[D]

Swift of Coventry started in the mid 1800's making sewing machines and in 1860 bicycles. Swift did well during 1904 to 1914 and acquired additional premises at Quainton Road, Coventry for car manufacture. The original Cheylesmore factory continued building bicycles. In 1909 a 7 hp single-cylinder car was introduced, which was also sold by Austin as the first Austin Seven. In 1914 Swift started to produce aero engines and other aircraft parts. After the war they were in a strong position.

Swift joined with the Harper Bean group in 1920, which had been capitalised as A Harper Sons & Bean at £6,000,000. The group was oversubscribed, but most of the money did not appear.

The reliability of Swift's products earned them the nickname of "The Little Timekeeper".

Car production ended in 1931, the surprised workforce heard the news on the 21st April 1931 and the business was wound up by a court order in July. Suppliers had foreclosed due to the economic climate following the 1929 Depression.

It was announced in October 1931 that RH Collier of Birmingham had purchased the Swift spares. Collier specialised in acquiring obsolete parts, and trading as Orphan Cars, supplied Swift owners until the outbreak of the second world war.

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