1950 Jim Guard Cycles of Southampton - Eroica Steed

Jim Guard's shop was still trading when I was in Southampton in 84, although I can't remember exactly where it was

Which leads nicely onto another part of the story, thanks mdcc ;-)

Some great info on the Jim Guard shop from an old employee, who worked there towards the end of it's history, about the same time you were in town.

http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=5531.0

"My first ever employment was at Jim Guard Cycles, 124 Macnaghten Road, Southampton. I can still remember the telephone number too - 0703 27179. Happy days - I was 16 and employed on the Youth Training Scheme for the princely sum of £25 per week although I had had a Saturday job here since I was 15. Jim Guard himself was a strange chap, a former time-triallist and well known in local cycling circles, although the shop never managed to compete in prestige to our rivals across town, Rotrax. Jim's most useful bit of advice when repairing or preparing a cycle was to always wipe it with an oily rag to give it a shine."

I'm still looking into finding more about the early years of Jim Guard.