should be very quick work to check the OD of the main tubes, as well as the BB threading to determine if it's BSC or FR.
If it's British, there might be a connection to Hobbs (of Barbican) since they were known to share workshop space (and maybe work) with "Sterling Works" a firm that was associated with machine guns (!).
Could be the frame is more of a "road-path" model than strictly for track use, hence the oval fork blades.