Page 13 - PBCMarch2023

Pickwick Bicycle Club Magazin Volume 20 No.1 March 2023 13
Once again the kitchen at the Connaught rooms excelled themselves with an
excellent lunch, but this time the menu is not being explained as the committee
would rather you attended the luncheons and found out for yourself! Even the
Christmas pudding came in at some stage with candles a’glowing.

We then had the first loyal toast for the new King;
followed by a welcoming of the guests by Sir Geoffrey
Manning (see pp16 for the full list), including one
visitor from Minnesota who’d flown in especially to
join us, plus a retired Commander of the Metropolitan
Police (so no riding of bikes on the pavement after the
lunch!). Members duly stood and raised their glasses
to the guests.

Sir Geoffrey Manning
It was then time for new Secretary, Mr Watty to
announce the six new members being elected into the
Club. Nick Welchman was henceforth to be known as
Mr. Blotton (of Aldgate); Ian Hollingworth the
soubriquet of The Rochester Coachman; Stuart Peck
that of Mr. Dibdin; Richard Engers the dubious title
of The Hot Pieman; Norman Penstone to be known as
The Long Thin Chairman; and Desmond Gayler that of
Mr.Crawley. They are of course, most welcome to the
Club and we trust that they will participate in more
than just the luncheons, as they help to maintain and Mr WaBy
continue the Club traditions.

As with all of our luncheons there is always something happening, and this year was
no exception, as the choruses for The Old Brigade spread across the room, and
Dumkins lead the two Scarlet clad, Chelsea Pensioners to the top table with the
glistening Joesph Atto punchbowl to take wine with the President. For those that
don’t know about the punch bowl, it was the result of a £1000 bequest by former
President - Jospeh Atto (Nathaniel Pipkin) when he died in 1918, to fulfil his wish
that out of the income, there should an annual toast known as, “Past President
Joseph Atto’s Toast of Prosperity to the Pickwick BC”, to be drunk in punch
prepared from a special recipe.