This week’s image from Sepia Saturday suggests motor bike, pillion passenger, courier, turban. towel, camp, lots of things as an inspiration in searching through our photos. But none of them sent me scuttling to the family albums for a match. Instead it was the wheels in the photo which interested me so I’ll go with some family wheels, but ones without the motor, just pedal power wheels.
Meet George Francis Forsey (1870 – 1954). His wife Wilhemina was my grandfather’s cousin. He was a miner at Clunes in Central Victoria. Later, as a widower, he shifted to Birchip and is buried there. His bike was his trusted form of transport in a typical Victorian country town,
Down the years wheels have been important as a means of transport from place to place, firstly in 1945 then in 1950.
Wheels again in 1969 in a home made billy cart for a bit of gravity fueled speed
Freedom to roam in 1972 and 1978
At last in 1979 ……….. an exciting ride on a visitor’s motor bike
But in recent years, for the next generation, wheels have become less of a means of transport and more of a sport – BMX racing – as in this Slideshow of No 39 and No 43,
And just occasionally a little running repair is needed.
Have a look at the links on the Sepia Saturday page for more interpretations of this motor bike photo. I only looked at the wheels.
I think you covered them all! Love the billy cart and the steering mechanism.
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I went for wheels too, some with peddles and some with motors!
I love all your photos, especially the ones of George Francis Forsey and the home-made Billy cart.
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The problem with billy carts like is that there are often times when someone has to push!
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A great selection of wheels but oh that homemade billy cart! We called them ‘geordies’ for some reason, but pretty much built to the same spec.
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Bicycles seem to be becoming more popular as a means of transport now–as well as a good form of exercise.
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Billy carts, georgies – I wonder how many other names they’re known by? We call them go-karts. A rose by any other name . . . perhaps doesn’t smell sweet, but provides the same fun. :))
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In Australia a go-cart is similar to a billy-cart but has a motor.
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Al terrific mixture of wheels, I like the George’s bike best because in his time that bicycle would have seemed a very liberating vehicle.
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