PISTON SLAP                                               OCT 2023

PETER WILLIAMS. 

Another club stalwart from years gone by passed away recently. Pete was one of a small group of enthusiasts who assembled at the George Inn at Bothenhampton in February 1949. Their aim was to form a motorcycle club to organise club runs and join the ACU to run trials and scrambles when suitable land could be found. Pete was made President at that meeting, but shortly afterwards his work took him away from the area. During his time away he worked for Vincent motorcycles and Associated Motorcycles ( AJS & Matchless).  

On his return a few years later he immediately rejoined the Bridport Club and over the years became a key member. A visit to the Isle of Man TT had far reaching consequences. Joining the other ‘hooligans’ on ‘Mad Sunday, when riders were let loose on the island course, he crashed and broke his leg. On his return to the mainland he was sent to Portwey Hospital to recuperate.  There he met a young nurse called Betty, and they ended up married for 66 years. 

He rode in both trials and scrambles for many years and supported Betty, who also became a key club worker, with Sec of Meeting duties. When he eventually hung up his riding boots he was the regular announcer at the club’s scrambles and observer at all our trials. He attended every committee meeting and held the post of Chairman for many years before accepting the post of President again, which he held until the clubs amalgamated in recent years.

Besides his club work, both he and Betty were pillars of the local community.  Pete ran the cycling proficiency courses in Bridport for more than thirty years, and also served on the county “Road Safety” and “Rights of Way” committees.  He was active in the parents associations at County Primary and Colfox Schools. He was a governor of St Mary’s school and helped teach science.  He helped run the village youth club, mainly for working class lads and organised skiing trips for these lads. In fact these were so successful many of these ‘lads’ continued to go on these trips until they were too old to ski.  

He was employed by a number of high tech firms over the years from Vickers Guided Missiles, Whitehead torpedo works, and finally Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment at Portland.

He was always keen to encourage youngsters to ride in trials and two well-known club members made good use of his help.

He will be remembered for a long time by those of us who knew him. 

 

A very good friend of the Bridport Club has also Passed On recently. Rod Condliffe was a great supporter of the club when he was proprietor of the Freshwater Holiday Park. We ran very popular trials for a number of years on the beach and surrounding land, until expansion of the Camp took most of the land. However we were still able to use their facilities for our monthly committee meetings, the occasional skittles night and any number of successful Annual Dinners. There are many good memories of our time there. 

 

PRESIDENTS CASLAKE CUP TRIAL

A somewhat smaller entry for our second Centre Championship trial. There was some doubt at first whether this event would run at all. The venue at Loders was so overgrown it would have been impossible to run there. But thanks to the cooperation of the Crutchley family and Manager Antony Butler we were able to use a woodland adjoining the Lancombe Bottom course. 

Tom Moss continued his winning ways in the Expert class and seems destined to become Centre Champion again. Brian Francis took the Clubman Expert class ahead of another longtime Centre Championship contender of years gone by, Kevin Nolan. Graham Wignall took the Clubman honours three marks less than John Roberts. The Past Masters was headed by Paul Doney ahead of Gary Tarrant, two more well known names from Centre Champs’ of the past. Tony Lucas was best Sportsman one mark better than Simon Dean. Mike Cox topped a close run contest in the Over 50s from Andrew Somerton, the scores being four and five.

Sean Donaghue was the best of four Novices, while Matthew Caulkett was ten marks better than Lee Wiggins as the only two Twin Shocks.

Usual thanks to our marking out gang and to all the observers. Thanks to Roger Johns’ team for the results and very special thanks to Crutchley Farms and Antony Butler for saving the day with an alternative area.

 

NOVEMBER SPORTS TRIAL SUN NOV 5th.

This is our final trial of the year and will be held at Bowers Quarry Portland. I guess most riders know how to get there now, but for any newcomers, you follow the main A354 onto Portland and stay on it through Fortuneswell (underhill), up the hill to the roundabout by Portland Heights Hotel and turn right here following the Castrol arrow. Entry fee is a very reasonable £15 and regardless of what you might have read elsewhere, entries will be taken at the start. There is no online system set up for this trial. Start time is 11.00am,

 

Ivan