1925 Henderson 1,300cc De Luxe Project

Registration no. NH 6406 (see text)
Frame no. illegible due to corrosion
Engine no. D18505 and D16168A (see text)
• Single family ownership since 1929
• Kept in storage for the last 80-or-so years
• Fascinating history file (including RF.60 logbook)
• Offered for restoration

First registered on 4th March 1925, this Henderson Four has been in the family of Mr William T M Masters - a Rolls-Royce Engineer in Derby - since April 1929. Our vendor purchased the machine via his sister, Heather Masters. The Henderson's condition reflects its age and the fact that it has remained untouched for over 80 years in a damp garage. However, it appears to be largely complete and solid: a candidate for restoration and a new life.

A considerable amount of historical paper has come to light, reaching back 1925. Original correspondence from the Henderson Sales Company Ltd records the machine's sale new by them to a Mr Mackenzie of Northampton. (There are later handwritten personal letters from Mr Mackenzie to William Masters about the motorcycle.)

Further Henderson correspondence between March and May 1929 charts the search by William Masters for one of their motorcycles, leading to the purchase of 'NH 6406', again from Henderson Sales, in the April of that year. The Bill of Sale is dated 22nd April 1929. Understandably, none of the outgoing letters exist. There is also considerably more Henderson correspondence dating from between 1929 and 1939, largely relating to spares and maintenance.

In 1939 William Masters passed the Henderson to his son Guy Masters, another Rolls-Royce engineer, who by then had moved to Bristol. The continuation RF.60 logbook dates from April 1939. From taxation stamps, Guy Masters appears to have run the machine through the war years up until 1943 when it was taken off the road.

Quite possibly it was taken out of use because of the difficulty in obtaining spares for the machine at that time. There are occasional references in suppliers' letters regarding the effects of the war on spares availability in Britain and, of course, Excelsior Henderson in the USA had shut down many years earlier following the Great Depression. This may have led to William and Guy's decision in the mid 1940s to purchase another example, possibly as a donor machine.

Returning to the documented history, in addition to the original correspondence from Henderson Sales Company, there is also a considerable amount of other original correspondence from many spares and maintenance companies used by William Masters during the 1920s and '30s. Carburettors seem to have been a particular source of trouble with 25 communications from Zenith alone. Also, there are Henderson advertising brochures and Henderson Deluxe Model parts listings from Chicago, together with technical information concerning the following:

Zenith Carburettors
Splitdorf Generator
Lucas Battery/Lighting

There is another associated matter which a potential future owner of may find of interest. In June 1942 Guy Masters wrote to The Motor Cycle newspaper to try and obtain a copy of the Manufacturer's Maintenance Instructions for a 1925 4-cylinder Henderson. The Motor Cycle replied, offering to lend a copy of the 'scarce' document, upon receipt of a written promise to return it within 10 days. Guy obviously made the promise and duly received the information. In the 10 days available he proceeded to copy out the maintenance instructions by hand into a small hardback book which the vendor estimates contains 60 pages, including diagrams (his Rolls-Royce engineering background is apparent).

Although the engine currently installed is not original, the (cracked) original crankcase ('D16168A') is included in the sale. The engine turns over and the gears engage.

Although the Henderson displays the registration 'NH 6406', this VRN does not appear in the DVLA/HPI database and thus this motorcycle is offered unregistered. Prospective purchasers must satisfy themselves with regard to the VRN's validity prior to bidding.

Key not required