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| Ancestor Gateway Forum - STAMFORD MEMORIES GATEWAY (Lincolnshire England) used as PRIDE and PREJUDICE FILM SET | New Topic | Search |
| Thread Topic: Motorcycling Stamford/photo Topic Originator: David Leishman Post Date October 7, 2010 @ 12:16 AM |
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| David Leishman |
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Motorcycles were a very popular mode of transportation in the early 1960's. These included scooters, mopeds and power assisted cycles. There was a large array of makes and models, mostly British but a good sprinkling of foreign makes. In Stamford some of the more popular makes were BSA, Triumph, Norton, Ariel and AJS. There were of course several other makes. Foreign makes included the likes of Ducatti and the start of the Japanese invasion by Honda. I believe a gentleman by the name of Barry Green had one of the if not the first Honda bike in Stamford. Unfortunately for British bike makers the Japanese bikes were of a high quality and performance and soon started to catch on. My first foray into motorcycling was in 1960 when I purchased a moped(A "Panda" sourced in Germany I think) from a chap in Bourne for a fiver. Unfortunately it would not start and I had to pedal it all the way back to Ryhall in the dark. The next day saw it running ok after fixing a set of stuck points. The "Panda" lasted me a year. I then purchased a BSA "Bantam" from a scrapyard in Little Bytham for 12quid. (Incidently this scrapyard was also a popular place to buy brand new Italian shoes. A lot of fellows got shod here with the latest in those pointed shoes called "Winklepickers") In 1962 I decided it was time to get a real bike. I spent a long time looking in the window at St Michaels Motors in Ironmonger st before deciding to make a purchase. It was a happy day when I drove out of St Micks garage with my brand new Ariel Arrow Super Sport commonly known as a Golden Arrow albeit now somewhat poorer after plunking down a little over 200 quid for the pleasure. It was a great bike to drive and it looked good also. I suppose it was something innovative as it was not built with the traditional tube frame but was of pressed steel. The petrol tank was not in the usual place but under the seat. If all has gone to plan there should be a couple of pics to go with this posting. One pic is of my bike with my friend Greg Cox of Stamford sitting on it and also his Vespa scooter. Picture was taken in Edinburgh Scotland while on holiday summer of 62. The licence plates on both bikes WTL and RCT were issued by Kesteven Lincs. Hope that others have pics of their bikes from that period. Regards. David. Kate: Any more bikers out there? (Stamford connection of course!).  |
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| barry green |
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Hi, just found this site and its full of memories of my youth in stamford. Yes i did have a Honda CB72 only 2 in the country at that time, had crowds around it every time i park it up. I'm 65 now and still biking with an Aprilia Tuono, Aprilia Millie, and a Honda CB72. cHEERS bARRY. Kate: Hello Barry. Glad you found us. Any photos of those bikes or Stamford stuff? Sure some on here will be remembering you and that Honda. |
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| Syd Goodwin |
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Hi David. I worked at St Michaels Motors from 1965 to 1967 when I went into the Army, I was first at the workshops in Iron Monger St, then we moved to the new workshop / sales at the top of the hill in Broad St, this was Motor Cycles only the car service and sales when over to the Uffington road Garage / petrol station just before Newstead bridge on the right hand side of the road going towards Newstead. My Foreman was David Frisby nicknamed TAZ and a chap call Barry sorry I cannot remember his surname. The last time I drove through Stamford [a couple of months ago] I saw that the old shop was closed and up for sale.The last time I saw David he owned a cycle shop where he sold cycles and serviced them, this was behind the old Goslings Fishing shop opposite the old CO-OP I think the Pub on the opposite corner was the Half Moon?? Regards Syd Goodwin Kate: Hi Syd. Thanks for posting these two items to Stamford Memories Gateway. |
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| Colin Cook |
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Hi David, Just stumbled across this site, I worked at St Michaels motors in Broad Street Stamford from late 1962 to 1965 when I joined the RAF my standard working hours then were 48 hours a week for if I remember correctly 4 pounds 10 shillings, my job was to prepare the new and used motorcycles for sale and other mechanical tasks, the new bikes were mostly Honda and Suzuki, they would arrive in crates for assembling, the British bikes were losing favour rapidly then, but some models remained popular, the Ariel Arrow and Leader were still selling reasonably well. St Michaels were agents for Honda Suzuki, Jawa and most of the British bikes I bought my 1954 plunger frame BSA bantam from them at the special staff price of 12 pounds and later a BSA C12 for 20 pounds. Honda sales were the most prolific and the little Honda 50 scooterette was the most popular model, cheap, reliable and a quiet 4 stroke motor, unusual for a 50cc at the time, the CB72 was also popular with many converts from older larger British bikes The boss in Broad Street at that time was Tom Storey, a kind and genial man. I travelled with the RAF for 12 years after leaving St Michaels Motors and now live in Cairns Australia, a warm tropical city ideally suited to motorcycling with Harley Davidson's the most common bike locally. |
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| Dave Leishman |
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Very interesting Colin. Other names that you might be familiar with. I think there were two chaps from Ryhall that worked there at that time. (St Micks that is). Name of Sargent, he might have been Service Manage. Young chap named Younghusband. His Mum and Dad ran the Green Dragon. There was also a chap name Johnny ? I think he had a Leader. I do know he like to play a guitar and used to play in Bands around Stamford. Regards. David. |
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| Phil |
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I think the Johnny you referred to was Johnny Bryant who lived in Rutland road next door to Stewart Parnell who was also a motor cyclist .Johnny was excellent at playing Shadows numbers..Those were the days !!!! |
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| Dave Leishman |
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Phil. You are correct, it was Johnny Bryant. Yes he was pretty good at playing shadows stuff. I remember him playing in the London Inn a few times. I remember at least one of the guitars he owned was a British made BURNS. The Amp he used for a time was also British, an ELPICO (Lee products, London). These Amps were surprisingly good considering their compact size. I remember it well because I repaired it once while working at JW Hillyer's shop. (Circa 1960). It was a rush job because of an upcoming gig. It needed a new EL84 output valve. Why do I remember such things from so long ago? I also remember dealing with Johnny at St Micks. The occasion was me leaving Stamford for good, probably late 1963 to take a job in Chelmsford at the Marconi Co. I had decided to get rid of my beloved Ariel Golden Arrow bike as it seemed like a car would be more appropriate acquisition for the new job. Johnny Bryant did an inspection on the bike and St Micks bought it from me. I always regretted doing that. Regards. David. |
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| Phil |
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 utchers may even have been 1960 but unlike you I can't remember . |
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| Syd |
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I have a picture of John, possibly with the Burns guitar at an early gig about 1960? The line up, from left to right :Cliff Woodward..Albert Downes.. Dave Wissen, lead singer and smoothy and my cousin...and Johnnie Bryant. Don't know who the two guys in the background are, but one appears to be playing the piano, which seems a bit strange for an early skiffle rock group. And notice, only John had an electric guitar and Cliff died when only in his fifties, very sad. No idea where the venue was. Hi Syd. If you are sending the photo (by email) to me please send to kate@ancestorgateway.com as I am not sure if other connections are working properly at the moment. 
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