The Team
Howard Watts - Owner
Debbie Whiteman - Assistant to Howard Watts
Peter Fiddes - Master Technician
Harry Dean - Technician
Our History
Riddelsdell Bros has been in business in Boxford since 1900, making it the world’s oldest working automotive garage. Now trading as Howard Watts Automotive, incorporating Riddelsdell Bros Limited, the business continues to evolve and provide an ever increasing portfolio of automotive services for both modern & classic cars and motorbikes.. We are discovering more about our history all the time and we would love to hear from you if you have something to share.
1900
Founded by Mr Percy J Riddelsdell & M Riddelsdell.
Riddelsdell Bros Ltd was established as a Torpedo motorcycle manufacturer.
1918
The firm moved into the present Boxford location where the main frontage buildings, which still exist today, were erected
1922
The garage was sold to H & S Dyer & A Elmer. A showroom was constructed in part of the frontage building to promote car sales.
1926
Percy Riddelsdell bought the business outright. By this time the garage was an established automotive workshop servicing the local community and beyond.
1926
From 1926 Riddelsdell continued as 'contracted authorised Agents' for the sale of new Morris Cowley, Humber and Daimler cars as well as Triumph Motor Cycles. Sales were being promoted on the values of providing 'an efficient service' with 'part exchanges a speciality', both being held to this day. With a telephone number of '10' Riddelsdell Bros were obviously at the forefront of technology(!) with the tenth telephone in the village.
1969
The garage was sold to P Elmer & R Vipond.
The business became a main dealer for Austin Morris & British Leyland Cars.
1971:
At the tender age of 15, Howard Watts was fully expecting to start work at his father’s car garage only to return home from school one day to be told he would not be doing any such thing.
‘He wanted me to gain valuable experience, life skills and a profession I was passionate about for myself. At sixteen I joined British Oxygen as a graduate apprentice in London and continued to buy and sell cars as a hobby.’
It was at the age of 10 when Howard decided he wanted to make cars his business.
Howard follows in the footsteps of his late father, Fred Watts, who, from 1950, owned a large successful motor business, Car Sprayers Colchester, which later became M&F Watts of Colchester when his brother, Maurice, joined the business.
1987
Riddelsdell Bros. became a Subaru main dealer, embracing the increasing popularity of these reliable and affordable Japanese cars.
1987
The business expanded by becoming an agent for Isuzu's range of 4x4 vehicles, ideal for use in rural Suffolk.
1988
Roger Vipond bought Riddelsdell Bros outright
2000
Riddelsdell Bros Ltd celebrates 100 years of business.
2001
Howard Watts fulfilled his ambition of owning and running the Riddelsdell Bros garage when Roger Vipond agreed to sell the business.
2002
Howard’s passion for Jaguar, Porsche and Ferrari developed the business into an independent specialist, employing highly skilled technicians to work on performance and classic cars.
2003
Riddelsdell Bros is recognised as one of the oldest recorded working garages in Europe.
2004
The garage partners with Gulf Oil to become the world's smallest Gulf petrol station, a distinction it holds to this day.
2007
Albert Crighton (left) retired after 52 years of service at the garage.
2017
The Howard Watts Group formed, incorporating Howard Watts Automotive and Riddelsdell Bros Ltd, to continue to provide a wide range of automotive services.
2017
A Secure Storage facility is established to provide storage for Customer’s cars
2018
A Covered Classic Car transport service is established to provide secure anonymous vehicle movements in the UK.