Mr John Dennis OBE, being interviewed, after completing the 2018 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, in his1902 Dennis
Dennis Company is a former brass era automobile maker based in Guildford, Britain. riginally known as Dennis Brothers Ltd, the company was founded in 1895 by John (1871–1939) and Raymond Dennis (1878–1939). The brothers who made Speed King bicycles which they sold from their shop, the Universal Athletic Stores, in Guildford. They made their first motor vehicle in 1898, a De Dion-powered tricycle which they exhibited at the National Cycle Show, which they offered for sale, along with a quadricycle. In 1899, the first Dennis car proper appeared, the Speed-King Light Doctors' Car, a four-wheeler with a a rear-mounted de Dion engine and three-speed gearbox for speeds of 4–10 mph (– km/h). Intended for use on unpaved roads by the likes of doctors, surveyors, or travelling salesmen, it had an offering price of £135; though shown at the National Cycle Show, it was never produced or sold. At the 1900 National Cycle Show, Dennis displayed only motor tricycles and quadricycles, with the tricycles claimed to be capable of a (then-remarkable) 30 mph (48 km/h), three times Britain's speed limit. The next year, a de Dion engine was offered in the tricycle, while there was a choice of two light cars, both with tube frames, three-speed gearbox, and shaft drive: an 8hp de Dion single and a 12hp Aster twin. About this time John Dennis built the Rodboro Buildings, the first purpose-built motor vehicle factory in Britain, to manufacture motorcars in the town centre. The 1903 London Motor Show saw the debut of an Aster-powered four, the 16/20 hp, which joined a 12hp de Dion, offered as a hansom, making it one of the very first motorised taxicabs. It was also in this period Dennis offered its first and only sports racer, powered by a 40hp Simms, while the tricycles and quadricycles were discontinued.[They were replaced by commercial vehicles, with the first bus being made in 1905,
Size: 5616px × 3744px
Location: Madeira Drive, Brighton, Sussex
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 1, 8, 1902, 2018, brighton, british, brothers, car, cylinder, dennis, drive, finishing, hp, interview, john, line, london, madeira, obe, run, sussex, tonneau, veteran
