LONDON AND SOUTHERN, COUNTIES UNI OF THE NATIONAL CLARION JYCLING CLUB,
No words could be read on this page.
All reports. and contri butiong
JANUARY 1941. Ursyoyo auren PAGH I
Y Pa, |G WP tes,
Tey A AN: _mugt. be sent’ to. the Editor not later than:the 15th. ‘of LAAN the month prior to purities
MissL. Gardner, do not necessarily represent 34, Oak Avenue the views of the Editorial
Volume VI. Numbor I. JANUARY 1041.
I think we have every reason to congratulate ourselves this month-.in that "Boots!" now enters on its sixth year. That this should have been achieped in g Ofealisdigni cult= 16s indicates that the magazine has established a definite place in the life of the Glub. it remains for us, during the coming yoare to maka it an even more complete picture of our activitios beth wifhin tne Clerion and in the broader open-air movement.
It has been noticeable this year, how many people have hesitated before wishing ‘their friends the custcmary "Happy Now Year". This is not to be wondered at when we consider the promises we have been given of bigger and bctter warfare which, to us, means dearer and dearer bikes and less timo to spend with thom. Tnere are, however, signs of hope even in such an epparently black year as 10°41. Mo st outstanding is the Peoples Sonvention which ‘takes place this month, and to which the London Union Committee have decided to send a delegate. This Convention places in the forefront of its programme tho defence of tho people's living standards and has as its final goal the setting up of-a’- Peoplo's Government and the ostablishment of a People's peace.
There are other signs, too, that the London Union are not allowing dospondeney to got them down, but. facing the New Year with optimism. For instance, you will read on another page about the formation of a Vigilance Committec. This.i8 which it svome should have undertaken years ago but which is made mere important by wartime conditions.
Then -thero. is the-.quostion of -our Social activities. For some months now ne social events have boon organised as no-ono was preparsca to take on the responsibility of Social socratary. However, Jim Mann of North West section has now been cloctod to this position and has already beon givon some suggostions for an immediate programme. EG will welcomo any further ,idoas which you care to put to
In viow of thoso signs of progross it docs not soem quite so ironical to wish all Clarion mombors very prosperous Now Yoar.
(With acknowledgments to "Me Progressive Rambler")
FOR OR AGAINST?
Since the National Fitness Movement was stabbed in the back last September, (under the excuse that Fitness’ not essential in wartime) numerous attempts have again been made to enthuse Youth with the idea of keeping fit.
The Board of Education hag now announced thas a nation- Wide. Voutiiservice Corps’ is to be formed’ forall voung people from 14 to 20 years of age. Tae War Office Co-operauing their inspector of Physical Training is on, the directorare.
In order to test their sincerity, we would like to submit Your questions 20 the. Board:
affect young people, are rigourously applied, and that.an end is put to night work, Sunday work, and overtime for young people?
2. Will they see that free passes are given to young people to enable them to go out of the towns to the playing fields
3. Will they see that the paltry holidays which were stolen from young people this year are restored at once?
4, Will they throw open the uncultivated stretches of countryside the moors, mountains, cliffs and downs for fresh air and exercise?
Most thinking people will judge these four questions to contain the elementary. basin..for_a healthy young Britain (mentally, as well as physically).
If the authorities answer "yes" to these questions and carry them out we will know they mean business.
If they answer "No", then we will know that they are tinkering with the problem, that it’ is *just another ‘stunt.
The authorities have the power to convince Britain's Youth that they are genuinely concerned with their health and not dabbling in "pre-military" training. Wit] they seize the opportunity?
Seo oe "BOOTS 1 AGE S
by dackson
ice.of liberty is eternel vigilance,” One often hears this said about a variety of ‘things. ZI-em going to apply. it to cycling,
Previous to the war the fight for the rights of cyclists were the interest of number of bodies and individuals.
The advent of the wer brings certain new problems which must be faced,
igahe Union Committee hopes to be able to pyoux London members to help themselves’ on metters concerning their rights, With this object in view it hes formed Vigilence Committce to teke up the various problems raised by the war,
t will be some of the problems thet willbe considered by this committce. In these days of extensive air raids, the aebeb (shee of roed surfaces, particule arly at night-time will teke up lot of their time. "Meny councils ere ellowine ads, dspeotally those with obsolete trem lines, to very
hould notify the committee of
dengerous condition, Members g}
all such ce is6S, giving exact position, the neme of the Borough and the noture’ of the trouble,
Then there is the quest ion of prices relating to cycling accessories Ni (oe nieavce hes reason to believe th has been much overci he should slso use the :committce.: en. then tcke- up the question with the retailer end 77 Af. nO satisfaction is obtedned; orgenisc boycott or take other steps.
thc inerease in the number of accidents, appart from the question of compensetion that is dealt with by our insurance mpeny, also reises certain importent guestions from time to
iple, ‘he committee might well take uD ess and other chennels,
Ltris tually difficult to forcast the whole number of things thet can be done by such a committee because we are not: in-a position to fortell whe the future has in-store LOT, Us i yoot atta oks on our rights, But quite eenuain i plonty to get on with élready,
The London Union Committce, at.its last mecting, decided to send a, delegate to the Peoples!” Convention to be held on January 12th. A number of sections don: 5/— each towerds the expences on
the spot and 55/~ wes “Teised in "this wey. This is avery good indicetion that th
very keen interest,
Stavts on its sixth year of active service to the Lone mn Union and is also quite an old fri
the Southern Counties. .As. one that has contributed from. first, I am tempted to think what a lifetime in history. has pessed since the first issue appeered. The Spanish War, the strugg nich end a hundred other
e of the Chinese people,h important events,
seve in the realm of cycling wé have. seen the devélopment. of the Road Time Trials Council fom a venture just on trial into a
a
ive and active force in Beever ane of what would have been rave problem. Nevertheles am sled aotind riders are now rea 4 must take the leading well remember the 4 R.R.C. was engineered cut o the secr The road gane is now suffering as a consequence of action,
Oo see that the are the ones that age HE
month the section news and I
n does not figure much. in thst section of my notes, London? I know that they are still there because the turn up at the L.U. Cormittee proved that the
sections were still alive.
«one POuUMd sud. About thi am sorry to say
sees Our active Editress, as vou will eve read in the cycling press; wes present atthe J] of the E Section.. This event wa le ence of the Mayor and Mayoress and they ried away AL.) O11. with them to go to the. local.Air Raid D Thi ayor, in his speech, which was reported -in newspaper, congratulated the section on its work 16 megnificent spirit of comredeship'is-probably the only thing making life worth while at the moment,
eeee Our Lou, respondi to the toast of the visitors, told the heertrending story of "BOOTS!" in the last months and pointed out that the September issue had been. bombed out but that we hed now evacuated and she hoped ell would be well. She forgot to mention thet it was ‘1 inly d due to her zeal and. enthusiasm that the journal came again at a
It is also interesting to note t its membership over last year Can't 3 his hands and noting it for the old bulleti also being catered for by Jim A
Ayley., in his, youthful
years banadiy. stlei sends its: New. Year Greetings. to all
Clarionettes, Same to you, fo
tleigh and thanks frou wishes and active heip for “BOOTS 2"
leigh has increased ggie rubbing fast men are
ROUND. AND AB (contd
snesctcom the far Ssouth,. we.drift to the. ‘norbh and tell you a little about: the. Nowcastle Gateshead Section, Readers ay be interested to know that this section has been taking ‘a number
of "BOOTS!" from the early days, Last September the section rented two rooms and furnished them ag olub-rooms and are running quite a variety of.cevents. Mond day nights it ‘entertains a dart team of service men, Wednesdays whist drives are held and on
Seturday nights the social evenings entertain members and their iends.
Gear pest “don the scrious side the section has held a acetings at which there have been
Zz, hostelling, etc, Not content
the section hires a hall on Tuesday
h service men are invited free and
inersased during the.vear to
pay a these other
S 2+ py the
“Wey send: Him the
be welcone, The address
this ambitious evenings for danci they still pay. Ling acti c ny Lond on way, if you ha iy address of cheb “room i Polgar Stre set,
should Likce to rom the Newcastle
acknowlcdge Section,
sees He Ham Lon, de to teli-us that: things, whilst not being exactly Y arrying on, ~The‘ section recently heid
its A.GiMioar officials were re-elected en bloc, Membership shows a slight decrease and enthusiasm does not seom to run quite so hi The Stnday runs ere now held in conjuction with the Leyton Section. but this section has bee badly hit by call-up and production reasons, The-/unual Dinner is fixed for
denuery 19th, or 26th, somewhere near London at.a cost ofr 1aporox,
2/6a. and a dcovosit of 1/64. and a positive assurence of attending is required,
cones from the: state i Ge the war sterted.
debris serving c feed scetion stilt mco Wales
Ned upologies to Southampton for beine’ crowded out,
PAGE 6. "Boots!" JANUARY 1941.
FROM A COALMINING VILLAGE.
“Thanks vary much for the package of “Boot$i" which I received safely, and for tho good nows of your carrying on despite the fact of tho horrors of tho presont time which you
are oxperienocing in London.
We in our village, if things are hard as they now aro, have a consolation in not being bombed, and many London people aro ‘inding refuge here and in the surrounding districts. aE personally was speaking to two who are from tho Bormondsey district last weck, and although they sec it strange to get used to country life thoy find it bettor, so thoy said, than being bombed.
Owing to the coal industry being as it is, quite a good doal of our mombors have loft for jobs clsewhere, for most of us are undorground workers, and now that the resorvod ago for miners has rison wo can oxpect our mombership to drop for the army will bo claiming them, but those who are loft will ksop tho club togothor. Tho last month or so, to koop-togsther, we have hold concorts and socials and have decided to carry on those lines for tho wintor, for it is: proving successful.
I ghould like, on behalf of my section, to. send our sympathy to all London Union members who may have boon distressed or met with accidonts by tho bombing, also to tho family of Alox Judson, our dcop sympathy for thoir loss.
By this issuo of "Boots!" Christmas will have come and gono, a vastly different Christmas from what we havo had in past years. Anyway, wo sond along our greetings and hopo for a Christmas as good as you can mako it. may we all be spared to see a return te tho old tizos. L. Mathoulin,
Sevon Sistors. Section, S.Walos.
(Wo in London who aro having difficulty in getting coal-will think it strange that a Clarion soction should bo finding dirficultios owing to the lack of work in the coalmining industry. Such cxamples as this must confirm our heliof that only a Peoplos Governmont can save. us from the present chads. 4 Edit. Committco)
SECRETARIES PLEASE NOTE. Owing to changes which have taken place duc to tho war, wo wish to. compile a revised “Whore to Find Us". Will you ploaso lot us know for tho noxt issue, your Section's timo and placo of mocting and also tho socretary's
Name and address. Thank yous
JANUARY. 1941. PAGE 7.
Home on leave: Sam Hdwards, whe spent a day out on his bike with North London Section.
Dragged up: Bill Hawkins, now in the R.A.M.O. He says if the war finishes before he's forty he is going to have
a real,-go at this Time Trialling business.
We should like to hear from some more of the boys in the forces. Haddon Judson has now gone bask and we hear that he lost a day's pay for staying on leave a.day more than he should have done.
Noticed that Dicky Davies has now joined Reg Bailey with the honour of having his photo. in the rogues gallery in
Thanks to Jim Gardner for a donation of five shillings. The following have paid their subst- Geoff. Jackson, Bert Brown, Rog. Bailey, Bob Hill, Ernie Cleveland, Sid Wizley, Bill Loo, Jim Gardner. A special thanks to Bill Hawkins who has paid his suba although he is new in the Army. This is the-true "Glarion" soirit, so how about it, those of you who aro still in civvies and are able:to use your bikes? Ti te only 1/6d. The following mambers paid their subs after Slst July 1940 and are ontitled to membership for 1941: Cleveland, North London sec.:
G. Gough, Hackney: R. Franklin, Harrow Wombleéy. At present there are twolvoe paid up mombous, nine of whom belong to North London Section. Why is this?
Jack Taylor is again road champion of Scotland and.also National 0. A.C. champion. His avorage speed. was 22.618 m.p.h. Congratulations}
I road in tha newspaper the other day that sport will be allowed to carry on aftor an Alert if a "spotter" is on duty. Thore was no montion of timo trialling nocding "spotters but it rominded mo that wo shall nood marghalls and héelpors next. s onand I hope we will all be alive. to make tho bost of noxt svason.
WILITARY ADDRESSES. Wo publish below the addrosses of two members who are
now in tho army and to whom wo think othor mombors may wish
to write. If you know of any other such address we shall
bo ploased to print thom in futuro issuos.
97001697 Pto. H. Judson, K.6. J.Company, No.1 Dopot.R.A.wW.C.
Boyco Barracks, Crookham, Nr.Aldershot, Hants.
2352904 Sig. Ward i.H. No. 4 Company, Squad 48.
end Operations Batth., @nd &.T.C., Prestatyn, N. Walos.
“Spirs" in the West London Workers Sports London
through its growth into the Geos, iis. diabandment and“ tncorp I o.W, Lon
to
ington Section
,extending
members
enthu
F.Beldham
endeavee he, -gird push ae heyy
natrimonia
a
3 a
From the above MA} enly in. the atmosphere atmosphere of Fellowshi
curally the war has
ades and friends, but arranged and a determir
of the best a winter runs Gi SOrCula to ke b-life go
i agency Go, married durmembers of future generks when the
sronm we, not aiso in an on “motto
“programme
In the forces.