Page 7 - DLNjul2016-1008

Christine Watts, A Sporting Tribute by John Taylor

Christine passed away on Tuesday 31st May, after enduring poor health for a number
of years. She had been a staunch member of the Addiscombe CC, from her teenage
years, breaking her first WRRA road record at the age of 20 in 1951 when she teamed
up on a tandem with Daphne Stratford. They broke the 50mile record in 1hr-58mins-
33s, pushing a 96”single fixed gear. In 1953 Chris led the Addiscombe ladies to a
100m competition record team win, and during the next three years they also won
the 50 and 100mile team championships. In 1954 Chris added 0.3m onto Eileen
Sheridan’s 12hr time-trial competition record with 237.91m, and that same year
she married John Watts. He was a member of the Addiscombe CC team with Gus
Andrews and Stan Harvey, and between them they pushed the 24hr team
competition record to 1351.92m in 1951.

In 1955 Chris teamed up again with Daphne Grist(nee Stratford), to improve their
own 50mile tandem record with 1hr-55mins-34s, they also broke Marguerite Wilson
and Flossie Wren’s 100mile record in a time of 3hrs-57mins-11secs that same year.
They also clipped 30 minutes off the London-Brighton and back record with a time
of 4hrs-36mins-06secs; just 10mins slower than Ken Joy’s then current
professional record! Christine’s time-trialing and record successes in the 1950’s
took place around the same time as Eileen Sheridan’s WRRA record breaking spree,
and they kept in touch with each other since that time.

Chris supported the WRRA/RRA well over the years and was made a Vice President
in 2001. She commissioned an engraved Crystal glass vase as a trophy for the
Women’s Land’s End to John o’Groats record, the glass engraving was done by Eileen
Sheridan, and I’m proud to say that Lynne Biddulph Taylor became the current
holder in 2001 & 2002 after Pauline Strong’s record in 1990. Chris also gave me a
lot of information on the WRRA when I compiled the latest RRA history in 2013.

Much advice and support with her racing came from another famous Addiscombe
CC rider Charlie Davey, and in later years she helped compile a book on his career,
and the club’s history. Chris and John played a huge organising role in the RTTC
London South District, for which Chris was awarded the ‘Badge of Honour’ in 1998

Thank you Chris for your support of organised cycle racing, especially the WRRA.

7