Birth of the British Motor Car, 1769-1897

Notes:

Draws on doctoral thesis - 'Origins of the Motor Car in Britain, 1769-1881' "and its continuation 'The Origins of the Motor Car in Britain, 1882-1897'". Arranged in three volumes. Deals with the development of early road vehicles and associated services beginning with steam carriages and continuing through traction engines to motor vehicles [including electric vehicles] and the environment in which this happened - roads, technology, legislation, licencing, safety, pressure groups, etc. Much business and people specific information - Walter Hancock; Sir Goldsworthy Gurney; Nathaniel Ogle; Francis Maceroni; William Summers; John Fowler; William J Garrett; Frederick Simms; John J H Sturmey; Evelyn Ellis; Walter Arnold; London & Birmingham Steam Carriage Co; London, Holyhead & Liverpool Steam Coach & Road Co; British Motor Syndicate; Great Horseless Carriage Co; Self Propelled Traffic Association; Road Safety Association; Daimler Motor Syndicate; etc. Volume 1 covers 1769-1842 - experiments in France and Britain (1769-1836), activities of Sir Goldsworthy Gurney (1827-32), and the end of the steam coach (1831-42); Volume 2 covers 1842-93 - traction engine era; Volume 3 covers 1894-97 and the advent of internal combustion engine, electric vehicles, first motor car, etc