Friday 23 December 2016

McCrae and Pascoe - Norton agents in Melbourne

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-SG- Another of Ian's early twenties leaflets was issued by McCrae and Pascoe in Melbourne. This seems to date from about 1923 as it shows the first of the OHV machines although the printing blocks used for the side-valve bikes show the earlier versions with cycle type front brakes. Ian advises:

'In the October 14th 1922 issue of the 'Argus' newspaper, McRae and Pascoe announced that the first shipments of Nortons had arrived for sale. The models only being 2.5h.p. at Australian pounds 127/10/- and Big 4 at 162 pounds. 10,000 miles per tyres, 2 - 80 mph in top gear. "The unapproachable Norton motorcycle is undoubtably the last word in motorcycling efficiency" according to the advertisement. The 4th of April 1925 edition  lists them as the sole agent for Nortons and Bonniksen speedos. "Now selling second hand Nortons as well from £57/10/-."  At some later stage, the local Norton agency went from this company to an outfit called Disneys, but not sure when.'.

A footnote ... recent  re-acquaintance with Robert Saward's book covering Australian-made motorcycles from 1893 to 1942 reveals that this company sold bikes of their own known as the PASCO in the early twenties, which must have been a parallel activity to representing Nortons.  The most popular Pasco model was the Masterpiece vee twin, which was available in various forms from 1919 to 1925.