Thanks! A wooden-knobbed bar end lever sounds interesting. I don't suppose you have pics? The bar is the new "Lauterwasser" bar from Soma. Not to be confused with a real Lauterwasser, but the best I could do.
Stop right there! This thread is about DIY and modifying what's already there, right? The solution, obviously, is in your hands. You won't be the first.... In fact, I am strongly tempted to drill my Fothergill frame for internal wiring, though I hesitate to modify a frame this old.