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This page is a start on writing biographies for the predominant members of the club. As I collect more information I will add it to this page. There are a large number of people that deserve an entry including George Jenkins, Percy Bliss and Bob French. Please email us at hastingsccarchive@gmail.com. if you can help with any information.
Please note that the start and end date are not complete at this stage
| Name Joined Date Left/Died Date |
Arthur Coleman
Arthur Coleman at Wittersham
Mike Ducker: We were all very shocked and saddened.to hear that Arthur Coleman had died recently at his home in Hastings. He was present at the annual lunch of the Fellowship of Kent and Sussex Cyclists on 29 April and seemed to be his usual cheerful self and clearly enjoyed the company of a lot of his old mates and friends. Sadly, that was the last time we saw Arthur. I first met Arthur back in the early 1950s when I was a very young trike rider, and we were out for a trundle with such great names as Ted Harrison, Jim Catt, Gordon Lamb, Darkie Cameron, Percy Bliss and others and of course Arthur. Those were great days with little traffic, cheap ale and the luxury of youth. Arthur lived for cycling - he joined the Hastings and St. Leonards C and AC in 1946 and over the years served on the Committee and had a spell as President. He was responsible for the formation of the 1066 Club and was also involved with the East Sussex CA and the Kent CA. He was a member of the VTTA Kent Group and for many years was Chairman of the Kent Group Committee. Arthur lost his legs in the early 1970s. This major blow only put an end to Arthur's physical cycling. He continued to be involved in the administrative needs of his various Clubs and Groups and this involvement continued right to the end. In addition to the above Clubs and Groups Arthur was also a leading figure in the Fellowship of Kent and Sussex Cyclists. He served two terms as President of the Fellowship 1979-81 and 2903-05. In 1970 and 1982 he was awarded the Fellowship Trophy for service or endeavor of the highest order. He also rode on several occasions as Stoker on Bill Finch's tandem trike which Bill had adapted with a seat and hand pedaling system. This enabled Arthur to take part .in the annual "Presidents Run". Around 1958 I left cycling world to get married raise a family and become very involved in motor £port. However, when I retired from work in 1991 and the family had grown up and left home I returned to cycling and t my first outing with the Wednesday Wobblers who should t find sitting in the Pub but Arthur! It was so good to see him but a big shock to discover that he had lost his legs. By the middle 90s Arthur and I were talking seriously about an electric trike (by then I was back on 3 heels) and with help from the bike shop in Tonbridge we had a ladies open frame, a Higgins conversion set and an electric motor and Arthur was mobile again. He was over the moon. On his first ride we got about half a mile and a bit an adverse camber put Arthur head £first in the ditch with the trike on top of him. There was no serious damage, and we all had a good laugh as we hauled him out and stood him up. After checking that his drinking arm still had full movement we remounted and carried on. This first machine was soon replaced with a purpose built model and for several years Arthur was able to :ride with a group of friends and enjoy the countryside again and on a couple of occasions joined the T.A. Sunday Club Run. It was so good to see Arthur really enjoying himself. I have spoken to Arthur's close friend Ernie Spray about the preparation of this history of Arthur's life and the following paragraphs are Ernie's memories of Arthur. Arthur's involvement with everything Cycling will be greatly missed and his ever-cheerful disposition and friendly banter will be remembered and recalled for many many years. Old "Tin Legs" will become a legend. I, and I suspect many others, feel privileged to have known Arthur, one of the great characters which our sport seems to produce now and again. Our condolences go to his family. Ernie Spray I first noticed this tall, slim cyclist riding in a rather elegant manner as he passed my home on St Leonard's seafront. This would be about 1943 and no later than May. I didn't know him then, and later learnt he rode to his work at Page's Garage in Bexhill where he was a mechanic. Arthur would have been about 15 years old at this time. I never saw him again for some time and I suppose this was when he was in the Army when he saw service in Africa. My next meeting with Arthur was when he joined the Hastings and St Leonard's Cycling Club. I was the Treasurer and first entered his name in the Club cashbook in July 1946. At this time, I was just getting married, and I did not cycle very often but kept in touch with the Club members through being Treasurer. I had an occasional ride with the Club and got to know Arthur. About this time, he changed his machine to a tricycle and he amused us by riding the trike on two wheels! I had a lot of fun with Arthur: riding and socially. He was always the life-and-soul of any function we attended, and he did enjoy his beer! First it was stout-and-mild, or mild - but later he had to make do with bitter ale. We enjoyed the Fellowship of Kent & Sussex Cyclists' meetings where the beer flowed well. Arthur got me to serve on the Fellowship Committee and he got another Fellow, Dave Morris, who drove but did not drink to drive Art's car so we could all get well and truly plastered! Art married Phyllis and soon had four children and one day he collapsed with heart trouble. While he was in hospital recovering, his wife died and left him with these four little children. The grandparents on both sides rallied round and each took two children to rear. Art was advised not to return to the motor industry, and he took a course of bookkeeping at which he did well but, unable to obtain work in bookkeeping in Hastings, he drifted back into the motor industry, at Hollingsworth in Hastings - as a receptionist. When cutting his toenails one day, he accidentally nicked his little toe and it would not heal. The toe turned black as gangrene set and the leg had to be amputated. When he recovered, he went back to work - it was now 1976 and the reception at Hollingsworth's was almost all glass and got very hot in the sunshine. Disaster - the metal eyelet of his shoe scratched his foot in the heat and away went the gangrene again resulting in his second leg being amputated. When he recovered, work was out of the question and Art then married Joyce who looked after him well. She was a Civil Servant and worked nights and long hours to support them both. Eventually, Joyce collapsed and died in a nursing home. Art was now on his own again, with help from the Social Services. His health was getting worse, the strength in his arms going, chest problems made him give up the cigars he enjoyed and later his eyes gave him trouble. He only had his last eye operation a few weeks ago. He was well-known in East Sussex and Kent with his support for the East Sussex and Kent CA. The Kent man, Bill Finch, adapted his tandem so Art could ride and assist the propulsion with the hand cranks. Later, The Wobblers got Art power-assisted trikes - the first needed someone to push start it but the second one Art could start it himself. One race event I remember was the Wittersham Sprint which Art always thought he could have won. The riders gathered at the Ewe & Lamb pub in Wittersham on Saturday where they drank all evening and then collapsed and slept on the floor till the morning. They were then judged and handicapped by the amount of beer they had consumed before they rode off for a circuit of the Isle of Oxney. The landlord was so impressed he presented the event with a silver tankard. This tankard is now the property of the FKSC and is presented to the President for use during his term of office. The last time I saw Art was when we went together to Egerton for-the FKSC Spring Meeting. As usual, Arthur was first up at the bar in his wheelchair where he sat and watched everyone buying their beers! We shall all miss Arthur and no function will be quite the same without his lively wit and the struggles we had to get him back in the car after the events. Tim Carpenter Tim Carpenter recalls: "At a 1066 Fellowship Tea held at Brownbread Street Arthur popped to the toilet. At this stage Arthur had lost both of his legs so was using prosthetic limbs, and crutches. There were two steps up from the gents and as Arthur swing himself up the two steps his legs stayed behind!!!. I still don't know how he did not fall over. The loudest laughter came from Arthur himself" |
B Deane (Rye Wheelers)
Percy Bliss (B Deane (Rye Wheelers)?) Arthur Coleman & Ron Longley in snow. Near Benenden 13 March 1955
Bernard then moved to the Spartan CRC in 1958. I have not been able to find any result sheets at the moment to confirm Bernard's clubs. Thanks to Michael Lingham for highlighting this. |
Chris Parker
Chris Parker in the 2006 KCA 12 Hour
Chris came to the club during the 1980s, and has kept the club going over the intervening years. He still races, works tirelessly for the club and the East Sussex Cycling Association. |
Chris Worsfold (CC Orpington)
Chris Worsfold around August 1977 - Chris broke the Broad Oak Course Record held for many years by Bob French
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Dominic Windsor
Brighton Mitre 4up 50km (1:17:01) 8 April 1984 (Dominc far right)
Sunday 19 July 1981 won the Sussex Junior Road Race on the Turners Hill Course outsprinting Dave Brooker of East Grinstead CC. Dominic went on to have a successful amateur career in the USA. |
Frederick March
Frederick (Freddie) March. Possibly pre WW11, based on bicycle.
Fred was a famous track rider during the 1920s and had a mass of trophies and certificates to his credit. He would frequently ride to Margate in the morning by way of a warmup before competing on the track during the afternoon. After collecting his awards, he would ride back to Hastings. Fred was the hero of many exciting sprints when sports meetings were held at Hastings Central Cricket Ground. During the 1914-18 war the club remained alive and after the war Freddy March won several N.C.U. Sussex championships. He still enjoyed a ride on Sunday, weather permitting in his 76th year. Freddie died at the age of 77 (3 February 1966). The coffin was covered with the Union Jack in token of his service in the First World War and his membership of the British Legion. |
Ian May
Ian May Broad Oak 10 dated 11 May (possibly 1955)
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Jack Southerden
Jack Southerden at the start of club hillclimb, Wellingford Lane, Burwash 23 October 1960
Jack Southerden was born in Hastings on 5 November 1915. Although cycling dominated his life he did not learn to ride a bicycle until he was 15. Jack spent a brief period with the Hastings Wheelers, before switching to the Hastings and St Leonards CC in 1934. He raced up until the middle 80s. He broke various club tandem records and was a member of the Club Team 12 Hour record holders. In 1950 he was the East Sussex CA Best All Rounder. Jack held a range of official positions from club captain, time trials secretary, chairman and finally as President in 1988. He was awarded Life Membership around 1957. He was the club archivist (before that role was really thought about). In 1962 he published his book 80 Years Awheel, that covered the history of the first 80 years of the club. In late 1970 he drafted a supplement for the club’s 100th anniversary, ”From the fifties to the seventies” covering 1956 to 1976. After landing at Normandy during WWII he kept a detailed record of his mileage and joined the prestigious 300,000 mile club in 1975, and completed half a million miles in 1997. Jack died on 13 January 2001. |
Mark Markowski
Mark Markowski winning the BCF Sussex Division Road Race Championship June 1985
Mark Markowski became Sussex Senior Road Race Champion in June 1985 on the Cowbeech Course. |
Maurice Carpenter
Maurice Carpenter and Mickey Dunn (Catford CC) after their successful attempt at RRA record Brighton - London - Brighton June 1963 (Maurice could be wearing Michael Lingham's Spartan CRC racing top
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Robert Allen Rob Allen along with Mark Markowski enjoyed riding the road with many top 6 places. In 1985 Rob finished in 38th place in the Amateur Paris - Roubaix 140 mile race. |
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