George Singer

Who was George Singer?

George Singer was an English cycle manufacturer who was a pioneer of both cycle and automobile development.

Singer was born at Stinsford, Dorset in 1847 the son of George and Helen Singer. He served an apprenticeship at Penn's Engineering Works in Greenwich and in 1869 he moved to Coventry to work at the Coventry Machinist Company. Around 1874 he started his own company to manufacture cycles and the Singer Cycle Company soon grew into a large business and in 1896 at height of popularity for cycles he floated his business as a company with a capital of £700,000. The development of forks with curves is attributed to him.

Singer was elected to the Coventry city council in 1881 and he became an alderman in 1893 and also served as Mayor of Coventry. He resigned from the council in 1898 as his interest were more with philanthropic and charity interest rather than politics.

Singer died on 4 January 1909 aged 62 at his home at Coundon Court near Coventry.