[1] At first, the company manufactured a variety of articles: parts for sewing machines, horse clippers, roller skate wheels and the likes.

One particular development was the creation of a ball race bearing utilising ball-bearings and applied to bicycle pedals and wheel hubs.

The idea was patented and became a key product for the company acquiring the trade-mark Æolus referencing the Greek god of the winds Aeolus.

Bown, took over the company and in 1903 took the next step in bicycle manufacture by adding an engine to produce the first Aeolus motorcycle.

In 1924 the factory relocated to Chadwell Heath, Essex and production changed back from motorcycles to unpowered bicycles.

It has been suggested that as the 1877 patent expired (after 20 years), the ball-race-pedal became standard equipment used by most or all bicycle manufacturers, possibly even in current machines.

[3] A contemporary review from the 1922 show at Olympia, London reported: Several alternatives are offered by the makers of the Bown motorcycles, Blackburne, J.A.P.