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Yep that’s me, or soon will be. The 9 th January 1958 was my first visit to the
Clubroom at the Nelson Institute in Walworth. We were taken there (I was
with a workmate, Mike Steggles) by Martin Ferris, who I had got to know
when riding around Nunhead. We were warmly welcomed by Ken Hill and that
Sunday I was on my first clubrun. I went to meet Mike at the Elephant, but
he didn’t show, so I rode to the Town Hall Brixton to meet the Club, not
knowing anyone apart from Martin.

When I think back I could have been a lamb going to the slaughter house, for
here was I on my fairly heavy Claud Butler of a basic spec. Fortunately it was
a steady ride, and as I know now everyone was on their heavy winter bikes.
The club captain was Harry Thomas, who was a near neighbour of mine but I
didn’t really know, (although I knew his younger brother Denis well). Also on
the ‘run’ was Alan Constable who I vaguely knew from school days.

The ride was to Sanderstead, to see a cyclo cross whatever that was! The
club run rolled steadily through Croydon, left at the Swan and Sugarloaf and
up towards Sanderstead I remember the climb (not sure where the race was
held, Farthing Down? or more likely Riddlesdown). Having watched the race
and seeing a bearded rider throwing a bucket of freezing cold water over his
head to wash off the immense amount of caked mud he had accumulated
during the race, I made a conscious decision right there and then, ‘this
activity was not for me’. The bearded rider was Don Stone, of the 34
Nomads. I was to find out later. My 1958 diary shows a mileage of 30 miles
round trip.

The following Thursday I paid my subs. £1.02.06d and a little later 2/6d for
a club badge. My membership acceptance date was the 28 th February and by
that time I had been on two more clubruns, and survived! My 2 nd clubrun was
to Burgh Heath for elevenses, lunch at Hook, back home at 4 o’clock, diary
says 60 miles. The following week the run was to Windsor but I turned back

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