Saving Old Seagulls

I found this old 1” token which I found interesting as the link between Villiers and Marston/British Seagull had always been pretty strong considering that it was founded by John Marston and later sold to his son Charles in 1902, some of the first items made were bicycle free wheels, a picture of which is embossed on the reverse of this token, pretty useless information I guess but without Villiers there may never have been a Marston or a British Seagull.

Some good information about the links between Marston, Sunbeam & Villiers if you Google 'Villiers Engineering, Wolverhampton' - Charles Marston obviously family, but also a Frank Farrar looms large in the story. The Sunbeam factory still exists in Upper Villiers Street - less sure about the Villiers factory, which was virtually next door1

Re the token image, Sunbeam apparently made a unique two-speed chainwheel, which needs a quiet interruption-free afternoon for restorer to reassemble apparently - is this the image illustrated?

The Villiers works is basically still there too, about half a mile away on the south side Marston Road. The once grand gateway is still there but the gates have gone. I keep intending to head over there and have a wander about.

I’ve never been in that neck of the woods, but would love to go just to get a feel if there is any left before it’s truly all gone. I always like to understand the beginnings.

I left the Midlands a long time ago, but did go into the old Sunbeam works in Upper Villiers street when it belonged to Fafnir Bearings, and into Villiers when, I believe, they were owned by the Aluminium Bronze company. there were another couple of ex-Sunbeam sites close by, one very near the city centre, and you could take a swing by Ceandess, who made the early petrol caps with the air bleed nipple, and who are still making petrol caps!