Turning the pages of history: Alfred R. Child

In the January 1925 edition of The Enthusiast, one A. R. Child is photographed in Japan with his wife and daughter, their Harley-Davidson, and “a bunch of Japanese motorcycle fans”. The brief moment, captured in time, is just a glimpse into the life of a man ploughing a path for the global expansion of Harley-Davidson

Flicking through the pages of The Enthusiast^™ 100 years ago, you would be struck by the international presence of Harley-Davidson^®. There are multiple people and activities that we give credit to for helping globalise the brand – for example, founder Arthur Davidson for nurturing and growing the dealer network at home and abroad, and Victor S. Welsford for heading the London branch of the Motor Company, established in 1915. Another name on that list is Alfred R. Child.  

Born in England, Alfred emigrated to the US as a young adult. While working in New York, he bought a brand-new Harley-Davidson motorcycle for his commercial business, and it proved an impactful purchase: not only did it assist his work, but Alfred liked his motorcycle so much he made moves to work for the Motor Company and eventually found himself in the influential position of international sales and exports. And so, in the 1920s and 1930s, the pages and covers of The Enthusiast were dotted with images sent in by Alfred from lands far away from the company’s headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Although his work brought him through parts of Africa and Australasia, it was the country of Japan where Alfred left his mark in motorcycle history. Harley-Davidson exports to Japan were already taking place by 1912, but Alfred established a stronger and more successful channel for the business when he moved there in 1924, ultimately opening the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Sales Company of Japan. In his role as manager, Alfred helped H-D^® become the leading import brand in the country and eventually organised the first Harley-Davidson production facility there. In addition to his work, Alfred and his family welcomed visitors to their adopted country, attended the local motorcycle clubs, races, and activities, and promoted the bustling Japanese motorcycle culture through the pages of The Enthusiast, MotorCycling, and other publications of the era.

Child was integral to the Japanese import and production of Harley^® motorcycles for more than a decade before leaving Japan for new adventures in the motorcycle business. Child is a celebrated figure in motorcycle history for not only aiding the expansion of motorcycling in Japan, but also as an important figure in H-D history whose early international ambassadorship of the brand has helped the company survive for more than a century, and whose snapshots of this two-wheel life has connected riders around the globe and across time. His significant contribution to motorcycle history has been immortalised by his induction to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2006.

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