Where there’s a wheel there’s a way

Haffendens (senior and junior), who ran Goring’s iron forge (perhaps better known as a smithy) from the early 1900s, had to be extremely inventive as the popularity of horse-drawn vehicles went into decline.

Haffendens (senior and junior), who ran Goring’s iron forge (perhaps better known as a smithy) from the early 1900s, had to be extremely inventive as the popularity of horse-drawn vehicles went into decline.

Among their earliest innovations was this four-wheeled,  man-powered transport, in which they carried Mrs Haffenden around the village.
     It never really caught on at the time, but would surely score high points in any competition to find a “greener” form of transport nearly a century later. The forge, the centre of Goring commercial life from the 17th century, was demolished in the haste of post-World War Two redevelopment. Today, the site is dominated by a petrol station.

Post bag

From John Grant, historian of the Worthing Excelsior Cycle Club, founded in 1887: 

“Regarding your very interesting story and picture of the Haffenden family of Goring and their unusual “tandem-towed transport, a Worthing Excelsior member from early Edwardian times used to take his young lady for rides in an identical chair attached to his single bicycle.  He was Fred Young, son of one of the Young brothers (Bill and Jack, both tailors) who were in at the beginning of the Worthing Working Men’s Excelsior Cycling Club, as it was then.  
     Fred was an optician, and ran his practice from what is now Batemans’ shop in Chapel Road.  I remember reading of one occasion, around 1905, when Fred went out cycling with a group with his young lady in tow.  
     From Lancing they took the road to Steyning, through St Botolph’s and Annington. When they crested the rise close to Annington Manor, they were astonished to find a gate across the road.  Fred must have been pretty fit, as before anno domini forced me off the bike, I used to struggle up that even on a racing machine. Wish I could oblige with a picture of Fred + bird + bath chair, but the photo of the man himself is the best I can do.”