The history of the Rover began in 1861 in Coventry, where James Starley and Josiah Turner founded a small workshop for the construction of sewing machines. In 1869 the production was extended also bicycles and tricycles, and soon after, was taken into John Kemp Starley company the fifteen, the founder’s grandson, who soon became skilled in the construction of two-wheeled vehicles and author of many technical innovations.
In 1877 John left the company of his uncle Starley and William Sutton decided to start a completely new workshop dedicated to bicycles, also in Coventry, under the name JK Starley, Sutton & Co. After several years of changing fortunes, the new company had great growth and notoriety in 1884 when Starley invented and put into production the model Safety Bicycle, which is the first modern bicycle with chain drive and with wheels of small diameter and the same.