Page 26 - PBCMarch2020

Pickwick Bicycle Club Magazine Volume 17 No.1 March 2020 26
It all began in 1972……

I was uncertain whether my memories of 48 years as a member of the PBC were of
interest to anybody other than myself, but I was ‘commanded’ by your President to print
them. Allegedly I am currently the ‘Father of the Club’ although I would acknowledge that
a certain Hugh Porter MBE - Jonas Mudge (Retired) may lay claim to 50 years. However I
will proceed.

I was introduced to the Pickwick Bicycle Club by a close cycling friend – Peter Knottley, aka
The Clerk. Through our connections in the CTC (Cyclist’s Touring Club) we had done a number
of cycling holidays together in the 60’s. Peter was also a feature writer for the weekly ‘Cycling’
magazine, under the pseudonym of Randonneur and he suggested that I might be interested in
joining the PBC and subsequently invited me to the President’s Spring luncheon in May 1972
at the Grand Connaught Rooms. Totally unaware of the fact that he had already proposed me,
I was very surprised when the then Hon Sec – Wilkins Flasher announced me as a new
member. I was much maligned over my sartorial attire – floral pink shirt and matching tie – and
it was suggested that my choice of apparel would improve now I was a member. I was to be Mr
Winkle Snr – who appears in Ch 50.

In those days there was clearly no formal procedure for membership, as long as you had an
obvious and active connection with the cycling world. Unlike today, where there is a Club
procedure of vetting and a lengthy waiting time; back then it was it seems, proposed, thumbs
up, you’re in. Probably why I was accepted! Sometime after I joined there was a period in the
late 70’s & 80’s when it seemed that the cycling connection was somewhat overlooked, and a
number of new members were simply friends of members and enjoyed the camaraderie of the
Club and so were proposed for membership. Currently it has reverted to the original criteria.

I recall Tracy Tupman (Don Lyford) was Treasurer and the Captain was Mr Trundle (the late
Barry Brandon). Wilkins Flasher and Mr Trundle were fearsome characters in their own right -
not just playing the part. When silence was demanded – that’s what they got. I don’t recall the
presence of any military personnel to supply the appropriate heralding in the early days but
maybe that’s just my memory failing me. The arrival of the ‘Original Member’ was a well-oiled
part of the event, as for many years it was often a Pearly King from one of the London
Boroughs, or an actor suitably attired.

At the 1972 May luncheon, Hugh Palin (Sir Thomas Blazo) was President, who I seem to
recall, had a quiet but well-spoken voice, and he had taken over the previous December from
Reg Harris (Gabriel Grubb), the famous world champion and professional sprinter of the 50’s /
60’s. I don’t remember the main speaker being anybody of any consequence Members didn’t
‘mix’ readily outside of their immediate friends, nor was there the same amount of hilarity (if
that’s the right word), apart from the singing of the usual choruses. The highlight though was
always the command “Gentlemen, you must smoke’, and everybody carefully loaded their
(long) church warden clay pipes with ‘shag’ tobacco, and amid coughing and spluttering the
grand hall disappeared in a cloak of smoke. Unfortunately, with the ban on smoking that has
disappeared from our lunches. There was always the Joseph Atto Punchbowl Ceremony –,
now performed by the Chelsea Pensioners.