My name is Tim Millard and I am the current MD of Millard & Co Ltd, in Guernsey.
I wondered if you would be interested to find out about a recent Facebook campaign we started, to find the oldest motorcycle shop in the world.
The campaign has currently received about 40,000 views and shares worldwide and a lot of informative feedback. However, to date, no one knew of, or could suggest, a motorcycle shop that is as old as Millards, and still in existence.
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This all came about after the recent passing of one of our family and the discovery about an article in the Wiltshire Times on February 26, 1896, reporting my great-grandfather, Thomas Millard, selling the first motorised tricycle from his shop in the area.
The customer paid about £100 for this machine and the article reports him taking delivery from the shop in Fore Street, Trowbridge, and his subsequent ride to Beckington.
The event attracted a crowd of onlookers so large, it blocked the wide road in front of the premises.
We therefore wondered if you would like to offer this ‘challenge’ up to your readership – to find a motorcycle shop that is still in existence that has documented evidence of its first motorcycle/tricycle sale dating earlier than February 26, 1896.
If there is a motorcycle shop anywhere in the world that can beat that, we will happily concede our claim to the title.
As a little bit of background… Thomas Millard started out in business in 1887 selling cycles.
Six years later, he was manufacturing pedal powered two-wheelers and at some point prior to February 26, 1896 started selling motorcycles/tricycles.
The business continued and moved to Guernsey in 1908. The shop has been involved in the manufacture and sale of motorcycles and became a BSA dealer in 1917. It is still owned and run by the same family.
Tim Millard, Guernsey.
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