strange holes in frame - advice appreciated

[slomo]

Rescued this Hercules Commuter - just felt the tip was kind of an injustice.....
It's a Sturmey Archer 3 speed (1987 according to the hub).
Have an eye on maintaining it and using it as my runaround.
First step was to clean all the road grime off.
Quickly came across these holes in the frame.
They are on the non-drive side seat stay.
I don't like the look of them, but am not familiar enough with this kind of bike to know if they are 'normal'.
Grateful to anyone who can shed any light on whether it is worth continuing or whether this old thing is indeed destined for the tip.

 

[foz]

Re:

I don't know what they're for, but it looks like they're deliberate, and not accidental or corrosion.

 

[slomo]

Re:

I was just concerned that they were circular initially, but that the medal has been 'peeled back' somehow.
I can't imagine what would have caused it to peel back, but you see all sorts.....
I think the bikes originally came with rack, lights etc, so they could be mounting holes of some description - they just make me uneasy for some reason.

 

[pigman]

Re:

Spare spoke holders?

 

[slomo]

Re:

I didn't even know there was such a thing (as spare spoke holders) :shock:

 

[hamster]

I would suspect for dynamo cabling - from the seatstay down to the dropout and so along the mudguard stay to the rear light. It looks like a dynamo boss at the top of the seatstay.

 

[Midlife]

Is the rear a dyno hub?

 

[Nob]

Bottom hole is for attaching the steel chain stay mudguard
The upper I believe was for a dynamo clamp that would mount a dynamo which ran against the tyre

 

[slomo]

Re:

Many thanks all - really appreciate it.

I am now confident that the integrity of the frame has not been compromised.

The big clean can continue

 

[Midlife]

Wrong side for a chain guard