Motorcycle Clubs of Wessex

Not so many years back just about every town of any size across the UK had its own dedicated motorcycle club. There is still, of course, a flourishing local scene both at sporting and social levels but it is fair to say that it is vastly different from what it once was.

I wouldn't really say I collect club machine badges but when I see one from a club local to me at a reasonable price I do have a tendency to reach for my wallet. The below is a small selection of clubs from back in the day active in the Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire and Wiltshire region.

I know absolutely nothing about the Holmsley and District
Motor Cycle Club but what a great badge and logo! I've never
seen another like this.

The Sturminster Newton Motor Cycle and Light Car Club
were one of the more active clubs in the local area. As far as
I know though now defunct.

The Somerton and District Motor Cycle and Light Car Club
were formed in 1948 and are still going strong.

Also still going strong is the Yeo Vale MCC. Formed in 1945.

The Bridport and District MCC was founded
in 1949. In 2011 they merged with the Weymouth
MCC to become the Bridport and Weymouth MCC
and are still active.

At one time the Blackmore Vale MCC was a very well
recognised club, known nationally, if not internationally
for organising the Blandford Road Races which attracted
top level riders and factory machinery. Still going but without
a web presence. 

A later version of the Blackmore Vale MCC machine badge.

Bournemouth Motor Cycle and Light Car Club events 1922

A post from Carrer Aldo on the fb Motorcycles 1867 to 1930 group combining for me both local interest and vintage motorcycles stirred my nerdish instincts so I went on a hunt for more info. I haven't found any good information on the Bournemouth Motor Cycle and Light Car Club (BMCLC from now on for brevity's sake) which seems to be long defunct. I did however come across a few more images and for good measure, just for the sake of it, I have included a couple of cars made in Bournemouth during the same era.

Several of the images are taken at Blissford Hill near Fordingbridge. The hill nowadays doesn't look like it would pose much of a challenge for any vehicle (though the event was a flexibility trial so maybe entrants needed to go up in top gear or some such) and is of course now paved. The location remains bucolic and is a popular spot for cyclists.

DT Phillips on a Harley Davidson storming up Blissford Hill.

'Bournemouth MC & LC Club Flexibility Trial, Blissford
Hill, Fordingbridge, April 29th, 1922.' A slightly more
stately looking ascent.

Bournemouth MC & LC Club Flexibility Trial, Fordingbridge,
April 29th, 1922. 'A minor casualty'.

August 12th 1922. A NUT and a Brough Superior outside
the Bournemouth Borough Council Offices.

August 12th 1922 again. Just by the Bournemouth
Council offices adjacent to the pleasure gardens.

Bournemouth MC & LC Club Flexibility Trial, Blissford
Hill, Fordingbridge, April 29th, 1922.

A suit and tie is the only reasonable attire for a gentleman
participating in motor cycle sport!

Bournemouth MC & LC Club Flexibility Trial, Blissford
Hill, Fordingbridge, April 29th, 1922.

Bournemouth MC & LC Club Flexibility Trial, Blissford
Hill, Fordingbridge, April 29th, 1922.

Spring Meeting, Bournemouth MC & LC Club, March
26th, 1922. 'Doesn't it look pretty, papa!'

Spring Meeting, Bournemouth MC & LC Club, Lyndhurst,
March 26th, 1922.

And for good measure a rather low res picture of
the Palmerston car, made in Bournemouth between
1920 and 1923 and which competed in BMCLCC events.
There is more about the Palmerston in a brief
article from local rag, The Evening Echo.

And another low res image of another Bournemouth
motor car: the Christchurch Campbell made for 1922
only and may very well have competed in BMCLCC
events. This image from online car encyclopaedia,
All Car Index.

International Motorcyclists Tour Club

I picked this machine badge up a while back, I would guess it dates from the fifties. A quick search reveals that the club is still in existence and was founded back in 1932. In 1938 the Club arranged its first 'partitour' group tour to the continent. I had assumed that these partitours were somehow connected to Ken Craven and his Mojacar Touring Club but it seems that just the name is coincidental and the Craven partitours actually began post war.

It's worth taking a look at the International Motorcyclists Tour Club site, they've got a good club history up there and are still very much active to this day.

Craven Partitours

I came across this machine badge recently for Craven Partitours. The Partitours were organised by Ken Craven and his wife Mollie, of pannier and rack manufacturing fame. Riding into Europe from the UK in the immediate post-war years was considered quite adventurous, Ken and Mollie as seasoned two-wheel tourers would lead groups of fellow enthusiasts across the Channel for a taste of riding on the 'wrong' side of the road.

Craven Equipment is still going, under the wing of Draganfly Motorcycles. 

The Mojacar Motorcycle Touring Club founded by Ken and Mollie is also still going strong.

The Velobanjogent has a great article on Craven panniers with a little about the tours.