TF Watson produced his first sidecar in 1912 and the company has been manufacturing
sidecars in the Heart of England ever since. Following a merger with the dynamic
young Squire company in 1984 Watsonian Squire became the UK’s biggest manufacturer
of sidecars.
Following the merger production of Squire sports sidecars and luggage trailers moved
to the Watsonian factory, between the Cotswold market towns of Chipping Campden and
Moreton-in-Marsh.
During the following decade the business exopanded further with the acquisition of
HARGLO, specialists in European-made junior motorcycles.
Then in 1999 Watsonian Squire took over distribution of Royal Enfield motorcycles
in the UK and rapidly re-established the historic brand in its spiritual home.
Watsonian Squire History
T.F.Watson, a builder with a penchant for inventions, designed a folding sidecar to enable access through the side passages of terraced houses and in 1912 he established the Watsonian Folding Sidecar Co. at Balsall Heath in Birmingham. Since then the company has continued to produce great British sidecars for nearly 100 years, surviving two world wars, economic boom and bust and a major factory fire in 1930.
From 1945-1960 was a boom time, with production reaching 200 units per week at the company’s huge factory in Greet, Birmingham. Eric Oliver won the world sidecar championship for Watsonian sidecars in 1949 and by 1955 there were 160,000 sidecar outfits on Britain’s roads, half of which were built by Watsonian.
However, in the early 1960’s the advent of cheap small cars, like the Mini, marked the beginning of the end for sidecars as cheap family transport. In 1958 Watsonian devoted 90% of production to sidecars, but by 1965 this had fallen to 20%, with the majority of work turning to glass fibre bodywork for the automotive industry. In 1984 the factory re-located to Blockley in the Cotswolds and five years later Watsonian merged with the young Squire sidecar company, creating a dynamic new business.
UK sidecar ownership increased by 25% during 1993-2003 (from 5,288 – 7,044; source RAC) as leisure riders sought to involve all the family in their pastime and demand has been steady since then. Originally sidecar bodywork was either wicker or aluminium, mounted on an ash wood frame, but today sidecars are manufactured from glass fibre, with a steel frame. Watsonian Squire currently produces approximately 200 units per year, with 60% exported (Japan being one of the largest markets). Click here for a timeline of company history
