TMC

THE ALL WELSH MOTOR CYCLE - A SHORT HISTORY

I think it's generally accepted the first real motor cycle was manufactured in Germany by a firm called Hilderbrand & Wolfsmuller in the 1880's. Then followed an English built motor cycle by Alldays & Onions.
What is not so well known is that in 1909 a Welsh version was starting to take shape. In the winter of 1909 a Carmarthen solicitor named Gethin Emrys Dunnett came into possession of a complete set of drawings and the sole rights to manufacture a 31/2hp motor cycle.
In early 1910 he showed these drawing to his friend Herbert Wright a wealthy Cardigan farmer and amature engineer. Between them they decided to do a feasibility study and enlisted the help of a well known Newcastle Emlyn blacksmith and coracle builder called Daffyth (Dai) Holder. After a few false starts a prototype began to take shape and in early 1911 it was ready for it's first road test. These tests were carried out on a private estate near to Llandeilo, after many tests and modifications it was deemed very satisfactory and a long distance reliability test was undertaken by Dai Holder. He left his workshop in Newcastle Emlyn at 6am and by 12 noon he was in Fishguard, the only problems encountered were a broken drive belt and various nuts and bolts working themselves loose.
Whilst having a meal in the Two Prawns by the harbour the motor cycle was photographed by the local newspaper, it is today in the archives of Carmarthen Museum and is thought to be the only one in existence.
At this time, April 1st 1911 it was decided to go into production, Dunnett & Wright would finance the operation and Dai Holder would be employed to take care of all the engineering. It was also decided to launch the 31/2 hp Dunnett Wright at the Carmarthen Agricultural Show. A few weeks before the launch date Dai was entertaining a few friends in the Red Mist public house in Kilgerran, when he was spotted by the local constable breaking into a florin. He was duly arrested and brought before the magistrates, where he was let off with a warning as this was his first offence. The ensuing bad publicity sounded the deathknell of the Dunnett Wright and it mysteriously disappeared.
Creditors started to ask questions and in the late summer of 1911 Dunnett and Wright were arrested and charged with fraud and the misappropriation of funds. At the local assizes Wright was sentenced to 5 years hard labour and Dunnett got of scott free. He later went onto become Councillor Dunnett and eventually Mayor Dunnett of Maenglocog. What happened to Wright is not known but Dai Holder went back to Newcastle Emlyn a broken man and a few months later died in a coracle accident on the river Towi.
Now this would seem to be the end of the account, but not so a motor cycle historian and archivist a Mr. R. Soles of Pantvest discovered the remains of the Dunnett Wright motor cycle in a derelict cowshed in Lincolnshire where if had been adapted to drive a phesant plucker. The remains came back over the Seven Bridge and were taken to Kerbside Motorcycles of Blaenymaes there to be restored to it's original condition. The bike can be seen in the summer months doing the classic vehicle shows.
Source : West Wales Informer