WHAT IF?

While Paul Skilleter was researching the biography of Sir William Lyons book, he turned up some very interesting documentation, which included a contract between Lyons and motorbike designer Edward Turner. Each had signed to produce a Jaguar motorcycle.

EDWARD TURNER

Born in London on January 24, 1901 Turner started his career with the Merchant Navy and even considered going on the stage. Many reckon that with his theatrical antics he would have been well suited. A spell working with his father was doomed, before he left to start his own motorcycle business, Chepstow Motors. It was here in an atmosphere of general sales and repair that he sketched out his first motorcycle design, an overhead camshaft engine that evolved into the Turner Special in 1927. He even tried to convince established companies to produce the machine and while canvassing Ariel, Jack Sangster, joint managing director offered him a position with the company. Turner joined them in 1928 as designer/engineer and produced the square four engine, a fascinating design where the cylinders were literally in a square formation, like a pair of joined parallel twins.

Turner led a turbulent life and he and Sangster’s relationship was always rocky. Frustrated, Turner was about to leave Ariel when Sangster bought Triumph motorcycles from the