Watsonian Squire
Encyclopedia
Watsonian Squire is a British manufacturer of sidecar
s and trailers
for attachment to motorcycle
s. The company was established in 1912 by Thomas Fredrick Watson as the Patent Collapsible Sidecar Company Ltd. at Balsall Heath
, Birmingham
, England. The company is also the United Kingdom distributor for Indian-built Royal Enfield
motorcycles. Today the company is based in the heart of the Cotswolds
at Blockley
, near Moreton-in-Marsh
, Gloucestershire
.
the company built sidecars for use as motorcycle ambulance
s. In 1922, the company moved to Hockley in Birmingham.
In 1930, the company was renamed to the Watsonian Sidecar Company Ltd. In the same year the factory was destroyed by fire and in 1931 the company moved to new premises in Greet
.
In 1956, Watsonian took over the rights to the Swallow Sidecars
name from Tube Investments
.
Watsonian was an early supplier to the Swallow Sidecar Company, which after World War II
was renamed to Jaguar Cars. From 1956, Watsonian started to manufacture sidecar bodies in glass-reinforced plastic
(GRP).
As well as civilian models, they also manufactured sidecars for the RAC
to use for roadside rescue
.
In the 1970s, Watsonian used their expertise in GRP to diversify into production of hardtop
s for Land Rover
and for sports cars. When the Land Rover contract ended in 1981, Watsonian was forced to scale back production and make several staff redundant. In 1984, the company moved to its current location in Blockley
.
In 1988, Watsonian merged with Squire Sidecars
to form Watsonian Squire.
In 1999, Watsonian Squire took on UK distribution rights for Royal Enfield
motorcycles, which are now built in India.
Sidecar
A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, producing a three-wheeled vehicle.-History:A sidecar appeared in a cartoon by George Moore in the January 7, 1903, issue of the British newspaper Motor Cycling. Three weeks later, a provisional patent was...
s and trailers
Motorcycle trailer
Motorcycle trailer is a term used to describe a trailer used either to carry motorcycles or to be pulled behind a motorcycle in order to carry additional gear.-For carrying motorcycles:...
for attachment to motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s. The company was established in 1912 by Thomas Fredrick Watson as the Patent Collapsible Sidecar Company Ltd. at Balsall Heath
Balsall Heath
Balsall Heath is a working class, inner-city area of Birmingham, England. It is home to a diverse cultural mix of people and the location of the Balti Triangle.-History:...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England. The company is also the United Kingdom distributor for Indian-built Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield Motors
Royal Enfield is a motorcycle manufacturing company based in Chennai, India.-History:Royal Enfield motorcycles made in England were being sold in India from 1949. In 1955, the Indian government looked for a suitable motorcycle for its police and army, for patrolling the country's border. The Bullet...
motorcycles. Today the company is based in the heart of the Cotswolds
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
at Blockley
Blockley
Blockley is a village and civil parish in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England, about northwest of Moreton-in-Marsh. Until 1931 Blockley was an exclave of Worcestershire....
, near Moreton-in-Marsh
Moreton-in-Marsh
Moreton-in-Marsh is a town and civil parish in northeastern Gloucestershire, England. The town is at the crossroads of the Fosse Way Roman road and the A44. The parish and environs are relatively flat and low-lying compared with the surrounding Cotswold Hills...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
.
History
Fred Watson founded the Patent Collapsible Sidecar Company, later renamed to Watsonian Folding Sidecar Company Ltd, after he built a folding sidecar that allowed him to get his motorcycle and sidecar combination through a narrow entrance to the yard at his house. Early sidecars were initially built with wickerwork bodies, which were followed by ones with ash frames and plywood or steel panels. During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the company built sidecars for use as motorcycle ambulance
Motorcycle ambulance
Motorcycle ambulances are a type of emergency vehicle which either carries a solo paramedic or first responder to a patient; or is used with a trailer or sidecar for transporting patients...
s. In 1922, the company moved to Hockley in Birmingham.
In 1930, the company was renamed to the Watsonian Sidecar Company Ltd. In the same year the factory was destroyed by fire and in 1931 the company moved to new premises in Greet
Greet, Birmingham
Greet is a historical area in south Birmingham, England, around modern Sparkhill.Now a name obsolete in addresses, Greet, meaning "gravel" ", was one of the medieval manors around Birmingham on the eastern gravelly slopes of the sandstone ridge which runs through central Birmingham...
.
In 1956, Watsonian took over the rights to the Swallow Sidecars
Swallow Sidecar Company
The Swallow Sidecar Company was founded on 4 September 1922 by two friends, William Walmsley and William Lyons . Both families lived in the same street in Blackpool, England. Walmsley had previously been making sidecars and bolting them onto reconditioned motorcycles...
name from Tube Investments
TI Group
TI Group plc was a holding company for specialised engineering companies. It was based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It was registered as Tube Investments in 1919, combining the seamless steel tube businesses of Tubes Ltd, New Credenda Tube , Simplex and Accles & Pollock. In 1928 Reynolds Tube joined...
.
Watsonian was an early supplier to the Swallow Sidecar Company, which after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
was renamed to Jaguar Cars. From 1956, Watsonian started to manufacture sidecar bodies in glass-reinforced plastic
Glass-reinforced plastic
Fiberglass , is a fiber reinforced polymer made of a plastic matrix reinforced by fine fibers of glass. It is also known as GFK ....
(GRP).
As well as civilian models, they also manufactured sidecars for the RAC
RAC plc
RAC Limited is a breakdown company in the United Kingdom supplying products and services for motorists. Initially formed as the "Associate Section" of the Royal Automobile Club, it was incorporated as R.A.C. Motoring Services Ltd. in 1978. It was then sold by the members of the Royal Automobile...
to use for roadside rescue
Breakdown cover
Breakdown cover is a service that provides assistance to motorists whose vehicles have suffered a mechanical failure that is significant enough to leave them stranded at their present location....
.
In the 1970s, Watsonian used their expertise in GRP to diversify into production of hardtop
Hardtop
A hardtop is a term for a rigid, rather than canvas, automobile roof. It has been used in several contexts: detachable hardtops, retractable hardtop roofs, and the so-called pillarless hardtop body style....
s for Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
and for sports cars. When the Land Rover contract ended in 1981, Watsonian was forced to scale back production and make several staff redundant. In 1984, the company moved to its current location in Blockley
Blockley
Blockley is a village and civil parish in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England, about northwest of Moreton-in-Marsh. Until 1931 Blockley was an exclave of Worcestershire....
.
In 1988, Watsonian merged with Squire Sidecars
Squire sidecars
Squire is a British manaufacturer of motorcycle sidecars that pioneered the design of the modern motorcycle trailer for being pulled behind a bike in the early 1980's...
to form Watsonian Squire.
In 1999, Watsonian Squire took on UK distribution rights for Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield Motors
Royal Enfield is a motorcycle manufacturing company based in Chennai, India.-History:Royal Enfield motorcycles made in England were being sold in India from 1949. In 1955, the Indian government looked for a suitable motorcycle for its police and army, for patrolling the country's border. The Bullet...
motorcycles, which are now built in India.