John’s career with Fowlers Motorcycles began in 1964;
“I left school at 15 and started work at the Cheltenham Road branch of Fowlers, which was close to the Arches. We had multiple franchises, including AJS, Matchless, Ariel, BSA, James, Francis Barnet, Royal Enfield, Triumph and Velocette”, John, known as JC to friends and colleagues, recalls.
“I started at the bottom, making tea, sweeping up, selling petrol and cleaning the motorcycles, as well as the occasional car taken in part-exchange. I then graduated to the parts counter”.
John moved around the city as the business expanded; “We started dealing with Honda and Yamaha – the Yamaha spares were located at Grosvenor Road and the Honda parts were moved to a warehouse in Bath Buildings, just off Cheltenham Road. Both departments were later moved to Brookfield Lane, at the rear of the Arches’ premises”.
In 1982 Fowlers opened purpose-built showrooms-cum-warehouse on Bath Road, close to Temple Meads, and transferred all the stock to the new premises. JC now works in the company’s wholesale division, booking in all the spares for emergency orders for Honda parts, as well as picking customers’ orders in the warehouse.
Staff and management at Fowlers marked JC’s golden jubilee by throwing a party for him and presented him with an engraved carriage clock as a token of appreciation for his dedication and service to the company.
“I thank Fowlers that I have achieved 50 years’ service with the company”, says JC.