The Beacon Message Board

The club has been sent some scanned photos by Celia Robbins, whose father, Philip Charles Robbins, was an early member of the Beacon. I've uploaded all of them to the website and displayed them here, in the hope that some older members might be able to help identify people in them or where and when they were taken. A few of the filenames had the subject's name in them, so I've noted those below, and quite a few of the others also look like they're of Phil Robbins himself, but over to you...

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3 | Phil Robbins:

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5 | Phil Robbins:

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8 | Phil Robbins:

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10 | 8 December 1951 (names in caption):

11 | Names in caption:

12 | Jack Clements (correction: Ernie Clements):

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18 | Phil Robbins:

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Photo 22 . Far right, Norman Adams. Photo 25. 2nd from right, Eddie Sumner, 3rd from right ‘Nev’ Smith. Hope this helps.

I can throw a bit of light on some of these, although most of them predate my Beacon membership. (1952)

Pic 2: Closed circuit race, looks like Handsworth Park, though could be Dartmouth Park.

Pic 6: Same circuit as pic2? The rider in the immediate foreground looks remarkably like Jimmy Arnold, although I never knew him to ride massed start events. Phil Robbins on his left shoulder I think.

Pic 12: This is NOT Jack Clements, it's Ernie Clements, team silver medallist along with Bob Maitland, Gordon 'Tiny' Thomas and Ian Scott in the 1948 London Olympic Road Race. Ernie later managed Falcon Cycles and afterwards opened a bike shop in Ledbury, which, I think ,is still in operation.

Pic19: This was taken at Quarter Bridge on the Isle of Man TT circuit, which also hosted the Manx international, (3laps) Viking Trophy (2laps) and Mannin Veg (1lap) during I.O.M. cycling week. I have a photo taken at the exact spot some years later.

Pic 25: L-R, back. (?) Les Shaw, Norman Adams. Phil Robbins, Ron Green? Nev Smith, Eddie Sumner Tony Benfield.
Seated Ladies. (?) (?) Margaret Babbington. Mavis Deathridge.
This was 1953 or 4. Trevor Shipway and I had taken it for granted that one of us would win the Junior BAR, but Sumner appeared from nowhere and stuffed us both!

Road Race pictures: These could have been taken on the Isle of Man, but they don't look very Isle of Mannish to me. The NCU did not allow road racing until 1952 so these could be events run by the outlawed British League of Racing Cyclists.

Pic 24: No idea, but could be something to do with the Isle of Man Races.

Thanks, both - that's great.

I had the feeling (from the style of the café, I think) that photo 19 might have been on the coast somewhere, so it's interesting to hear it's the Isle of Man.

16 has me intrigued, so any guesses where that is or what event it could be would be welcome! Could it be the 1948 Olympics, given that it's likely to be around that time?

This is just a bit of a wild guess, but in photo 27, on the extreme right, there is a man in spectacles, whose chair is drawn back slightly behind his neighbours. Could that perhaps be the great Ray Booty? He was never a Beacon member, of course, but he did win the Mountain TT once or twice and would therefore have received an invitation to the Dinner to receive his trophy.

Also, never mind the people, what about the equipment!

Several good pics of Osgear derailleurs in action, for example! You don't see many of those around these days. Can't think why.

Never heard of an Osgear? Tsch!

Sorry George, not 'The Boot' but Alec Humm who was club secretary around that time.

I have a vague recollection that he emigrated to Australia later.

snailmale wrote: ↑

07 Aug 2021 10:21

Sorry George, not 'The Boot' but Alec Humm who was club secretary around that time.

I have a vague recollection that he emigrated to Australia later.

Ah, I thought it was a long shot. Thanks for the clarification, Alan.