Page 21 - PBCOctober2013

Pickwick Bicycle Club Magazine. Volume 10 No.3 October 2013

Chas Messenger Memorial Bench
A gathering of a hundred riders, officials, friends and admirers of the late Chas Messenger (aka
Smooch) gathered at Hillingdon Circuit for his son, also Chas (aka Boffer), to cut the ribbon on
a memorial bench opposite the finishing line.

The inscription on the bench reads: In Memorium Chas Messenger; 2014 - 2008
without whom the cycle circuit would not exist: British Cycling Hall of Fame
President BC Central Region

Chas Messenger was famed for many things, including organising the Milk Race Tour of Britain
and managing the GB team when Beryl Burton and Graham Webb both won world road
championships on the same day. That has never been repeated.

In London however, his most important legacy is his 10 year search, haggling with councils,
and eventual success in obtaining the Hillingdon circuit that now operates with events on seven
days a week and providing safe traffic free cycling for thousands of riders.

In fact it also caters for any non-motorised sport such as the London Nordic Ski Club which was
one of the many organisations, clubs and individuals who contributed over £1,000 to purchase
and install the bench
Caption to photos: Chas Messenger Jnr (Boffer) sits on the bench, behind which is Tony Gibb,
who started his career as a youth rider in Messenger events on the adjacent Hayes by-pass
(along with Bradley Wiggins at the same time) which led to the present circuit. With Tony is Bill
Butterworth, who rode many Messenger organised events. He is still racing and is also now
multiple organizer of BC Masters and, separate, women’s races. Both were competing in the
race that followed the ceremony. Colin Mann, right, is a
regular official at the circuit and raced and officiated at
Messenger promotions.
Four members of the Pickwick Bicycle Club attended the
ceremony, two wearing
the regulation straw
boater and two who will be
fined for being improperly
dressed!

Left to right: Sean
Bannister (aka Thomas),
a member of Chas’s
Chequers Road Club and
a coach of
Bradley Wiggins in
his junior years; Chas Messenger Jnr; Stuart Benstead (aka Mr.Warren), chairman of the
circuit managing Users Group; and Ray Kelly (aka Mr Mallard), a regular official for Chas’s
events and a founder of the circuit’s Slipstreamers children’s club.

(Report received from Mr.Warren).