Re the Mansfield Vics photos. 1st snap the 2 people on the front row are, left, Jack Fletcher, son of Jim Fletcher who started the shop on Station St, MW. previous to that address they were across the road opposite the Post Office in the Maltings next to the old Bakery shop. the man next to Jack is Chick Baines, who later in life was the timekeeper locally for most events. Back row left I think is Sam Shaw [holding the bottle] I think Bernard Peirpoint is also on the back row, but not sure. He married Jack's sister Doris. The North Notts photos, 1968---Chick Baines holding the cyclist. 1974, Eddie Pitchford pushing the cyclist off, Jack Copeland, timekeeper and Chick Baines, assistant. Jack was a bit of a tyrant, before the time trial or race started he would check the bikes, fixed wheel machines were popular and Jack always looked to see if the back wheel had a locking ring for the sprocket. No locking ring, off you go lad!! I was a member of N.Notts first and then joined the Vics, there are still a lot of us about from the 50s. Some of the lads who started the N Notts club are still local, but 2 are living in Australia, Ron Jones and Pete Townroe. I dont relish the thought of riding on todays roads, the mountain bike is better off road, no polution etc. When the Aces had the Track night at Forest Town track I used to take my track bike and do a few standing starts, I went to the Grand Opening to see my idol, Reginald Hargreaves Harris, he failed to turn up because of some hitch, but he did appear at a later date which I missed. He was a fine figure on his Raleigh Record Ace.

In my earlier comments about the VICS photo, I mentioned Sam Shaw, silly me, it was Sam Smith. Sam had a collection of Paris Gallibier frames which he had collected. Re. Jack Copeland, the other check was the rider had a warning instrument, BELL. The N.Notts trophy presentation, Cyril SQUIB Harper is second from the left. Squib had the Cycle Shop next to the Shoe Co and was called AandC sports which moved over the road next to where the Empire Cinema was and then moved to the corner of Leeming Lane/Morven Avenue junction in Mansfield Woodhouse. A was Arthur Hunt who kept a shop on Front St, Arnold and worked with Squib at Raleigh. Arthur I believe was in the Commonwealth Games about 1950. Squib [Cyril] lived at Auckland House, Mansfield Woodhouse the birth place of John Ogden the World famous pianist. He gave support to the Mansfield cycling clubs over many years. I dont remember his age when he died but he used to turn up at the start of time trials on a Sunday mornings well past his sixties. The Vics were fortunate in having Gordon Ian as a member who was the National 25 mile Champion for about 3 years and the Vics members would go to the Best all Rounder Presentation at the Albert Hall to see Gordon receive the trophy. Gordon died a couple of years ago in Notingham I believe, a Great rider.

I think the cyclists hotel looks very much like the now demolished Park Hall. I used to keep my horses at the stables opposite and the shell of the house with the bay windows still stood ( 1970 ish). Can anyone else comment?

I would like to dedicate this message to Gordon Ian and Johnie Crutchley who have both passed away recently. I joined the Vics in 1948 and started racing immediately. I enjoyed racing until 1956 and we had a great bunch of lads in the club. We had some great characters and some very good times, especially away weekends in Derbyshire in the winter when we weren't racing. At the forefront of the weekends was always Wilf Cutts who had the task of keeping us all together and did a very good job. Johnie Crutchley and I tried our best with Gordon Ian to win the RTTC 25 mile time trial team award but we weren't quite good enough. I went with Gordon Ian up to Manchester for the 1956 Olympic trials, he should have gone with the England team but because of internal politics he was excluded. It was a great injustice. Thinking of the good times I had with the Mansfield Vics.

Just read the sad news about the death of Gordon Ian and Johnie Crutchley. I did not know Gordon very well but Johnie I knew and raced against many times especially in the local 10 mile events at cuckney, I liked him very much and he was always ready to give some good advice if asked for. We had a good chat outside of ALDI supermarket a few years ago and a few years before we sat together at a club dinner North Notts Olymic RC .

I would like to add my sentiments of the passing of JV Crutchley and Gordon Ian. I rode with them in the mid 50s when I was a member of the Vics and have happy memories of the weekends spent away in Scarborough, Derbyshire, Isle of Man, London, Blackpool, etc. I think the main success was the 25 mile TT when Gordon, Johnie and Pete were the hot favourites for the Team prize. I was looking at the North Notts photo recently re the Club Dinner with Squib etc and noticed Derek Wood on the back row. The front row left, shows a Spanish looking chap "he looks familiar" a friend put me right, it's Pongo Braithwaite. Pongo is no longer with us, he died in Thailand about 3 years ago, you could fill a book with his exploits. Pongo used to come on the Vics weekends and I remember he came with us to Blackpool for the lights, went off on his own and next day turned up dressed in an Italian Suit and winkle picker shoes. He was a member of the Aces. Pete Sinfield failed to mention the other Elder who kept us in line, Alf Ball along with Wilf Cutts were the Senior Management. They were happy days and strange to think these events happened 65+ years ago. I have always had the theory most serious cyclists of that era were Tradesmen, Joiners, Engineers,Decorators etc.

Re the NNORC '76 awards photo. On the far right of the photo, it's me! Far left, is Alan "Pongo" Braithwaite, who built "Aende" bike frames, third from the left is Cyril Harper, owner of A&C Sports, originally on the site of the bowling alley on Stockwell Gate, after a fire and the compulsary purchase of the row of shops there, moved across the road, to what is now a hairdressing supplies shop, then its last move to Morven Avenue. Cyril's shop was the centre of the cycling community in Mansfield, when I started riding in about 1972. I think the person, back row, far left, is Derek Wood, who's house on Derby Rd, was a second home to many teenage cyclists and not just because of his three daughters! All are now long deceased, sadly! The other Mansfield cycling club, is the Mansfield Road Club, having a bit of a come back, with Sunday clubruns from the golf course at Mansfield Woodhouse, starting at 9am.

I was in Mansfield Aces 1984 to 1989 I was there at the opening day of the new track, if anybody has any old photos of the Aces back then would be great to see them.

Gary Bennett.