Richard Woodcock provides an insight into an early and rare 1903 Royal Sovereign – a primitive motorcycle that is believed to be the sole survivor of the marque… unless you can tell us otherwise!
Those knowledgable in the History and evolution of the Motorcycle will know that the first ‘Solo’ Motorcycle was produced by Hildebrand & Wolfmuller in 1884. Commercially it was not a success and there are few remaining examples in existence.
In 1896, Count ‘De Dion’ from Paris, France produced a Motorised Tricycle, which prompted the introduction of many similar machines, and De Dion engined machines built under licence. One such example was the ‘Beeston’ Tricycle, manufactured in Coventry from 1897 onwards – the UK’s first commercial ‘Motorcycle’.
Beeston produced a Prototype solo Motorcycle in 1898, however this did not go into production as Solo motorcycles were not considered safe or viable. In 1899/1900, Bicycle Manufacturers started to attach small internal combustion engines to their machines , which they called ‘Motor-Bicycles’. They were somewhat gutless. However in 1902, the first true purpose built ‘Motorcycles’ started to emerge and rapidly became popular, signalling the end to the Tricycle era.
Photo Credit: Graces Guide
The London Machinist’s Co of 119 High Street, Kingsland, London, started production of their Motorcycles in 1902, under the name ‘ROYAL SOVEREIGN’, developing a rather tall framed machine and using a 1 3/4hp ‘De Dion’ type engine of unknown manufacture which sat vertically and was actually a stressed integral part of the frame. To get around existing patents they incorporated a unique bolt on ‘loop’ on the offside of the frame, around the belt drive pulley. Ignition was by ‘Trembler Coil’ and initially a ‘Surface Carburettor’ incorporated fuelling the engine through an ‘Atmospheric valve’ . The cost to purchase was 33 Guineas and it is not known how many were produced.
In 1903 an uprated model of 240cc was introduced, which had a longer, lower, sleeker frame, and the advantage of being fuelled by a French ‘Longuemure’ conventional carburettor. Transmission remained in single speed belt drive form, without a clutch – i.e. “Pull in the decompressor, pedal like crazy, drop the decompressor, and with luck it will fire! To stop, pull in the decompressor, stall the engine and apply the brakes – stirrup at the front wheel and contracting band at the rear hub!”.
I purchased my ‘Royal Sovereign’ in fully restored condition in 2024. It is the later 1903 model and believed to be the sole remaining survivor of the Marque in the World! It has been awarded a prestigious ‘Sunbeam Motorcycle Club Pioneer Certificate’.
I am still experimenting with the settings, and have only ridden it several times – notably at Brooklands in Spring 2025, and at a local Classic bike and car show a couple of weeks ago. I also displayed it statically at the ‘Kop Hill Climb’ in 2024.
The previous owner and restorer Brian Glover exhibited it at the 2017 Stafford Classic Bike Show, where it was awarded ‘Best Veteran’ and at the ‘Salon Prive Concours’ event at Blenheim Palace also in 2017 where it won ‘Best in Class’.
I hope to ride it in future years at The VMCC ‘Banbury Run’, in the SMCC ‘Pioneer Run – (London to Brighton) and the ‘VCC ‘London to Brighton’, as well as local events.
In the winter it sits snugly on a purpose made shelf in the bay window of my lounge – I am left wondering why I’m single and live alone?
an article by Richard Woodcock
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