LEDGERS
Ledgers (or equivalent production records) exist from August 1935 to January 1973, and from 1993 to the present. The photo below shows typical facing pages from Hetchin's early ledgers.
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item |
explanation
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1.
Frame size (seat tube) in inches.
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2. |
O=orthodox (straight) stays; V=vibrant (curly) stays.
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3. |
Frame number.
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4. |
Date: day/month/year.
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5. |
C or F: complete bike or frame. T: trade.
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6. |
Customer sales receipt, "OUR REF.____"; see photo below.
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Price |
In pounds, shillings, and pence.
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The ledger scan above shows an entry on the right-hand page, marked in magenta, for which both an original-owner sales receipt and the bike itself are extant. See below.
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item |
explanation
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3. |
The frame number, 483297.
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4. |
Date of sale, customer took delivery; note two days delay before Hyman entered it into his ledgers above.
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6. |
Sales receipt reference number, matching ledger entries.
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Price |
Total: 20 pounds 10 shillings; customer had paid a deposit of 5 pounds on 24/8/1948; balance due: 15 pounds 10.
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7. |
Customer's name and address.
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8. |
Model: Hetchins Six Day Special.
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9. |
Stamp, proof tax had been paid.
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Below is a scan of a second ledger, showing the page where the same frame appears again, marked in magenta.
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item |
explanation
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1.
Frame size.
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2. |
O=orthodox; V=vibrant.
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3. |
Frame number.
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6. |
Customer sales receipt, "OUR REF.____".
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7. & 10. |
Wheel size, 27 or 26 inch.
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8. |
Model: Six Day S(pecial), Super S(pecial), M(assed)S(tart), etc.
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11. |
Same frame as on previous ledger page.
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12. |
A Toni Merkens model; extremely rare. Marked "sold."
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13. |
A Super Massed Start SHOW model; also very rare.
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Below are photos of the Six Day Special bike in original, and current, condition.
Photographs courtesy of the first owner's family.
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Below is a scan of a sales ledger from 1939, with explanation farther below.
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item |
explanation
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1.
Date of 1st sale, dd/mm/yy.
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2. |
Name of customer or dealer.
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3. |
Location of customer/dealer.
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4. |
Invoice nr.
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5. |
Frame nr.
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6. |
T: trade.
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7. |
Price in pounds, shillings, pence.
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The Editor is not in possession of any original sales ledgers for the period 1935 to 1967; these were last known to be in the possession of Hilary Stone. What the Editor has are photocopies and digitized versions (Excel files). Please note that not every frame can be referenced in such detail as above, as few original customer sales receipts are extant. By and large, what this Editor can provide is raw data from Excel files, and in most cases a scan of the photocopied hand-written sales ledger.
The Editor is in possession of one original sales ledger, intact, in Alf's unmistakeable writing, with dates and frame numbers, models, prices, sometimes first owner's names and addresses. The first dated entry is for 24 March 1969, and the last twenty-something January 1973. The entries are in chronological order, but the frame numbers are all jumbled up, some going back to 1967.
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Two sheets from the 1969-1973 ledger are reproduced below.
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For the Gallery feature on the first bike, the 1970 VM iii de luxe, click here.
For the Gallery feature on the second bike, the 1972 touring bike, click here.
Production records for the period 1973 - 1985 are not available. Hetchins yearly production totals for the period 1986 to 1993 (Bob Jackson Cycles in Leeds) surfaced in 2024, but details of single frames are not accessible to this Editor. Detailed records accessible to this Editor pick up again at 1993 to the present.
The Editor endeavors to answer queries regarding single frames. A search of the ledgers usually returns at least a price and a date of sale, and often more details, such as model and first owner; there are some exceptions whereby only a frame number is present but no further details.
A voluntary donation for searching the records would be greatly appreciated and would help to keep this web resource advert-free. PayPal is available to receive donations c/o editor@hetchins.org Donations will go towards the maintenance of this website, as well as maintaining the Hetchins archive, which consists of a large collection of physical and documentary evidence pertaining to the marque. The Editor thanks readers for their understanding.
To request information regarding single frames, please send frame numbers and photos to the Editor, c/o of the link below.
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email:
