Hawkes

It is clear that although Hawkes were a well-established and important lightweight bicycle business, very little about them has percolated down to us in recent years and many people with a knowledge of the post war London lightweight scene are unfamiliar with the name.

In reply to Bryan’s request we received the following from Leigh Johnson, Grandson of A.A. Hawkes

A Brief History of Hawkes and Sons Cycles ltd. of East Ham London.

Just before world war one, keen cyclist and budding dealer Arthur Hawkes began supplementing his temporary factory job wages by repairing other employees’ cycles. He built and sold others with any parts he could get hold of.

In 1922 he seized a chance and bought his first cycle shop at 203 Leytonstone Road in Stratford East London, employing his youngest son Albert. Albert had already honed his metal working skills as a young engineer making aircraft parts during the war. Despite the economic gloom of the period, reputation flourished, doubtless due to the meticulous care put into the ‘made to measure ‘Flying Hawk’ and other lightweights, track bikes and tandems the club riders were ordering. Albert recalls “One of our customers was a lad who knew nothing about cycles and we had to strip a cycle down to something he could afford. His name was W B Temme. He joined a local club and beat all their records at all distances. In two years he was national record breaker. He did us a lot of good as an advertisement.” In 1934, 203 was closed down in order to open 323 and 331 Barking Road in East Ham.

After war service, Albert’s older brother Lewis had also trained in metal working and later joined the business to help run the two shops. It was said that if Albert was the craftsman behind Hawkes lightweights, then Lewis, a likeable and outgoing character worked wonders with customers at the counter. A good team. Of the many ‘shop boys’ employed, Horace Bates went on to establish his own successful cycle business.

Old man Arthur now left his sons on the tools, and used his considerable skills wheeling and dealing at London suppliers. To meet demands throughout the depression the brothers worked inhumanly long hours to support their young families. Albert, his wife Hilda and daughter Doreen lived above the shop at 323. No time was then wasted opening and closing the business, which included Sundays, after a 60 mile club run! Daughter Doreen grew up with cycles, could build wheels, out ride some of the young men, and was shown how to use the service revolver, kept to deter looters, all before she was 18. Doreen went on to win club trial medals in the 1950s, on her own hand built machine.

During world war two, the shops were bomb damaged but business went on at a pace. During and after the war, the brothers custom built cycles for serviceman who had lost use of their limbs. The ‘swinging crank’ proved particularly effective. Arthur Hawkes died in 1952, leaving a well-oiled and much respected concern.
Cyclist and workaholic Albert, saw business sense to remain fully involved with the local clubs and later became president of the Hainault Roads club, The Becontree wheelers, and vice president of Eastern counties cycling association. He was scrutineer at the post war Olympic trials. (See photo)

As a young boy in the 1960s I was often taken to see Grandpa Albert and Uncle Lew at work in the Barking Road work shops. The rooms were unchanged since the 1930s. I recall all kinds of bench machinery and bundles of 531 on ancient mahogany shelving. Later as a teenager I proudly time trialled early Hawkes, one with wood rimmed sprints!

The brothers retired and closed all business in 1966. Lew died in 1974. In 1984 a dozen senior members of the Hainault turned up on their cycles to attend Albert and Hilda’s 60th wedding anniversary. Albert died peacefully one year later. His own Hawkes lightweight mysteriously vanished soon after.

Hawkes Decals

Hawkes used two types of down tube transfer, ‘L&A Hawkes’ in a small script and a very large ‘Hawkes’ script in various colours edged in black. Both versions are found on the pre-war frames (as above).  The oval head and seat transfers remained consistent and show all their addresses. The 1960 frame, obviously refurbished, has replacement head and seat transfers that show only the Barking Road address, and one might speculate that this was the only shop remaining when they finally closed down. (late1960s?)

Bryan Clarke
April 2011