Friends
Today has been rather fraught with a lack of tangible and
detailed info and Richardson P. was unable to unearth
details in Anglia.
After a lot of page turning, scribbling notes (later found
to be illegible because I'd temporarily mislaid my specs)
herewith the following for your delectation.
Somewhere around 1895, The Triumph Company listed a pedal
cycle in its catalogue called the Gloria. At a later stage
when motorcycles were being produced, a combination
(motorcycle and sidecar) was made in which the Gloria name
featured on the sidecar only. By all accounts, this
combination was highly regarded by the motorcycle
cognoscenti of the day as being the ultimate in personal
transport of such a type.
(I've tried to obtain details of both units for a fuller
description - but failed. All I do feel certain is that the
motorcycle was belt driven and if it was anything like Dad's
Triumph motorcycle, it was probably prone to excessive belt
slip whenever a rain cloud appeared on the horizon!)
Now to the girl - and a was she or wasn't she?
This aspect of the Gloria name is probably based rather more
on hearsay as little if anything appears to exist (that I
could find, anyway). Those anxious to link car names with
actual or conjectured affairs of the heart have claimed that
Selfridge's store - still very much in evidence in London -
had an attractive model by the name of 'Miss Gloria.' We are
advised that said lady was photographed alongside the car(s)
at an event and at a later stage was presented with a Six
tourer.
What bountiful plenteousness!
I don't know what was regarded as 'par for the course' in
those days in terms of modelling or agency fees - but giving
a model a Six tourer was, as we conservative Brits are
inclined to say "coming on a bit strong." Of course, today,
it's no big deal - but this isn't 1930-35. If Gloria (or
whatever she called herself) was given a car, there could
be, shall we say, 'other motives' within the broad
connotation of 'services rendered?'
(I think this is a family list, so I must refrain from being
more explicit - but personally, I'd like to know a LOT MORE
on that aspect!) It appears a rumour was circulating that
this seemingly delectable lady might have been involved in
matters of true affection with a Triumph Director of those
days - and if this was so, was said Director Sales or
Marketing oriented? This might open the floodgates to
further enquiries but such a managerial level could possibly
explain away how a Six tourer came to be in her driveway?
Couldn't it?
An historian as seemingly done some work in the past on this
girl/car issue and has recorded that a mascot appeared on
some models of Gloria's head with flowing hair, so might it
have been the Production Director?
Interestingly, the Dolomite name first came to the fore with
the Gloria as well - and in about 1934. Many assume Dolomite
did not appear until the straight eight of DMH fame made its
later appearance. The "Gloria Dolomite Speed Special" tourer
appeared in the company's catalogues in 1934. It had a
highly tuned 1232cc engine and promised exhilerating
performance though never manifested itself in production.
If I can turn up anything else likely to be of factual or
hearsay interest, I'll revert to you all again.
Jonmac
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