Sheffield-Simplex

Sheffield-Simplex was a British car and motorcycle manufacturer operating from 1907 to 1920 based in Sheffield, Yorkshire, and Kingston upon Thames, Surrey.

[1] In 1908, the first proper Sheffield-Simplex cars appeared designed by managing director Percy Richardson, formerly of Daimler and Peter Brotherhood.

Sheffield-Simplex considered their only rival to be Rolls-Royce and even opened their London showroom very close by in Conduit Street.

During World War I, the company made armoured cars supplied to the Belgian and Russian armies, ABC Wasp and Dragonfly aircraft engines and munitions.

The unique 50 hp car produced in 1920 and exhibited at several motor shows was acquired by Earl Fitzwilliam, the financial backer of the business, in 1925 after the liquidation of the Sheffield company.

The ex-Lord Riverdale car (which he drove from Land's End to John o' Groat's without changing from top gear)[8] is in private ownership and also appears at shows in the Yorkshire/Derbyshire area.

The commercial motor correspondent of The Times reported in autumn 1922 that he had tried at the request of the makers, Sheffield-Simplex, their 25 hp twenty passenger Shefflex omnibus.