Colliver’s motorcycling medals

Seven medals for motorcycle racing from the early 20th century. Just one of those odd little collections that had been in the family for years. What can we find out about the events, the medals and the man that won them?

What do we know about the medals and Edward Colliver so far?

The medals must have somehow come into Penny’s family when while Colliver was living in Havant, Hampshire or sometime soon after his death.

Born in 1890, by the age of 21 in the 1911 Census his occupation is given as “pupil” with his profession as “engineer”.

A Private in the Herts Yeomanry, he was made Second Lieutenant in the Army Service Corps 2nd London Division Supply Column on 28 September 1914 and as a Temporary Captain he was awarded the Military Cross (MC) on 3 June 1918.

Before 1926 be became a director of the motor firm of Collier Fisher Ltd., with dealerships at 18 Woodstock Street, New Bond Street, London W1 and 14 Station Parade, Northwood, Buckinghamshire with contracts with Morris, Austin, Armstrong Siddeley and Talbot. Branching out, by 1927 the showroom in Northwood also had the latest Frigidaire electric refrigerator on show.

On 17 June 1936 Edward married Doris Emily Larkin at the Hold Trinity Church, Northwood. Having moved to Bellair Road, Havant, Hampshire some time after he died at the Royal Masonic Hospital, London on 27 November 1961. 

The medals

Colliver’s racing career

Colliver on his Indian motorcycle, Paris-Nice race, 5 April 1913. Photo: A Herl Archive.

isAs well as the events that the medals are associated with, so far we have discovered that Colliver tool place in several other events including the Paris-Nice 1,200km trial in 1913, the year this prestigious event was established and, also in 1913, the Scottish Six Days Reliability Trials of 978 miles in tough conditions all over the Highlands and Lowlands. For the Scottish event he is described as a “Trade Rider” for Indian Motorcycles in a team with B. A. Hill and J. R. Alexander. Colliver was a Gold Medal winner, having completed the full course of the trial.  Returning in 1914 the Indian team won the  SSDR Trials all riding 7-9 hp models. The team comprised E. A. Colliver, J.R. Alexander and E. Frasetti.  

Apart from a brief mention of Colliver riding a 3 1/2 H.P. Triumph at an Auto Cycle Union event in 1909 (Birmingham Post, 30 April 1909), the earliest account we have found of Colliver and his passion for motorcycles was  from the Surrey Advertiser of 5 April 1911… “After Brooklands. Summonses against Edward A. Colliver, Boxmoor, Herts, and George Wm. Meredith, Fleet, for having motor cycle identification marks obscured at Byfleet, on March 25th – the occassion of a race meeting at Brooklands – were dismissed on payment of costs.”

An intriguing account comes from the Omaha World-Herald of 14 May 1914 that throws up another line of enquiry for the Colliver story…

“The motorcycle, ” observed Mr Tom Mickel [of the Nebraska Cycle Co.] “is bound to cut a most extensive figure in America’s out-door sports, as the public has a decided penchant for thrills and that’s what the motorcyclist can furnish for them, ad infinitum. We have the best machines and riders in the world. That we have established some time ago, but only the past week American made motorcycles have demonstrated that they are vastly superior of foreign make, and that, too, at the great motorcycle club trials at London, England. E. A. Colliver, on an American motorcycle, won the famous Jarrett Cup against a field of 138 riders, representing the best cyclists of Great Britain. The course was from London to Land’s End and return, a total distance of 568 miles.”

After the war Colliver continued to take part in motor cycle events, including the Scottish Six Days Trial of 1920. As more is revealed about his life we’ll update this story.