Lady Florence Norman, a suffragette, on her motor-scooter in 1916, travelling to work at offices in London where she was a supervisor. The scooter was a birthday present from her husband, the journalist and Liberal politician Sir Henry Norman.

This fascinating machine represents the world’s first model of scooter. It was the only motorcycle to be built in New York City. Though adopted by the U.S. Post Office and other services – as well as fashion-conscious women in Europe and America – it was also used by New York gang members for easy getaways – they could motor down narrow alleys to escape police in cars behind them.
 
The Autoped, and its predecessor the Motoped, were the true ancestors of the modern motor scooter. Introduced in 1915, and designed by Arthur Gibson and Joseph Merkel (designer of the Flying Merkel), it was the first motor scooter to enter production. Essentially an enlarged child’s scooter with an engine mounted over the front wheel, the air-cooled 155cc four-stroke engine claimed speeds of 30mph; though the clutch and brake were activated by moving the steering column forwards or backwards, so it could be unsteady over 20mph. In 1918 the Eveready Battery Co bought into the company and a battery and coil were fitted to the machine. It was now promoted as an Eveready Autoped.
 
Its reputation quickly spread around the world, being made under license in Germany by Krupp and, in Czechoslovakia, by CAS.
 
The Autoped made its British debut in early January 1917. The actress Miss Shirley Kellogg rode one in Hyde Park, a stage-managed performance for the motorcycling press, complete with a policeman who was photographed examining her driving license.