Frederick Dennison

Frederick Ridley Dennison (1876–1960) was an Oamaru mechanical engineer who designed and built New Zealand's first indigenous motor car in 1900.[1]

Background

Dennison was born Hilderthorpe on 2 January 1876. His father was a blacksmith and his mother the local Post Mistress. He was educated at Pukeuri. He moved to Christchurch and was employed working as a mechanical engineer.[2]

Motor vehicles

In the 1890s, while working as a cycle mechanic and engineer, he became interested in motor vehicles and began designing his own, including its engine. His first recorded motor vehicle, May 1900, was a petrol engined three wheeler.[3] He stated at the time that he intended to use the engine in his first car.

Dennison designed and made the car by June 1900. He drove the car from Christchurch to Oamaru on a proving run in June 1900.[4] It attained a top speed of 15 miles per hour under favourable circumstances. The journey which now takes about two hours took five days with rivers to ford, numerous mechanical failures, and very poor roads.[5] Unfortunately on the return journey the car exploded and was destroyed by the ensuing fire. Dennison was unharmed but lost his luggage.[6]

On his journey to Oamaru he was shown a three-wheel vehicle in Timaru by its maker Cecil Walkden Wood. Whether this vehicle pre-dated Dennison's and was a motor car is the subject of unresolved ongoing debate. Wood's endeavours were well covered in Timaru newspapers of the time and they stated that his first three-wheel vehicle ran a year later in 1901.

There is no record of any further self-designed cars by Dennison. In 1904 he assembled a Ford Model B with the Papakaio village smith's assistant, Donald A Whyte and in 1906 began importing and assembling Ford's. His also made at least one bus, only the body and tyres were made by others.[7] The bus was sold to W Fewings of Waikaia for the Waikaia to Riversdale run.[8] Although delivered by Dennison in May it took till September to commence the bus service. The reasons for the delay were not stated.[9]

Motor Cycle Racing

In March 1903 Dennison was reported as participating in what may have been one of New Zealand's first motor cycle races.[10] Dennison, riding a Torpedo, finished third out of the four bikes that participated in his heat. The winning bike was a Mitchell, followed by a Clément-Garrard, then Dennison's Torpedo and last was a French. Dennison also raced the Torpedo at Dunedin in December of that year, but it was described as being not in it for pace.[11][12]

Ford Agent

In 1908 Dennison was appointed Ford agent for Otago and South Canterbury by their Australasian representative Gordon M McGregor.[13]

Dennison was also an inventor who applied for and held patents for various inventions relating to vehicles and their engines.[14][15][16]

Dennison died in 1960.

Replicar

In 2000 a replica of Dennison's vehicle was constructed in Christchurch and his route retraced. The book Replicar outlines the story of its construction and journey.

Photographs

References

  1. ↑ Omnium Gatherum, Otago Daily Times , Issue 11773, 30 June 1900, Page 12
  2. ↑ Replicar!, Rona Adshead and Rex Murray, Square One Press, Dunedin, 2002
  3. ↑ Local and General, Star, Chrsitchurch, Issue 6789, 8 May 1900, Page 3
  4. ↑ Untitled, Oamaru Mail, Volume XV, Issue 7871, 29 June 1900, Page 2
  5. ↑ The Press, Christchurch, 24 June 2000
  6. ↑ Cycling and Motor Notes, Otago Witness , Issue 2721, 9 May 1906, Page 55
  7. ↑ Otago Witness , Issue 2721, 9 May 1906, Page 45
  8. ↑ The Ensign, Mataura Ensign , Issue 1614, 10 March 1906, Page 2
  9. ↑ Untitled, Mataura Ensign , 6 September 1906, Page 2
  10. ↑ Dunedin Motor Race Handicap, Otago Witness, Issue 2558, 25 March 1903, Page 52
  11. ↑ Cycling notes, Otago Witness, Dunedin, Issue 2598, 30 December 1903, Page 55
  12. ↑ A great Doctor, Star, Christchurch, Issue 7905, 9 January 1904, Page 6
  13. ↑ By Demon, Otago Witness , Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 58
  14. ↑ Applications for Patents, Progress, Volume I, Issue 4, 1 February 1906, Page 89
  15. ↑ Applications for Patents, Progress , 1 October 1907, Page 455
  16. ↑ Patents, Marlborough Express, Volume LIIII, Issue 82, 8 April 1920, Page 7
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 5/16/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.