An Influx of New Riders and the Passing of a Statesman, 1958 to 1964

Roy Norman starts the club hill climb pushed off by Stan Harvey

1958 had started well with first the January Social, followed by the annual dinner attended by 153 people, and then a Sportman’s Night that included judo, weight lifting, strand pulling and roller racing. Promoter Ron Pitt slated members for their lack of support at this latter evening, it having been left mainly to local clubs to provide the competition. By the end of the year it was reported that a decline in membership over recent years from over 200 to the current 120 meant less people were attending the clubroom despite facilities for billiards, darts, table tennis and roller riding. Members had played in the South London Darts League for many years with reasonable successes and despite falling numbers, still raised a team and continued to make their presence felt.

Dick Wiseman, back home in England from the Forces and riding in Croydon Olympic colours, finished second in an Old Kent promotion and pulled off a convincing win in the Croydon Racing Club’s (BLRC) 45 miles “Croydon Premier” road race on a tough Westerham circuit that took in three ascents of Ide Hill and four of Hosey Hill.

Marilyn Coombs, Ron Rand, Bill Currier, Trevor Williams and Roy Pitman

The National Cyclists’ Union and British League of Racing Cyclists had signed an agreement in March 1958 to join forces at the end of the year. No doubt members considered enough was enough, waiting for the national bodies to organise themselves, and they wanted everyone back in Addiscombe kit, for on May 22nd, a Special General Meeting was called to again consider affiliation to the BLRC. This received approval by 24:13 with 6 abstentions and the matter was dealt with promptly. On 8th June the club ran their first Open Road Race over a distance of 60 miles on the Ide Hill circuit and Dick Wiseman, this time in Addiscombe colours, won by two lengths from Keith Butler and Robin Buchan (both Norwood Paragon).

At Easter, Eric Hall had taken an Addiscombe party to the Isle of Wight where Dick Wiseman finished third in the “57 Clubman Special”. On the Sunday morning John Wynter, riding his first massed start, left the field standing for a comfortable win. Later in the day Wiseman finished second in a 35 miles race. Twelve members led by the Pat and Eddie Mundy had been to Dorset and another party toured the Cotswolds in company with Valerie Butler (daughter of Stan Butler, Norwood Paragon C.C.) and Marilyn Coombs, both having recently joined the Addiscombe.

Dick Wiseman wins the Croydon Premier road race

Frank Deacon, Charlie and Eva Davey spent their Easter reconnoitring the Land’s End/John O’Groats route as far as the Scottish Border in preparation for an RRA record attempt by Dave Keeler, Vegetarian C. & A. C. Charlie Davey would be acting as manager.

By the end of May Keeler was off on his bid for the End to End record with five of his support team being members of the Addiscombe: Charlie Davey manager, Frank Deacon and Sid Armstrong co-drivers of the support vehicle, and Pat and Eddie Mundy providing a mobile canteen (pictured). The attempt was successful, Keeler completing the distance in 2 days 3 hours 9 minutes.

John Smith’s 1958 season included his 5th win in the Balham Rough Stuff and his second Addiscombe Open 50 victory. In the latter event, Smith with Dick Wiseman and John Wynter comfortably took the team award from a field of 74. To add to the club’s dominance, in the handicap section Ron Barber claimed 2nd and Wynter 3rd. Smith continued his onslaught of club records and by the end of season had reduced the 25 three times (to 58.34), the 50 twice and taken the record under two hours (to 1.59.25), and the 100 twice (to 4.12.33). He also placed 7th in the National Championship 100. Smith completed his year with yet another South Eastern 12 win (250.5 miles) and the team prize with Barber (230.5) and John Wynter (217.7). Not to be outdone, Dick Wiseman, riding his first ever 12, won the SCCU event with a fine 244.48 miles. Backed by John Watts and Bill Currier they only managed second team but Watts’ ride was sufficient to give him 8th place in the SCCU BAR.

Track racing was fairly low-key. Members supported the Monday Competition at Herne Hill with Dick Wiseman achieving successes in Point-to-Point races and Marilyn Coombs winning a women’s pursuit race. At the Horley August Bank Holiday fete an inter-club roller contest took place with the Addiscombe seeing off the Crawley-based Southern Wheelers.

Valerie Butler, 3rd fastest in the Southern Counties Women’s 25

A drop in entries in women’s events generally saw some promoting clubs counting ‘a team’ as two. By the end of the season Marilyn Coombs had achieved a win in the SCCU Women’s 25, one 2nd placing and three 3rds, Valerie Butler had two 2nd placings and one 3rd, and they had amassed five team wins, two of these with Chris Watts as the third counter. The Women’s Open 50 was won by Joan Kershaw, Liverpool Eagle R.C, from a record entry of 36. Joan’s time of 2.15.53 was event and course record and a personal best. She was to repeat the win in 1959.

During the off-season quite a few were riding cyclocross. Of the five members who started in the Epsom’s cyclocross at Chelsham Fred Burrage finished 3rd and Ray Searle 18th. Bill Headde retired with a collapsed wheel, Ron Pitt gave it best in the middle of a ploughed field and Ray Root had the misfortune to have a brake bolt sheer. Searle, in summing up the 5 lap course wrote “one must have no sense of danger, or thoughts of washing muddy, dirty clobber, as you half slide, half ride, brakes full on, down the gravelly bank of 1 in 2 into 3 foot of muddy stagnant water”.

The commencement of a more united sport dawned in 1959 with the British Cycling Federation (formerly National Cyclists’ Union and British League of Racing Cyclists) controlling track and massed start racing and the Road Time Trials Council continuing to run time trials.

Charlie Davey’s year began by being presented with a Gold Badge for services to the Vegetarian C. & A. C. and at the Southern Road Records Association dinner being invited to sign the Golden Book of Cycling. At club level Gus Andrews took over the general secretary’s duties from Eddie Mundy, again showing that the top racing members contributed to the running of the club. Joan Pitt took over as track secretary from husband Ron and organised another Sportsman’s Night but although a successful promotion once again attendance was poor and it was agreed not to repeat the venture. One hundred and seven sat down to the 30th annual dinner.

Another form of off-season entertainment at the clubroom was slide shows with members bringing along their colour “transparencies”. These were an alternative to negative film, were viewed through a projector and became a popular way of recording ones touring weekends and holidays. Home cine film was rare and video and digital cameras still a long way off. With “black and white” photography a popular companion pastime to cycling, a photographic competition had been introduced in 1956. Bernard Hastings, who contributed greatly to the social side of the club’s activities, was running this and 1958 saw fifty-four entries spread over three classes.

Time trialling was still the members’ strong point and John Smith and John Wynter again started the season well with Smith winning both the SCCU and Catford 50’s. In the ‘34 Nomads 25, the three John’s, Wynter 59.55, Gifford 59.57 and Smith 1.00.15, set a new club team record. Sid Armstrong scored yet another first on age standard in the Veterans TTA 50. John Wynter rode an admirable first 12 of 247.05 miles and backed by Ron Barber and John Watts they took the team and clinched the Southern Counties C.U. Best All-Rounder title and team for 1959. Wynter’s win gave the club their sixth SCCU BAR title over the past twelve years. Ken Craven, Crescent Wheelers, one of the leading short distance time triallists in the country, won the Men’s Open 50. The team race went to John Wynter, John Smith and Ron Barber.

Chris Watts finished in 10th place in the Women’s National Championship 100 and was fastest woman in the South Eastern R. C. 12 hours, finishing three miles short of husband John. A change to RTTC regulations had allowed for a women’s event to be run off either before or following a men’s time trial but at this stage fields were not permitted to overlap though intermingling inevitably occurred in long distance events. Eventually further regulation changes gave rise to the introduction of “mixed” events.

Ron Barber receives the Club Champion’s trophy from Joan Kershaw.

If little is recorded about club event time trials it is because a complete book could be written on these alone. This is where many unsung champions had their day(s) of glory and a full programme of events took place annually. 1959 proved to be Ron Barber’s best season. He finished as Club Events Champion, runner-up to Club Champion John Wynter, 3rd in the SCCU BAR and finally, gunner in the Royal Artillery.

On the track, Dick Wiseman and Ron Pitt continued to “fly the flag”. At a Belle Vue meeting in a 10 lap Course de Primes, Pitt took the second and third laps and Wiseman the last five. Schoolboys Ken Harvey and Ken Howlett with junior Mick Moseley all performed well on the Crystal Palace road circuit with John Wynter and John Gifford voted the best on the open road.

Eighty-five runners completed the Belle Vue Cycling Club’s 5 miles run of 1959 with Peter Barber of the Addiscombe coming home first. Another off-beat activity that a few members got involved in was giving assistance to road walker Les Dennis, a Croydon newsagent. Dennis was registered blind but with a guide would walk the annual London-Brighton and Hastings-Brighton races. Members organised a relay of helpers who would follow by bicycle carrying the necessary food, drink etc. for the pair. Dennis achieved his ambition in 1959 and walked the London to Brighton and back, also gaining a silver Centurion badge by completing 100 miles in 21 hours 38 minutes 30 seconds. Again, a relay of Addiscombe members gave their support throughout the race.

Les Dennis with guide receives encouragement from his wife. Sid Armstrong follows with supplies.

1960 was the year Ministry of Transport Regulations were introduced governing cycle racing on the highway. Massed start races now required prior Police permission and time trials had to be notified at least 28 days in advance together with route details. Not surprisingly promoters took on the new regulations with some trepidation but in the main the Police have proved extremely co-operative over the years and events have continued to run smoothly.

Club runs and touring were still a part of the life of many cycling clubs. To take 1960 as an example of that period, the first Sunday in the New Year opened with the hardriders leaving Purley at 8.30 am bound for Eastbourne and the social run departing half an hour later for Nutley. Both groups met up for tea at Godstone, “Mrs Curds” was a popular establishment for many years always producing enough plates of bread and cakes to fill up hungry cyclists. In February and March, the hardriders visited Hastings, Chichester, Oxford, Rye, to name a few of the destinations, always meeting up at a combined tea stop with the social riders. By April, with the racing season in full swing, one run only, usually of 80 to 100 miles, became the norm, with those competing in early morning time trials often meeting up somewhere en route, or at least for tea.

Reported tours that year included Norway, Wales, France (for the finish of the Tour) and, Ron Barber recorded a 22 days “cruise” from Southampton to Singapore at the expense of Her Majesty. He ends his amusing saga saying he was a National Serviceman “who will always feel proud to think he was one of the gallant few who worked their way nearly halfway round the world cleaning ablutions”. Mini tours on Bank Holiday weekends went to Dorset, Somerset and the Isle of Wight.

The year of 1960 proved another good year for placings and team wins, all well recorded by road race secretary John Gifford and time trial secretary Trevor Williams. (Trevor himself excelled as the club’s T.T. Champion, but in his case the initials stood for “Table Tennis”.

The Croydon and District C. A. had taken over promotion of the former Balham Rough Staff and John Smith claimed third place. In the Bromley Hilly 25 the following month John Wynter finished fastest, John Gifford 2nd with newcomer Ron Shade in 7th position to clinch the team. Wynter and Gifford repeated their placings in the Vectis 25 on the Isle of Wight. This time Dick Wiseman finished in 5th position as their third counter for the team win. The same three rode the Leyton 25 with excellent personal bests. Wynter, although only placed 3rd set a new club record with 57.06, Gifford was 6th in 57.24 and Wiseman just missed “the hour” with his 1.0.26 but another team win and another club record. These were the days of the amateur, when being a loyal club member counted for something, and with advertising on clothing banned it would be at least another four years before the top riders were lured away by the perks offered in sponsored clubs.

To prove himself a good all-rounder John Wynter (pictured) also won the SCCU 50 and placed second to local fast man Dave Bonner in the Addiscombe Open 50 and second in the SCCU 12 hour. The latter ride gave him the Southern Counties C.U. Best All-Rounder title for the second consecutive year and he again led the winning team, this time supported by John Watts and Sid Armstrong.

As most time triallists over 40 years of age will know the Veterans T.T.A. events are based on age standards. Inspired perhaps by having promoted their National Championship 25 on southern roads in the Spring,, in the V.T.T.A. Championship 100 Armstrong fairly romped round on his three-wheeler to take the title with his ride of 5.05.56, Stan Harvey claiming 2nd position. Armstrong then finished 3rd in the V.T.T.A. Championship 50 and at the season’s end the Addiscombe made a special award to him for his outstanding rides of 1960.

The Club’s Women’s Open 50 of 1960 was won by Marilyn Coombs in 2.16.43, that year riding for the Apollo C.C. Marilyn later joined the Norwood Paragon C.C. on the club ending their all-male stance. When the Addiscombe and the Croydon CTC group decided to share the clubroom in 2004 she re-joined as an associate member.

Bearing in mind only the major achievements tend to be recorded in this brief history, it will be noted that the achievers in the following road races were mostly the same riders who were scoring in time trials. Dick Wiseman won the South West London and Surrey B.C.F. Championship over a distance of 80 miles on the Ashdown forest circuit. Ron Shade finished 3rd and was placed first 3rd cat, an achievement in his first year of racing. Then in only his second road race Shade won the Ravensbury Australian Pursuit with John Gifford coming 2nd. A 96 miles race round the Ashdown Forest in June brought the Addiscombe another team win – Wiseman being beaten narrowly into 2nd place, and John Wynter and John Gifford finishing 6th and 7th. The lads then went to the Isle of Man. Shade finished 3rd out of one hundred and twenty entrants in the 40 miles Onchan Cup. The Viking Trophy race attracted a similar sized classy field and took in two six-mile climbs of Snaefell. Wynter finished 6th, Gifford 12th and Wiseman outsprinted the bunch for 21st position and another well deserved team victory.

July 1960 was yet another action-packed month. An event held at Danson Park was reported as a cross between a Belgium kermesse and an English cyclocross. The course of one mile to the lap, covered 25 times, included road, footpaths, a bumpy field, two gateways, all combined with the juniors and 3rd cat riders having had a 2 minute start. Quoting from the club’s Gazette “the only thing anyone was certain about was that Dick Wiseman was an easy winner for which he won a pair of sprint wheels and a large bouquet of flowers”. The Redhill C.C.’s 70 miles race round the Ashdown brought another team win, Wiseman 4th, John Gifford 8th and Ron Shade 12th.

July 24th proved a very busy day. Too busy perhaps? An early morning club 25 miles time trial saw 19 members face the timekeeper. John Gifford recorded 59.40, John Wynter 59.53 and Dick Wiseman 1.01.25 to finish the fastest three. Travelling in Wiseman’s van (few members owned a vehicle), they then collected Ron Shade and later in the day all four rode in the Rochester Civic Week road race, starting amongst the top southern roadmen and several Independents. Luck was not on their side. Wiseman punctured and was forced to retire, Shade suffered with cramp, Wynter lost contact with the leaders and went off course, and it was left to Gifford to claim 10th position. A week later Wiseman and Shade finished 2nd and 3rd respectively in the Ruxley Wheelers road race. Their efforts towards the end of season were less fruitful. Shade scored a 3rd placing in Mercury C.C.’s promotion at Swanscombe. The Catford’s Brighton to London road race was more up-market with I.T.N. cameras popping up all over the course. Addiscombe’s team comprised of Wiseman, Gifford and Shade with Wiseman managing to outsprint a chasing group for 3rd place. Ken Howlett was the season’s most promising junior roadman, with his 2nd place to Dave Bonner in the Streatham club’s 50 miles road race.

Len Muller acted as official starter. Ron Pitt (centre) received a good push-off from Dick Wiseman

On the track, Peter Rutterford was second in the London Region Schoolboys Sprint Championship. A successful grass track meeting was held in conjunction with Horley Cricket Club. To quote from the track report by Joan Pitt and published in The Gazette, “Giff (John Gifford) became the hero of the day when, to the delight of the crowd, he not only broke away on the 10th lap of the London Region 5 miles Grass Track Championship when the word “PRIME” boomed over the mikes, but stayed away, won the second prime at 15 laps, lapped the field at 20 laps and finished a further quarter of a lap up. Odd that when Giff made his initial break, the field slowed whenever Dickie Wiseman got to the fore”.

A very hectic and rewarding season closed with Peter Barber repeating his win in the Belle Vue C.C. running race and Ron Pitt and Peter Rutterford acquitting themselves well in six nights of roller racing at the Granada Cinema, Sutton.

With redevelopment going on all round Croydon, the club had to seek both a new headquarters and dinner venue for 1961. A presentation was made to Mrs Davey for her years of running the club canteen at the HQ in Cross Road. Beverley Hall, Grant Road, became the new clubroom and the annual dinner moved to the Greyhound Hotel for twenty-one years before that too eventually fell to the developer’s bulldozers like the Café Royal and Zeeta’s Restaurant before it.

As the fruitful years of “Wynter” ended other young and enthusiastic riders like Mick Moseley, John Garwood, Ken Howlett and Mick Savage were coming forward. On the massed start scene Ron Shade was proving to be a strong force and with Dick Wiseman and John Gifford they took the team with the first three placings in the Nonsuch Spring 50 miles road race, and 3rd, 4th and 5th in the Morden’s 56 miles promotion. Other team wins by the three were in the East Surrey 65 mile with Gifford 3rd fastest and the Whit Monday Verwood Carnival race won by Shade. During mid-season Shade and Gifford went over to the Continent to try their luck and were reputed to have won over £100 in prizes before returning home. Meantime Wiseman scored a 3rd placing in the Old Kent’s 65 miles road race.

With a recent upsurge in interest and success in road races the club decided to venture into promoting on the Lingfield circuit. By BCF regulation entries were restricted to 40 riders per event with 10 reserves permitted. A total of 309 entries were received with the result that 209 had to be returned! The junior race over 45 miles was won by Keith Mernickle of the Middlesex Clarion and the senior 60 miles event by John Froud, Festival R.C., both riders who would feature for years to come. Ron Shade was placed 3rd to Froud.

John Gifford (pictured) had the ability to shine in any cycle race. He reached the quarterfinals of the London Centre 4,000 metres Individual Pursuit Championship, won the Vectis 25 time trial and with Dick Wiseman and Ron Shade won the East Surrey team time trial. John Wynter achieved 2nd place in the SCCU 50 before emigrating to New Zealand. Stan Harvey, Sid and Fred Armstrong, were still picking up age standard awards in the Surrey / Sussex Group events.

The Women’s Open 50 of 1962 attracted only 14 entrants and was won by Valerie Baxendine, Apollo C.C. in 2.21.26. In cyclocross events Mick Savage, Doug Sheehy and Brian Maile were always well placed. With the assistance of the club’s Racing Fund, they travelled to Leeds for the National event and gained experience if nothing else.

One particular event of 1961 deserves a mention. A mad brainwave by young John Garwood resulted in he and two other juniors riding the South Eastern R.C. 12 to prove distance events were not just the prerogative of experienced riders like John Watts, who had also entered. Rain, punctures and even spills, did not deter them and as usual members were out in support. Doug Sheehy recorded 228 miles, Ken Howlett 218, John Garwood 211, with ‘senior Watts’ trailing Sheehy by 3 miles.

Ken Howlett, Mick Moseley, Ron Shade, Doug Sheehy and Dick Wiseman opened the 1962 season to good effect. Howlett finished 3rd in the Vulcan C.R.C. event, Moseley first in the Kingston and Southern Velo races, Sheehy 3rd and team with Howlett and Savage in a Dulwich Paragon promotion, and Howlett 1st and Moseley 2nd in the Apollo’s road race. In other road races Geoff Vincent placed 2nd in the Aquila event at Southampton and 3rd in the Munstead 54 miles race. Once again the Addiscombe’s day at Lingfield was heavily over-subscribed. F. Miller of Thames Velo took the senior event and D. Burwood, Vulcan C.R.C. the junior race. In the latter race John Garwood and Ron Smith (son of pre-war member A.A. ‘Bob’ Smith) finished well up. Sadly there were three crashes that necessitated hospital treatment.

Just as Ron Shade had made an impact when he joined the club in 1960 so too did 14 year old Sid Toole in 1962. On a bitterly cold March morning with the temperature well below freezing, half the field failed to start in the first club 25 of the season. Fourteen braved the extreme conditions and Toole finished 3rd fastest and walked away with 1st handicap. He soon proved that a young junior he might be but he was capable of some good rides. His parents were extremely supportive and before the family moved to the Folkestone area, they donated the Peel Cup to be awarded annually to the fastest junior over 25 miles.

The 1962 Men’s Open 50 only attracted 54 entrants and resulted in a win for G. F. Atterbury, Worthing Excelsior. With the Women’s 50, won by Janet Smith, Long Eaton C.C., failing to attract more than 16 entrants, the viability of continuing the latter event was under discussion.

Mick Savage came in third in a cyclists’ versus harriers’ event over 5.5 miles promoted jointly by the East Surrey R.C. and Mitcham Athletic Club. Regular cyclocross competitors were Mick Savage, Doug Sheehy, Brian Maile, John A. Smith, Ron Pitt and young Willard. Mick Savage rode into an excellent second place behind Keith Mernickle in the South of England Championship beating many Independents who made up a class field. A team rode in the National Championships at Harlow in February 1963 where in places they had to contend with three inches of snow. Brian Maile, 60th, and Doug Sheehy, 63rd were our only finishers.

While it is not feasible to record all the officers who gave their valuable time and assistance to the Addiscombe one lady in particular deserves a mention. Pat Mundy was elected social secretary at the November 1962 Annual General Meeting and with the support of Eddie would continue organising an excellent Dinner each year until her death in 1988 – then Eddie carried on the task.

Doug Sheehy, winner of the club’s 25 and 100 miles trophies in 1963.

Even if Doug Sheehy’s 1962/63 ‘Cross season had ended without glory his record of Open time trial placings for the 1963 season was impressive. From a full field of 120 for the Norwood Paragon 50 he scored an impressive win in 2.03.19, was fastest with 2.09.55 in the Croydon D.C.A. 50 and, although strictly speaking an inter-club event, was fastest in the Croydon D.C.A. Moon Trophy 25. All this backed with six other top three placings, plus a personal best of 58.29 in the Southend Wheelers 25. Mick Moseley recorded a personal best 100 of 4.25.04 in the Bath Road 100 and a ride of 226 miles in the Southern Counties 12 secured him Club Championship.

Entries for the Men’s Open 50 were yet further depleted in 1963 to just forty-three, H. B. Smith, Barnet C.C. taking the honours in 2.01.02. The Women’s Open 50 attracted just two entrants with Daphne Grist the only starter. A decision was taken to discontinue the women’s event. From 1969 when the RTTC recognised “mixed” events the Women’s 50 was incorporated with the Men’s Open but that event too was discontinued after 1982 and both trophies fell into disuse.

John Gifford had resigned from the club in 1962 and joined the Croydon Racing Club. It must therefore have given Geoff Vincent of the Addiscombe some satisfaction when in 1963 he won the Polhill 42 miles road race by mere inches from Gifford of the Croydon R.C. The massed start scene went very quiet as regards successes, or there was a failure in reporting. The two Open road races were again promoted on the Lingfield circuit with M. Brown, Edgware R.C., fastest senior and M. Paine, Guildford Phoenix, taking the junior event.

During the year Colin Davies reported on the good riding by “the club’s many schoolboys” in criterium’s. At the Crystal Palace John Kay won the Archer Crit’ in addition to taking a prime and Graham Moss finished 3rd in a 13 miles event. From the 197 entries received for the Old Kent’s promotion, John Kay, Goff Withcombe, Alan Withcombe and Dave Savage reached the final and all finished in the bunch. At the season’s end six entered the Crawley Kermesse, 16 miles round Crawley industrial estate. Goff Withcombe was again the highest placed at 5th, taking a prime on the way.

An improvement in support on the track is indicated by the reports. Grass track racing was held at Danson Park, and at Herne Hill for the first time in years there was good competition for the club track championships. Six entries for the Junior Sprint saw Ron Smith winning by a tyre’s tread from Brian Maile, and seven entries per event for the Senior Sprint and Five Miles resulted in a double victory for Ken Howlett.

Doris Muller presents Brian Maile with the club’s junior track trophy

Ron Pitt’s colourful cyclocross reports recount hazardous stories of ploughed fields, deep drifts of leaves, mud and even deeper mud, frequently ending in punctures, spills and retirements, and include the early exploits of two youngsters, Colin Davies and Mike Rutt, plus about a dozen others. Ron and Joan Pitt organised an Open cyclocross at Westerham. Out of 46 starters 30 finished, Dave Savage being highest placed at 14th. A coach party consisting of 5 riders and 29 supporters travelled to Wolverhampton in February 1964 for the National Championship. From a field of 130 only Brian Maile finished, in 50th place, the other four all getting lapped.

A Croydon Festival of Sport, with the idea of attracting more participants, was announced for the last week of May, cycling being well represented by a road race, a CTC ride, grass track racing at Duppas Hill, roller racing, bicycle polo, a competition for tourists and an inter-club 50-time trial. Following the Festival’s opening ceremony, the road race was waved off from the Fairfield by the Mayor of Croydon, it proceeded along Addiscombe Road and Shirley Road (neutralised) then seven times round Upper Shirley Road, Gravel Hill, Spout Hill and Shirley Church Road, to be eventually won by M. Payne, Morden C.R.C. The only recorded club success during the Festival is a 2 miles pursuit win by Doug Sheehy at the Duppas Hill meeting.

A successful Whitsun camping weekend was enjoyed at Hurley-on-Thames by the Pitts, Smith family, Frank Deacon and Stan Harvey with walking, canoeing and swimming a change from cycling. This marked the beginning of a camping weekend in different locations for several years to come.

Road racing was definitely in the hands of the younger members. Alan Withcombe was fourth in the Surrey Junior Championship. Graham Moss, who had entered the South East Division Championship by mistake, finished third. To go one better, Mike Rutt won the South West London and Surrey Division Championship. In a Croydon R.C. race forty-four members led by Withcombe finished 4th, 6th, 7th, and 8th and in the Balham 50-mile road race Withcombe finished 2nd, Roger Willoughby 6th and Colin Davies 10th to take the team award.

Start of a speed-judging competition in the 1960’s.

The year of 1964 was another good one for Doug Sheehy in local time trials. Runner-up in the club’s Open 50 with 2.07.40 against the winning ride of 2.07.12 by E.L.G. Sloane, Charlotteville C.C. indicated he was going well. Third fastest in the SCCU100 and a personal best of 4.22.22 (and fastest club 100 of the year) in the Bath Road 100 followed. By the end of the season, he had won the SCCU 50 with a ride of 2.01.22, the SCCU 25 in 59.47 and placed fifth in the SCCU 12 hour, with 240 miles to take the Southern Counties 1964 Best All-Rounder title and follow in the tyre-marks of John B. Smith and John Wynter. From this it must not be assumed that only Sheehy was competing in time trials. While the fastmen of the early 1960’s had moved on, or retired, the club had, for example, twelve finishers in the SCCU 50 and seven in the 12 hours’. Names such as Eddie Mundy, Colin Davies, and Jim Trenowden will still be familiar to the clubmen 40 years later.

With seven keen juniors racing in 1964 the officials ran three club 10 miles time trials, Sid Toole proving fastest in 25.05. At the other end of the age range, Sid Armstrong was still taking age standard awards including second fastest in the VTTA Wessex Group 25.

An Inter-Club 10 that had been running between the Catford and Addiscombe clubs for many years was finally discontinued at the end of the year. Daphne Grist, who had returned to time trialling in 1963, was joined by Chris Watts in 1964 but neither “Mum” achieved their former fitness.

Since the re-formation of the Addiscombe in 1929, Charlie Davey had been an inseparable part of club activities. Although 78 years of age he seemed set to last forever. His wife Eva was keeping the shop at 3 Lower Addiscombe Road ticking over and Charlie was working at Beckenham helping his old colleagues, the Holdsworths, at their warehouse. It was therefore a shock to everyone when on October 7th 1964, while at work at Beckenham, he simply sat down and passed away. The Addiscombe, Vegetarian C. & A.C., the Road Record Associations and the sport in general had lost a truly great worker and sportsman.

Club members had always contributed to the running of the associated bodies, much of their expertise having been learned from the master, Charlie Davey. By late 1964 the records show Joyce Smith had taken on the role of club timekeeper, Chris Watts secretary for RTTC London South District with Percy Huggett already established as District Treasurer, Sid Armstrong secretary of the Surrey / Sussex VTTA, John Watts secretary to Croydon & District C.A., and Gladys Armond treasurer of the Women’s C.R.A. international racing fund. This, in addition to various committees served by members.