S Cotswold Bikes

There have been/are three manufactures of motorcycles in the South Cotswold area:-

Baughan- Stroud 1919-1936

Pederson- Dursley 1903

Rickman - Stroud - current

Baughan

Harry P Baughan was born in 1895 and formed his engineering company in Harrow after seeing service in World War 1. He was a keen trials rider, and in 1919 built his own design of cyclecar, an example of which he used in the MCC long distance events. In 1921 he moved the company to Stroud, where he expanded into motorcycle production, using mainly JAP and Blackburne engines. Two of Baughan’s employees, Bill Hayward and Chris Stagg, were keen motorcyclists, using Baughan machines with great success in trials and scrambles. Two other keen Baughan workers were the Grant-Heelas twins, Marjorie and Auriol who helped out with passengering duties. Baughan himself became heavily involved as an organiser of the ISDT when it was held in Wales and held various posts in the ACU Western Centre until shortly before his death in 1968.By 1936 Baughan Motors had ceased motorcycle manufacturing and changed their name from to Baughan Engineers. In common with many similar companies they became involved with war work, and became suppliers to Gloucester Aircraft, supplying components for the Whittle jet engined Gloster Meteor.The picture shows the machine that is exhibited in Stroud Museum. This was a works outfit ridden by Bill Hayward fitted with a two wheel drive system to great effect, winning trials everywhere it went. Several clubs barred the combination from their events.

Built in 1929, the machine is fitted with a Blackburne 500cc ohv TT engine and a Sturmey Archer foot change gearbox. A dog clutch operated by a large lever gave the passenger the ability to engage or disengage the drive to the sidecar wheel. The two wheel drive system was patented by Baughan, and a machine was evaluated by the government for possible military use. By the time the order for 2,000 machines came through, however, Baughan had stopped making motorcycles, so the technology was passed on to Norton, who went on to make over 4,000 Big Four two wheel drive outfits for the military.