Transcription of the article. Where the text is missing or illegible dots have been used (...).

Northampton Man's Novel Invention

Have you seen the farthing-penny cycle?
Most of us know about the penny-farthing bicycle upon which Victorians rode with commendable courage and skill along roads which would shame even those "short-cuts" recommended to us when hiking.

A Northampton man, however has constructed what he terms a novelty cycle, which can best be described as a farthing-penny bicycle, with a small wheel in the front and one very much bigger at the back.

He is Mr. Fred Higginson, cycle maker and repairer, of 71, Grafton street, who intends to enter his invention for the Hospital Cycle Parade. Mr Higginson is a real handyman. A few years ago he made a two-seater cycle from an old bedstead, and this received fourth prize in the Hospital Parade.

When asked what gave him the idea, Mr. Higginson said: "I can never understand why the first bicycle should have been a penny-farthing. Why on earth the wheels were not made the same size, which seems the most obvious thing, beats me. This having been done, however, I thought it would be interesting to see how a reversed penny-farthing bike, as you might call it, would work."

Mr. Higginson started on the bicycle ... before Christmas. The front wheel is ...1 1/2 inches in diameter and the other ... inches. Another novel feature is the handlebars, which run underneath the saddle and are in the reversed direction, while the pedals are brazed on to the head-tube, to which, in ordinary bicycles, are attached the handle-bars. The cross-bar runs from the head-tube to the saddle, but on Mr. Higginson's cycle there is no ...tube.

Novel features

Mr. Higginson rode the cycle with perfect ease and control along some side streets off Grafton-street. Then he invited the 'Chronicle and Echo' representative to ride it. It reminded him of those infant ... when he learned to ride a fairy cycle! Discreetly Mr. Higginson let go, our reporter fell off. A second and third attempt ...: so did the fourth and fifth, ... finally he gave up!

The farthing-penny cycle will be ridden in the cycle parade by Mr. F. Higginson, ... who is 17, but there is another thing Mr. Higginson will enter. This is termed a velo-car, which was first introduced ... two years ago. This is a lengthy contraption, and the two wheels are considerably smaller than those of the average bicycle, although larger than the small wheel of the novelty cycle. There is a long chain and the handlebars again run beneath the saddle. It is a good deal harder to control than the novelty-cycle. This will be ridden by Master Fred Higginson, the constructor's 13-year-old nephew.

When the two boys go camping during the weekend they take the velo-car and carry their camping kit in the specially made side-car.

Mr. Higginson has made quite a number of useful things from cycle parts. For instance, he has in his ... a glass top table supported by pedal cycle handle bars. Then there are stools with motor car pillion seats and adjustable cycle... which he uses in the shop window.

Beneath photograph: This novel "farthing-penny" cycle and velo-car, made by Mr. Fred Higginson, of Grafton-street, Northampton (left), will be on view at Northampton Hospital Parade.