John wrote: "The First Watts Garage,built 1919-1920. A second story was added in the early 1930s & In the early 2000s it was demolished to make way for a Tesco car park Note the black radiators on the model T Fords (no brass anymore) and the 1920 Watney motor cycle in the middle of the picture. This was built by Watts in Lydney,using a frame from Birmingham & a Blackburne engine".

"About 1920 Arthur Watts decided to manufacture motor cycles in Lydney. The frame came from Birmingham and the engine was a Blackburne or JAP 2-3/4hp. with a 2 speed Burman Gearbox. Several hundred are thought to have been made. The WATNEY shown here was used in the Forest until 1960. It was discovered by the late Melville Watts ln the late 1980s. I once met a man in a Forest pub who described to me the thrill of racing them up the hill to The Speech House".

PDF file of a Sales booklet for the Watney motorcycle (courtesy of Robert Watkins)

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