James Thomas Cycle Shop in Walcot Street Bath

In the 60s 83 Walcot Street Bath was owned by Dennis Thomas, The cycle business was started by his grandfather James in 1889 and in fact he had an original Penny Farthing and the equipment to build them still in the shop.

I bought my Italian Capri scooter there for 91 guineas, though latter he changed his allegiance to Japan and became a Honda stockist.

In the picture he is servicing the 125cc twin Honda that I purchased for £130 new in the mid 60s.

The shops motto was “AS OLD AS THE INDUSTRY AS MODERN AS THE MINUTE”.

Dennis was a keen Leica photographer and president of the Bath Photographic Society, I remember printing my first colour print in the kitchen of his Newbridge Hill home and warming the colour developer on his family Raburn.

The shop changed hands several times before Johns Bikes moved in and the shop returned to its original use.