THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE —  created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

FINDON BYPASS BURN UP

Copyright Valerie Martin 2009

Ex-Findonian, John Linfield, now lives in Horsham in West Sussex.    He has told me that he had his first motorcycle at the age of eight and by the time he was ten, he had swapped it for a car.   He says he can recall racing around the ramparts of Cissbury Ring — something that would certainly be frowned upon today.    In October 2007, John Linfield told me about a Findon Club he had joined in 1966.  John said the club was relatively short-lived — and here is its badge.

"The A24 Motorcycle Club was started at the time the 59 club was a big bike meeting place in London [and still is]".

Lawrie May (ex-Findonian) and now in Antigua, West Indies, emailed......"You are a naughty girl Valerie – you knew the badge would get me going !

Yes the A24 Motorcycle Club was quite famous as it was run by the biking vicars of both Findon and the valley. I think the Findon vicar was Reverend Adams, his bike was a Norton, The Findon Valley vicar rode a Matchless or AJS 250 I seem to remember.

We used to have treasure hunts (on bikes of course) that took us around the rural area. The Vicars used to remind us before setting off that it was not a race and we were to observe speed limits. Imagine what effect that had on a bunch of teenagers !

I learned that the Reverend was quite a character and rode a 750 cc Norton Atlas motorcycle and lived with his wife in Findon.   A little bit of added colourful information has been given to me ― the Reverend was a very large man ...."huge" I have been told.... and he was "awfully nice" and "so was his wife".

On the 1st September 2009, I heard from Alan Masters...

 

.....Hello Valerie....Findon Valley in he 1960s.....

As a teenager I belonged to a motorcycle club in the early 1960's called the Worthing Eagles (A24) Club. We often use to "Burn" through the valley virtually unimpeded by the local Constabulary, I do seem to remember the odd "Noddy bike" Vellocette running about the area but never hung about long enough to be on a first name basis with it's rider!

I came by my love for fast motorcycles honestly as my dad use to race and ride his machine around the Worthing, Findon area in the 30's and I'm sure was well known by the local constabulary!

The Worthing Eagles club was actually quite respectable attending the Mayors parade each year and putting on local events including assisting with the Steyning Grass track.

However; we did have an infamous moment after BBC TV cameras were on the Sean of a horrendous crash involving at least ten or more of our club members who had collided together at night at high speed on the Findon By-Pass. Some members were seriously injured and eventually did recover, luckily no one was killed.

I have lived in Canada since 1966, now retired and still love and ride motorcycles.

I hope this info may be of interest to some readers.
Sincerely

Alan Masters
 


 

From John Greves in Walton-on-Thames...."Dear Valerie....Alan Masters....Not sure if you have come across dirt track racing at MichelGrove ... chap was killed in the 60's ... Alan might know more."

 

Alan next emailed..."Dear Valerie, Further to my recent email to you I have included a photo of my original motorcycle jacket with A24 emblem and a photo of me on my 1959 Triumph Speedtwin, taken in Lancing when I was 16 in 1964.

 

Click on Alan's photographs to enlarge

  click on Alan's photographs to enlarge

Also attached, photo of Worthing Eagles and A24 club members in Mayors parade Worthing (i'm front and far right looking at photo with Roger Bowman Eagles President on my pillion seat) and A24/Eagle members at 59 club London."


                             
                                              59 Club                                          59 Founder: Reverend William Shergold (Father Bill)

John Linfield says...."No more to add to motorbikes, yet, [although I was spend a long while looking at them yesterday in 2 Triumph dealers].

I can still get a few original A24 club badges, if anyone wanted one."

 

Lawrie emailed again...."Hi Valerie.....As Triumphs are the subject at the moment here is a picture of my latest bike that the old A24 club members may like to see. It is a Triumph Daytona and a bit quiker than a Bonneville ! Although I did belong to the A24 Club I was not a member of the Worthing Eagles

click to enlarge

I joined the Brighton Club and more latterly Barham and District, in order to get my competition licence. I raced in Grass Track at Steyning - Staplefields Farm if I remember correctly.

Nice to hear from the old bikers - I wonder if they all still ride ? Lawrie, Antigua , West Indies"

I love this next email......"Hi Valerie.....More on motorcycles.....We shouldn't judge bikers too harshly after all some famous people were bikers. Lawrence of Arabia was one. Moses certainly was as the bible says ..... '...he came down from Mount Sinai in his Triumph...'

Unfortunately the Bible makes clear that Jesus preferred his car '..Jesus and his disciples left in one accord...'

Lawrie"

 

 

 

Continue if you would like to read about The Teeth of the Findon Watch Dog.

 

 Back to Villagers Past and Present Index
 Back to Main Index

THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.

 

E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com