William Morten Appleton
I’ve done some research on William Morten Appleton (1854 - 1951) and his time at ‘Tyn - y - Coed’ where he and his wife Julia resided for about 22 years from 1894.
The research includes his car and garage, the plans for which are held at Somerset Heritage Centre.
The research is part of the wider on - going Hill Road research project which I’ve been doing for some time.
William Morten Appleton was a worthy successor to Hans Fowler Price at ‘Tyn - y - Coed’ who had lived there from its build in 1862, the first Hill Road house, located on the site of what is now the Byron Court flats.
He lived and worked in Weston - super - Mare until about 1916 when he and his wife moved to live in Devon; he was also a notable orchid enthusiast, the glasshouse can be seen in the marvelous photo of ‘Tyn - y - Coed’ submitted by Bill Caple.
6/7/1907 - Weston Mercury:
‘The orchid houses were a great attraction to the visitors who much admired the wonderful collection’
I had some previous generous correspondence with Bristol researcher and author, John Penny, and his own research on William Morten Appleton and his achievements is gratefully acknowledged and from which the following notes are drawn.
William Morten Appleton was born in Hackney, London, and although he would become a notable engineer, submitting the patent for an improved internal combustion engine noted in the post by Dave Erasmus in 1914, he was an ironmonger by training, becoming a master ironmonger and running a shop in Clifton, Bristol, by the 1881 census employing 12 men and 8 boys.
By 1884 he had established a cycle depot on Black Boy Hill, Redland, Bristol, subsequently expanding to manufacturing cycles, probably because he himself was a very able cyclist and also competed, holding the South West title for a tricycle.
By 1885 he had moved to live in Weston - super - Mare ran a cycle shop in the Boulevard in the town, selling ‘Bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes’.
A man called Arthur Edward Johnson, also a keen cyclist, joined the team as an assistant manager.
There are many newspaper advertisements for the business which can be accessed via BNA - ‘Appleton’s Cycle Depot’.
By 1895 he and his wife Julia had moved into ‘Tyn - y - Coed’ in Hill Road, and in 1897 he was to have his Toad of Toad Hall revelation in the form of a Daimler car which was driven by Henry Sturmey (he of later 3 speed gearing fame, but then the Editor of Autocar magazine), who was on a motor tour from John O’ Groats to Lands End, demonstrating the capabilities of the car, and he had stopped off at Weston - super - Mare.
Appleton and Johnson were so taken with the machine that they immediately ordered a 4.5 hp Daimler car (a Daimler Victoria) and a 1.25 Beeston tricycle, William Appleton taking delivery of the car the following year in 1898, Weston - super - Mare’s first ever car, as noted in the plans for a ‘motor shed’ planning application which he submitted and was approved in 1899:
‘Ref No DBwsm/24/1/675
AccNo G/984
Title Plan of shed for motor car, rear of Tyn-y-Coed, Hill Road’.
Somerset Heritage Centre
I have viewed the plans and photographed them; the plans are beautifully drawn, an elaborate ‘motor shed’ complete with a pit and roof ventilation.
I haven't attached the plans as I’ll need to check out the status of them with Somerset Heritage Centre as regards any public dissemination.
The following three newspaper features reflect the contemporary interest in the car:
The ‘Weston super Mare Gazette’ - 26 March 1898
‘… described the motor car recently introduced into the town as a ‘Daimler Victoria’, and on Saturday 2 April one of the newspaper’s representatives accepted Appleton’s invitation to join him in a run into the country on the new car.
This, he wrote, had a 4 h.p. engine fueled by benzoline, or the more highly refined ‘petrol’.
The carriage, it was said, provided a most comfortable accommodation for six persons, and was mounted with rubber tyres, so that the mode of travelling was most enjoyable.
The car left Mr Appleton’s works at 3 o’clock for Sidcot, and in passing through the villages of Locking, Banwell and Winscombe.
The novel invention attracted a good deal of attention.
The speed was regulated from a walking pace to sixteen miles an hour by moving a handle, which brought into play a higher or lower driving gear.
So powerful were the brakes of the machine that the car was virtually brought to a standstill soon after descending what was known as the ‘Devil’s Elbow’, a very steep gradient in the vicinity of Elborough.
The climbing power of the machine was also fully tested in ascending the hill known as the ‘Rhoddy’ [Rhodyate Hill], but it succeeded in accomplishing the task in a highly satisfactory manner.
Soon after leaving Sidcot some horses, attached to a furniture van, were a little frightened, but the machine was brought to an almost instantaneous stop, this being done by merely pressing the foot on a pedal which threw the engine out of play, and at the same time applying a powerful brake.
The car was subsequently driven to the end of the charming avenue of trees which lead to the village of Shipham, and brought to a standstill outside the picturesque residence of Mr F. A. Knight (late of ‘Brynmelyn’), Weston super Mare.
Mr and Mrs Knight afterwards took their seats in the car, and were highly pleased with the machine and the luxurious mode of travelling.
The return journey was made through Churchill, Sandford, Banwell, Puxton and Worle, and was accomplished in less than an hour without the least mishap or stoppage, the machine being skillfully manipulated throughout the tour by Mr Appleton’.
With kind thanks and acknowledgement to John Penny
Weston super Mare Gazette, Saturday 26 March 1898:
‘The Motor-Car as it is today is no mere scientific novelty, but the tolerably well-developed embryo of a commercially valuable and mechanically satisfactory machine.
The ‘Daimler Victoria’, such as Mr Appleton has introduced into Weston super Mare, is among the most graceful and easy running of motor cars, and a study of its mechanism reveals the most striking qualities of convenience and simplicity.
The average cost of running - one half penny per mile - is so small, that the immediate future will probably witness the birth of a new industry, and one that may ultimately substitute for the prancing roans and greys of the Park a glint pulsing Ariel of man’s own creation; “instead of dragging its master at its heel will toil humbly in his rear.”
Weston super Mare Gazette, Saturday 23 July 1898:
The car now being run on the Sea Front by Mr Appleton (district agent for the Daimler Motor Company) is an exact counterpart of the car used by the Prince of Wales, so that any of our readers who would like to take an example from H.R.H. can do so.
We understand that Mr Appleton is only running the cars so as to introduce them into the neighbourhood, and will be most pleased to hand same over to any enterprising fly proprietor who may feel inclined to invest in this business.
The impact of the motor car into Weston - super - Mare would have been considerable, and no doubt not without local controversy too, as would have been his earlier promotion of the bicycle which had significantly changed life and mobility for all, not least for women, an opportunity readily seized upon by William Appleton himself!
Weston Mercury, Saturday 21 January 1899:
‘Gymkhana and Fancy Cycle Riding.
Appleton & Co. hold private and select classes for ladies during the winter in the largest covered hall in Weston, where, under the experienced instruction of Mr Veal, assisted by competent staff, ladies are taught to accomplish the most difficult feats of cycle riding with ease and grace and with no danger to the rider.
Ladies may form their own classes, which must not exceed four in each.
Full information given, arrangements made, and engagements booked.
Appleton & Co., Boulevard Cycle Depot, Weston-super-Mare’.
Howard Jones’s post of William Appleton’s subsequent purchase in 1903 of the 4.5 hp De Dion Phaeton car is interesting as regards what happened at that time to his original Daimler car?
John Penny speculated as to whether there was any link between his Daimler car and the subsequent purchase around the same time by George Pruen, the landlord of the Royal Clarence Hotel in Burnham on Sea, of an 1898 Daimler, registration plate simply Y99, which he would use as a wedding car and taxi, known as ‘Fiery Liz’ due to its loud backfiring!
This is probably a co - incidence as photos of the Daimler Victoria compared to ‘Fiery Liz’ show it to be a smaller Daimler model, with a smaller engine, but interesting nevertheless.
Clearly a man for technology, in 1899 William Morten Appleton also acquired Hill Road’s first phone, the phone number recorded on a document simply as 57!
He would be recorded in the 1911 census at ‘Tyn - y- Coed’ as an ‘Engineer, motor’ and in the subsequent 1921 census in Devon as ‘Engineer, retired’.
Whilst noted historically for his early associations with the car, his earlier connections with the manufacture and sales of bicycles and tricycles in Weston - super - Mare, and his love of cycle racing as well as orchid growing would have also cemented his notable status in Weston - super - Mare local history.
This is a mere snapshot of the research material which author John Penny kindly provided me and if any members are interested in finding out more about William Morten Appleton’s life, as well as introduction of the car to Weston - super - Mare, I’d be happy to liaise with him as regards the status of his research material.
Keith Graham | 
