Thanks to the Diaries of Ian Fairhead and David Davies
An idea to form a local group was conceived in 1976 and Ian Fairhead sent a letter to most of the local VMCC membership of the time resulting in a informal get together of around 20 members at the Bottle and Glass in Scothern near Lincoln on Monday October 4th 1976.
An informal road run followed on Sunday
October 10th starting from Market Rasen.
This was followed by an evening ‘Noggin and
Natter’ at the George Inn, Market Rasen on Monday November 26th. David
has a recollection that the meeting was held in an upstairs room at the George
and that Titch Allen was in attendance. Apparently there were so many people
there that the landlord had to turn people away for fear of the floor
collapsing!
On Sunday 12th of December a meeting was held at the home of Monty Mortimer to seriously discuss the formation of a Section between Yorkshire and South Lincolnshire Sections and the rest is history as they say.
Various meetings took
place in the following weeks and what was probably the first ‘Club Night’ as
we now know them took place on Monday 31st January 1977 at The George
with a bring and buy sale to draw in the crowds. (Carried on today as the
‘World Famous Auction!’)
At some time a committee must have been
formed, the first committee meeting being held at Monty’s House on Sunday 6th
Feb 1977.
A film show followed on Monday 28th
Feb 1977 and an AGM in March, which it is thought was the first Midlincs AGM!!
Sunday April 10th saw the Easter
Run – this is thought to be the first official ‘Mid Lincs’ Run.
Regular meetings and runs were established
using a wooden hut on Legsby Road operated by the Market Rasen Rugby Club as a
base. They were subsequently transferred to Willingham Road on the opening of
the Rugby Clubs’ salubrious new headquaters and continued there until 2006
when a move was made to The Bell at Bishopbridge
The meeting in the Market Rasen Market Place
on Boxing Day followed by a short run to a convenient lunch stop was established
in the early days of the Section and continues to be a popular excuse to escape
the Yuletide fireside and an opportunity to show that motorcycles are
occasionally ridden during the winter months.
Over the years we have been honoured with the presence of a great number of well known guest speakers. Recent visitors include Ken Sprayson, Neil Tuxworth, Mick Grant, George Beal, Frank Dolman ……..
Because of the size of the VMCC and the enduring interest of its members leaving the area (or in some cases the country) doesn’t necessarily mean a member is lost or loses contact and we have a number of visits from past Mid Lincs members that have ‘moved away.’
We all have a focus on Club activities in general through the Journal with local information relayed through the Section Notes, but if you have any memories or interesting anecdotes that you would like to share relating to 'Midlincs' in times gone by please get in touch with Stewart.
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