

Identical models are being shipped to New Zealand and enquiries are coming from other parts of the world.

The American deal marks another stop in the struggle of Ernest Witcomb (44), who three years ago plunged his life savings into making these machines. It has been a struggle.

Now he has a turnover nearing £30,000 a year at Tanners Hill, Deptford.

His father was a keen road racing cyclist and Ernie took over where he left off. His racing days are over now but he is road secretary of the South East London division of the British Cycling Federation.

In 1948 he was one of the officials at the Olympic Games. The following year he took a team of riders to Belgium to represent England.

"Cycling has been my whole life and I've no complaints. I even met my wife at a cycling club dance 22 years ago," he said.

To keep up with everyday events he sponsors his own semi-professional team using Witcomb cycles. One of the team is Bernard Pusey, well known British rider, who works for him.

"Last year I had Stan Brittain in the Tour de France under contract, using my cycles. It was one of the two British cycles to complete the race," he said.

"The official Army team also use my machines and with the markets opening up in America business should be even better next year."

When he first started he was supplying frames and accessories to Claude Butler. Then the Claude Butler firm went broke and Witcomb lost a third of his capital overnight. Undaunted, he carried on.

His wife, Lily, works as secretary of the firm and his son, Barry, aged 16 an up and coming youngster in the road racing has started to learn the trade.

Text from a promotional flyer,
Picture from the archives: the store room at No 32 Tanners Hill, circa 1958.