Page 8 - PBCOctober2019

Pickwick Bicycle Club Magazine Volume 16 No.2 October 2019 !8

Continuing in my role as a pop-up toaster, wine was taken with
those members of the club committee, then those that had
actually ridden a bike recently and those that had joined me on
the Charles Dickens Museum visit. Returning to my lunch - once
again the Connaught Rooms produced an excellent menu of
Chef’s Salad, Potted Crayfish & Chilli, Duck Leg Confit, Apricot
Bakewell Tart, with coffee and Sweetmeats – I had hardly
taken a mouthful and Buzfuz was on his feet to induct the new
members –see listed separately on pp12 - and we were on our
feet again to raise our glasses to said new members.

The trumpeter’s fanfare heralded the President’s toast to ‘The Queen’, followed by the
National Anthem.

The principle guest meanwhile was chatting away happily to my guest Bill Houghton –he of
the Holdsworth Orange Ford Cortina mentioned in the last issue of the magazine - who was
enjoying a rare visit to one of our lunches. Quickly looking at the time schedule, I noted
that the Captain was about to
an n oun ce t he Joseph A t t o
Punchbowl ceremony, whereupon Mr
Dumkins marched the Chelsea
Pensioners to the top table to the
resounding wails of “Boys of the Old
Brigade”. Taking wine with both
gentlemen once they had announced
their name, rank, regiment and age,
I couldn’t fail but notice that they
were younger than me – again!

There followed a slight pause in normal proceedings, as everybody
sang Happy Birthday to Peter Magnus, better known as Keith
Robins, to celebrate his recent 90th Birthday.

Seated once more, our dining continued as the Late Lord Chancellor
rose to welcome our special guests including our principle guest.

(See pp 11 for list)