SEEKING SUDBROOKS

November this year marks the centenary of the first Gloucester-made Cotton motorcycle. The Villiers powered bike, featuring Frank Cotton’s patent triangulated frame, was registered in Herefordshire as CJ 3068, and a photograph of the bike appears in a review in MotorCycling in 19th May 1920. Headlined ‘ Trying Out a New Two Stroke’, the review was very favourable, highlighting the fact that the frame design means that skidding ‘almost borders on the impossible’.

There has been an amazing amount of new research by Charles Cotton, of the Cotton Owners and Enthusiasts Club, into the early history of Cotton motorcycles, and especially the original works at 11A Bristol Rd, Gloucester. Charles has discovered that another bike, the Sudbrook, was being made and sold at the same time from the same premises. Some Sudbrooks used the Villiers 269cc engine, but at least one used a 5 or 6hp JAP.

By researching vehicle registration records in nearby counties, Charles has established that at least seven Sudbrooks were made and registered between June and November 1919, then the first Cotton in November 1919, then six more Sudbrooks, before the second Cotton in July 1920. From then on it’s all Cottons.

Sudbrooks were made by Alfred Camery, who emigrated to Australia in 1921, so drops out of the picture.

We have no idea of the relationship between Alfred Camery and Frank Cotton

– if any. Does a photograph of a Sudbrook survive? It would be interesting to see if the Sudbrook used the same unique Cotton triangulated frame.

Alan Freke, member 1197

Anyone out there know any more about this mysterious Sudbrook? Does someone have one lurking in a shed? Even an old photo would aid Alan’s research… Rowena