Harley: The Littleport Connection
"Without Littleport, there'd be no Harley-Davidson"
By the Staff of Clutch and
Chrome
Harley
Davidson.
Whether
loved or hated, the named is renowned worldwide and synonymous
with the finest pedigree of motorcycle.
Many books
have been written on the history of the company, from the early
success being built out of a shed, to it’s dramatic downfall in
the 1970’s and eventual rebirth after being bought by former
employees. Titles like '100 years of Harley Davidson',
'Jean
Davidson’s Harley Davidson family album', 'Growing up Harley
Davidson', 'The Harley Davidson Century' and 'The complete Harley
Davidson' populate the shelves of book stores and libraries. They
all detail the rise, fall and resurrection of an American
legend, retelling a familiar story among motorcycle enthusiasts.
But how
does a company that’s as American as apple pie have ties to a
small village some thousands of miles away in England? Not just
any village, but a sleepy dot on the British map known as
Littleport.
Located in
the mid-eastern part of England, the quiet village sits on the
edge of a very flat area known as the Fens,
retaining the same charm American servicemen grew to love during
the Second World War. Just to show how little time has changed
Littleport, the USAF still
maintains two airbases nearby and American servicemen still
choose to live in the village. With the 6600 residents either
working on the local farms or commuting to larger towns and
cities like Cambridge,
Newmarket, Kings Lynn or even London, the village has a slow but
steady pace to it. The ‘High Street’ or shopping area is
populated by a butcher, baker, bank, post office, three pubs,
two fish and chips establishments and a tea room as well as the
newsagents and convenience store. More traditional trades such
as a blacksmith and chimney sweeper are still alive and well in
Littleport.
The
village made its mark in history as early as 1816 when a
starved population rose up and took control of Littleport and
Ely before being defeated by a detachment of dragoons (soldiers) sent from
Bury St Edmunds. This came to be known as the
Littleport Riots, coining
the phrase ‘being read the riot act’ as well as resulting
in five of the rioters being hanged and a further five deported
to a penal colony in Australia. In fact, the
harsh treatment caused a national outcry, and the Littleport
Rioters are remembered today by a commemorative plaque outside
St Mary's church tower in Ely.
So how is
such a quiet, historical village connected
to a world recognized icon such as Harley Davidson, the
pre-eminent
cruising motorcycle?
A country of immigrants
Like all great American legends, the seeds were sown far away in
another country. If William Sylvester Harley can be
considered the father of the American Motorcycle, the
grandfather of the ‘Hog’ was born thousands of miles away
from the birth of the first Harley Davidson in yes,
Littleport.
William Harley was born on
May 2nd 1835,
in a house on
Victoria Street, Littleport. By 1859 he left Littleport and
immigrated to Oswego in the newly formed country, the United
States of America.
William Harley enlisted in the army shortly after arriving in
the
U.S. fighting on the side of the Unionists in the American Civil
War. Afterwards he fathered several children with Mary Smith,
one of which was William Sylvester, born
December 29th 1880.
As everyone knows William Sylvester Harley went on to form the
Harley-Davidson Motor Company with Arthur Davidson in 1903.
History wasn’t lost on the modern day inhabitants of
Littleport,
they commemorated the village’s link to its place in American
folklore with a full size motorcycle statue and an unveiling
ceremony in 2003. Warm wishes were given by Harley Davidson, who
happened to be celebrating its one hundred year anniversary. The
grandson and granddaughter of William Sylvester Harley attended
the ceremony, inviting all to join them;
“As the birthplace and home of one of the original founding
families of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Littleport has a
particular place in the hearts of Harley-Davidson owners and it
is great to see a permanent memorial to mark the occasion –
particularly in Harley’s 100th birthday year”.
“We are thrilled that during the year marking the 100th
Anniversary of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Littleport
will be hosting events that embrace celebrating the
contributions of William Sylvester Harley, one of the
co-founders and the memory of his father, William, who was born
in the village.
Our families feel a deep sense of gratitude towards all who are
making the events possible and look forward to meeting you all
when you join us at the festivities”.
-
John
Harley and Margo Manning
The day’s events included the American Civil War Society,
vintage vehicles, American themed music and of course a turn out
of Harley Davidson motorcycles. Starting at 9.30am the
entertainment, fair and unveiling went on into the day with the
final act, a British pop band The Groundhogs, coming on stage at
11.15 that night.
The village has even marked its link with the famous motorcycle
manufacturer with the Harley Trail, a nature walk that makes it
way through Littleport is around 2 miles long and starts from
The Barn, home of the Littleport Society, who discovered and
confirmed the link between Littleport and the Harley-Davidson
Motor Company.
According to a website, a 2004 Harley Davidson celebration was
cancelled, ‘After careful consideration by the primary
organizers, taking into account the current available funding
sources, it has been decided to provisionally reschedule the
Event until 2006.’
But the
memorial, a life-size silver motor-cycle still stands on the
village green outside St George's Church to this day. If you ask
for directions to it, the local will most likely throw in
“Without Littleport, there’d be no Harley Davidson!” at the end
with a wry smile.
Reference Links
Littleport
Littleport and Harley
Littleport's 2003 Harley Celebration
Littleport's cancelled 2004 Harley
Celebration |