Full Cycle

‘Full Cycle’ is a Heritage Lottery funded project which celebrates the unique cycling heritage of Forest Gate and explores why it is an important legacy for Newham’s communities.

‘Full Cycle’ will explore this unique heritage through the lens of Edward Ernest Etty, better known as Ted, the 95 year old owner of Etty & Tyler motor & cycle repair shop on Upton Lane E7 est.1963.

Ted has lived and worked in Newham most of his life and witnessed over 70 years of changing socio-political and cultural trends from a two-wheel perspective. The project will create a fascinating documentary film, ‘Mechanically Minded’ preserving Ted’s legacy.

Full-Cycle is working with cycling organisations, community groups, primary school children and Newham Archives to collect anecdotes, photographs and memorabilia. This archive of fascinating material, intertwined with Ted’s stories, will inform an immersive ‘Full-Cycle QR bike trail’, across Forest Gate.

the great bicycle bubble

As the ‘gate-way’ to Epping Forest, Forest Gate was the perfect location for cycle-centric activities, fuelling the craze for wheel-based leisure, activism & women’s liberation.

Did you know that during the ‘great bicycle bubble’ of the late 19th Century Forest Gate produced as many bikes for women as men ?

“Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on
a wheel.”

~ Susan B. Anthony, 1896

The perils of cycling in Newham in the late 1940’s

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Frames of Mind, is working with artist Toby Melville-Brown to co- produce the Full Cycle, Heritage map and a Full Cycle Heritage Activity Sheet, which can be downloaded and printed, or collected from Forest Gate library.

The Full Cycle Heritage map will take participants on an immersive journey of QR-code accessed multi-media material engaging them in Newham’s cycle heritage; archive photos, stop frame animations, film footage, voice overs and punchy text.

Eight QR-code heritage stops, at site-specific locations will be punctuated and brought to life with fascinating cycling-related snippets from Ted’s life story. The Full Cycle Heritage Trail will be supported by trained ‘trail’ volunteers and local organisations, Newham Cyclists & BikeWorks.

full cycle heritage QR bike trail