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Bill_In_Sydney
Guest
Does anyone know anything about the Rover Racing Cyclist's Club? My great grandfather Samuel Eaton was president in 1910.
Bill
Sydney
Australia
Bill
Sydney
Australia
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Nigel123
Guest
There are many reports of this clubs activities in the Birmingham newspapers (pre 1st world war) (Brum Ref. Library) I can tell you they organised Cycle races on the banked concrete cycle track that at that time surrounded the Aston Villa Football pitch. Motor cycle racing was also included in these events which on occasions attracted crowds of 6-8,000. A good paper for info is "Sport & Play & Wheel Life" 1901-1938, hope this is of help...... Nigel
lencops
gone but not forgotten
My brother Ed Copsey was a jeweller and had a die made for the Rover Cycle Club which was used to stamp the medals for the cllub members who won one, i don`t think its members had to work for the Rover Company, my other bro Albert raced at the Butts Stadium, Coventry, this was after the end of WW2.
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Nigel123
Guest
Are we talking about the same club? There is a difference in the title. "Rover Racing cycle club" as opposed to "Rover Cycle club" I think they are seperate entities, Rover Racing being based in Brum??? 
Nigel
Nigel
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Famous Birmingham cycling club medals from my collection that I won. From left to right, Wyndam Racing Cyclists Club, Kynoch Cycling Club, Beacon Roads Cycling Club, Bromsgrove Oylmpic, Shirley Roads Club. All medals that most would die for in the 60's and solid silver hallmarked. I have some Rover Racing Cyclists Club ones too, but I can't lay my hands on them for the moment.
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Len, the Butts Track at Coventry, like Salford Park, has long been gone. The Easter Monday meeting at the Butts used to be a big classic meeting every year run by Charlie Viner, and it was the last meeting, in 1967, that I rode before immigrating to the Netherlands on the Tuesday. That day I "cleaned up" and made a bit of money for my boat fare from Harwich to the Hook of Holland, by Tuesday evening I was standing in Amsterdam central station with my bike, two suitcases and about £60 in my pocket, never came back!!!
lencops
gone but not forgotten
To protect their amateur status, McKenna`s furniture Van from Hay Mills, Birmingham would be at The Butts and the race winners chose items of furniture to the value of the cash prize they had won, this would be circa 1950-60?.
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Len, that was a bit before my time. I only started racing in 1961 and then, to protect our status they gave vouchers that you could exchange for goods, but we all cheated on that system and in the end got cash.
lencops
gone but not forgotten
Cadeau, I hope this clip will be of interest to you, my Brother was a keen cyclist before WW2 and on his return from serving in the 14th Army in Burma he took up racing until a fall ended up in him getting a leg ulcer so he had to give up the racing, but not the cycling, one time he cycled to Bournmouth from Brum to attend a union conference.
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Len,
that clip made very interesting reading, thank you. In 1966 I was one of the first members of Tommy Godwin's Birmingham RCC along with those Wyndam and Rover members. See the first cloth Birmingham RCC badge that was made in 1966.
I too, at the age of 15, had a huge ulcer on my left leg and it ate its way right through my shin and calf down to the bone! It was something I'd picked up at my work with the BSA. Happy days????
that clip made very interesting reading, thank you. In 1966 I was one of the first members of Tommy Godwin's Birmingham RCC along with those Wyndam and Rover members. See the first cloth Birmingham RCC badge that was made in 1966.
I too, at the age of 15, had a huge ulcer on my left leg and it ate its way right through my shin and calf down to the bone! It was something I'd picked up at my work with the BSA. Happy days????
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
For some time now there has been a little story from me on Tommy Godwin, it is situated on the BHF 'Main Sites' under Birmingham B14 by Rod.
https://www.bhamb14.co.uk/index_files/Page410.htm Or just click onto this link.
https://www.bhamb14.co.uk/index_files/Page410.htm Or just click onto this link.
C
Catkin
Guest
Listening to the radio this morning. there was an interview with ( BRUMMIE ) Tommy Godwin Olympic bronze winner. CYCLING... Now only half listening, i think i heard him say that Seb Coe has invited him to our Olympics in London, He will be 92 years of age...Cat
M
malvern
Guest
It was Lutz Durlacher also an excellent tailor who used to make cycle track suits under the name 'Lutz'.
If the original poster wants to speak to Tommy Godwin I can out you in touch. pvt me pse
Oh and Tommy will be a spokesman at our Olympics, I was talking to Sky about it the other day.
If the original poster wants to speak to Tommy Godwin I can out you in touch. pvt me pse
Oh and Tommy will be a spokesman at our Olympics, I was talking to Sky about it the other day.
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Yes Cat Tommy will be involved in the 2012 Olympics; he gained his bronze medals at the 1948 games in London! I'm still in touch with Tommy and his daughter, Kay.
Another Brummie involved in the organization of the cycling events at the 2012 games is my own 60's protégé, Michael Bennett originally from Chesterton Road, Sparkbrook. When I was only about 19 myself I picked this keen young lad up from the streets of Brum and taught him all I knew about cycling, he is also the man behind the Tour of Britain that is going on this week.
Bill if you looked at my video clip [ame="https://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=FA7YLJSaMaE"]YouTube - Graham Webb world cycling champion 1967[/ame], there is a shot of me shaving in Amsterdam; I'm wearing a track suit made by my old friend Lutz Durlacher!
I've recently had an email off the daughter of Fred Booker, one of the Rover CC best riders in the early 60's, he had passed away and she was asking me to tell her all about her dad's younger days. See how important it is to talk to your kids or get it all down on paper while you can.
Graham.
I remember that the "Rover" club met on a Friday evening at the school in Sherbourne Road, Balsall Heath. Tom Godwin and Geoff Bull -loveley man,Trevor's dad- were running it. This would be circa 1965/66. Not long after they amalgamated with, I believe, the Wyndham, to become the Birmingham RCC ( Racing Cyclist's Club ) The two club colours; Rover - white shirt black cuffs and collars- Wyndham- Red / yellow were merged and ended up in a jersey that aped the German Republic colours with a red / yellow/ black band around the chest and cuffs. The merger brought together some great riders, sprinters Trevor Bull, Fred Booker, Geoff Platten, and I think the great Dave Watkins, who may have gone to Halesowen ? There were great road racers -Tony Slater, Wal Stafford and apologies to anyone not mentioned. I think that the Bham RCC won the National Team pursuit in early 70's.
I think Fred Booker - Commonwealth games silver medallist - was second at the National Sprint Champs in 1967 ? at Salford park whilst in Rover Colours. It was a three up final that was so close between the ultra- smooth Fred, Reg Barnett ( Londoner ) and Dave Watkins on the line. Dave Watkins pushed so hard he lost his front tyre on the line and hit the tarmac at about 45mph. But that was Dave- do or die. I think the verdict went to Reg but could have been any of them. Incidentally Dave worked at Dunlop and subsequently becoming Moto GP's top tyre man with patents to his name. I don't think that the GP riders knew what a excellent sportsman and daredevil they had in their midst.
I think Fred Booker - Commonwealth games silver medallist - was second at the National Sprint Champs in 1967 ? at Salford park whilst in Rover Colours. It was a three up final that was so close between the ultra- smooth Fred, Reg Barnett ( Londoner ) and Dave Watkins on the line. Dave Watkins pushed so hard he lost his front tyre on the line and hit the tarmac at about 45mph. But that was Dave- do or die. I think the verdict went to Reg but could have been any of them. Incidentally Dave worked at Dunlop and subsequently becoming Moto GP's top tyre man with patents to his name. I don't think that the GP riders knew what a excellent sportsman and daredevil they had in their midst.
john patston
New Member
A few errors in your comments. Platten was never in the B'ham. He was origionally Glendale, later Halesowen. A real glass-cranks. We, the B'ham won 4 nat team pursuit titles, and a good no. of 2nds & 3rds; me being in all such teams. In 1967,our first win, the team was Bull, Booker, Roy Cox, and me. I'm the only one left, sadly. The club was inaugurated in 1967, not 1966. We also had Graham Webb as a member. He, of course was world road champ in 1967. Grantham Thomas was not only in our winning pursuit team on one occasion, but was nat road race champ in 1973. During my 9 years with the club I rode in 3 world champs[ 2 team pursuits & 1 team time trial], was 2nd in the nat 25 mile tt champs 1974, 2nd in the individual pursuit champs 1978, 3rd in the Madison, and won the season long Campagnolo Trophy, a series of 25s, in 1975, my diaries showing that I had over 300 wins whilst in the club.
Richard Dye
master brummie
Graham, are you still in Amsterdam?
oldbrit
OldBrit in Exile
John Patston My racing days. 10 years before yours, in the late 1940s 1950s I raced a lot at Butts in Coventry with the Midland C&AC, did a lot of team and single 4000m pursuits. To small for sprints. I would ride from Yardley to Cov. with my sprints on cyclo carriers attached to the front hub nuts. Fun days. Salford opened in the 1950s It think, after I was gone to the USA. Photos taken at Butts. I am the shrimp on the right, John Bradbury was very fast and even raced against Reg Harris.Tommy Godwin etc. I do not remember the Rover Club. after my time. Concorde, Bob Maitland was with them, then Solihull CC. I also raced at Halesowen a few times. Cadburys had a grass track racing, did that a few times also. From my club Midland C&AC we had several top notch riders, some I think did race in the 1960s John Pottier, Les Willmott. John Chance. John Bradbury.(Track Man who joined the Cov CC I think) I left Brum in 1957 for the USA, There also is a page on this site for the "Midland C&AC" by John Bishop. who also raced then. Love to see some photos of your racing times, John Patston. do you still ride and race?
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Richard Dye
master brummie
Thank you!
oldbrit
OldBrit in Exile
John Patston Reading your results, "2nd in the Natl champ 25 in 1974" what time did you do and the bike you rode? I was third in a NCU Reg Champ in 1950 age 17 to Baz Francis and Bob Maitland my time was around 1hr 1min on a 20 lb single fixed gear around 84", Now low 40 mins for 25 mile TT. How very different from 1950 and before.Do you think that Equip and training would made this much difference? Amazing.
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Janelj7
Brummie babby
Hello, this medal belonged to one of my grand parents, sadly it's been drilled and kept for years on a set of house keys by my parents, family were all from Yardley and Sheldon and some worked at 'THE Rover'! I have enjoyed reading and leaning what the RCC was all about, thank you. Thought you'd like to see the medal.
Richard Dye
master brummie
John, I think that both the equipment & training are making a big difference. I recently purchased a TREK hybrid and when I look at that vs my Viking Severn Valley. OMG! the Viking was 4 speed but I had three other chain rings I could put on depending how flat or hill the road would be. Particularly in a 25TT.
From your post #24 I remember well carrying my racing wheels on the front axle to a race every Sunday morning, we usually changed in an old canal lock storage shed or something like that. I used to ride Avon tubs and magically when I got back to change after a race there were a couple of brand new ones waiting
