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Advice on English 3-speed

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...Here is a complete list of the British Cycle Corp. before raleigh
I've been told that the Thumb shift isn't "correct" for this make and model (which doesn't bother me) so I'm assuming the saddle isn't either? The only Brit saddles I'm aware of are Wrights and Brooks. I noticed this Middlemore isn't on the above mentioned list.
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I would think the saddle is original to the bike.

Middlemores (Coventry) Ltd
Traded as Richard Middlemore & Sons, William Middlemore, Middlemore And Lamplugh, Middlemores (Coventry) LtdIndustry Leather goods, mainly saddleryFate DissolvedFounded Early 1800sFounder Richard MiddlemoreDefunct 1991Headquarters
Birmingham, Birmingham and Coventry, Coventry
,
England
Key people
Richard Middlemore, William Middlemore, James Middlemore, Thomas MiddlemoreProducts Bicycle saddles, horse saddles, harnesses, military ammunition pouches and belts, cigar cases

Middlemores Saddles was a horse saddles and accessories company based in Birmingham, England, with origins dating to the early nineteenth century. After several name changes they ended their time as a bicycle saddle and accessories company in Coventry in the late twentieth century.[1] The company had a trading period that can be documented to at least 160 years; making it one of the most longevous companies to operate in England.[2][3]
 
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The British Cycle Corp was a group of companies owned by T.I. but they were being run as independent companies so Hercules might have contracted for middlemore seats, also after T.I. bought Raleigh, (1960) there was a short time before all the companies were consolidated. The Sturmey archer shifter in place of a Hercules shifter might also be correct. And to muddy the water a bit more---some assembly lines were producing more that one product line(some different mopeds brands were assembled on the same line) so even before the Raleigh take over some blending was taking place.
 
Ok. Looking forward to going after a detail day with this one. Thank you for all the input gang. Little things point to this bike having been used well, but taken care of by whomever owned it. I have no idea of it's history and no clue how it ended up in Central PA. It's not a brand that would've been well known or even sold around here. This was the first Hercules I had ever seen. There was a Raleigh dealer in this region back in my youth. Perhaps there?
 
I thought you might like to see how My 1953 Hercules Tourist looked like when I purchased it on e-bay and what it currently looks like. The only re-paint was done to the chain guard. Most of the work done to the bike was applying new grease to all the bearings, replaceing needed parts and adding accessories.
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Herc9.JPG
 
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I thought you might like to see how My 1953 Hercules Tourist looked like when I purchased it on e-bay and what it currently looks like. The only re-paint was done to the chain guard. Most of the work done to the bike was applying new grease to all the bearings, replaceing needed parts and adding accessories...
EXCELLENT! Love the tires, nice touch. What brand are they?
 
I recently picked up a 1954 "Royal Master" built for AMF by Hercules, and it's nearly identical to yours, except with more rust. From what I can find out, the "Royal Master" brand belonged to AMF and was never used by Hercules except on the bikes they built for AMF. I'm guessing the same may be true with "Royal Prince", but I have no idea who owned the "Royal Prince" brand.
 
I recently picked up a 1954 "Royal Master" built for AMF by Hercules... ...I'm guessing the same may be true with "Royal Prince", but I have no idea who owned the "Royal Prince" brand.

Interesting. I never even considered that Royal Price was nothing more than a model name. Never thought about another brand having them made. I was always just under the assumption that this was a model marketed to the U.S.

Any Hercules historians?
 
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