The R.F. Seymour Exhibition in Thame will celebrate a motorcycling legacy
The exhibition takes place at Thame Museum from September 6th to October 25th
If the word Velocette rings a few bells, then it is more than likely that you have a passion for all things motorcycling. And if you’re talking about Velocette, then the name Ralph Seymour will surely hold a special significance, too.
Ralph Seymour was a world-renowned tuner and restorer of Velocette motorcycles. Having raced motorcycles in his early years, his attention then turned to preparing motorbikes for racing events across the UK, including the famous Isle of Man TT.
His shop, R.F. Seymour’s, was a permanent fixture in Thame, Oxfordshire, running from 1960 until 2012, when the business eventually closed. Now, the Seymour name will return to Thame for a special exhibition this autumn celebrating his life, career and achievements with two wheels.
R.F. Seymour in Thame, Oxfordshire
Ralph Seymour’s story
With his desire to race motorcycles coinciding with the beginning of the Second World War, it wasn’t until 1946 that Ralph Seymour would begin his competitive career in earnest, taking on the Isle of Man TT race as well as appearing at the famous Brooklands circuit and other tracks across the UK. He even crossed paths and raced against the likes of multiple world champion Geoff Duke in that time.
His racing career ended in 1952, and by 1960, he had opened his own motorcycle business, R.F. Seymour’s, in Thame, Oxfordshire. The shop was spread over two floors, with motorcycles having to be pushed up narrow stairs to the second-floor workshop and subsequently winched down from an open back door. R.F. Seymour’s was highly regarded in the local community and the wider motorcycle community, and saw people travelling from all over the world to have their Velocettes repaired there, including one man who brought his engine over from San Francisco on the plane, stowing it in the seat next to him.
When the Velocette factory in Birmingham closed in 1971, Seymour and a colleague made their way down to the closing auction to buy additional tools needed to keep the business going. From there, he created race bikes with his best result for one of his prepared bikes coming at the 1973 Senior TT, courtesy of a 19th place from Fred Walton, an impressive feat against the industry powerhouses of that time.
Creating road bikes using Rickman frames soon followed and for the ensuing decades, R.F. Seymour continued as a family business, with three generations all being involved in its running until its eventual closure in 2012. The passion for motorcycles was passed through to Seymour’s grandson, Andy Barrett, who, after being involved in R.F. Seymour’s from a young age, now provides his expertise for auction house Bonham’s as a motorcycle specialist.
Visit the Exhibition
Starting on September 6th at 10am, Thame Museum will celebrate Ralph and the business by showcasing some of the bikes he prepared (including a Velocette Metisse he assembled in just 6 weeks to race in the Junior TT) , trophies he won and other memorabilia. The exhibition runs until October 25th and is free to enter.
RF Seymour’s grandson, Andy Barrett
In 2021, John Marcar and Amy Heynes visited Andy Barnett at the Bonhams motorcycle storage facility in Bicester to hear about his work with Bonhams Auctioneers and learn about some incredible classic motorcycles.
words: Mike Booth
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