GheE GLARIOR
Newsletter of the National Clarion Cycling Club 1895 (North Lancs Union)
A Call
To all Clarion Sections and all Clarion cyclists; to trade unionists and
to members of the Labour Movement. Support the Mikron Theatre’s 2010 tour of PEDAL POWER “The continuing journey of the National Clarion Cycling Club”. A play which revives our history in laughter and song.
December 2009
This highly entertaining play, written and directed by Richard Povall, an honorary Life Member of the National Clarion Cycling Club, will again tour England in the Summer and Autumn of 2010. The play was first performed 6 years age as part of the Mikron’s National Waterways Summer Tour. If you missed it first time around make sure you see it in 2010. It is the story of your Club and you will not be disappointed. For tour dates see: www.mikronthreatre.og.uk. If your Section or organisation wishes to promote a performance contact Marianne on 01484 843701. WARNING: This play contains Socialism and may offend New Labour.
The author, writing in the North West Labour History Journal states: When researching the play I needed to meet long term members who might provide me with a human link to the past. So I went to Stockport and it was there that I sunk the human foundations of Pedal Power. At Stockport Clarion's club night and at people’s houses I learnt about the freedom that the bicycle had given to working people in industrial cities on either side of the second world war and realised how much more sweet that freedom must have tasted 50 years earlier when the NCCC was formed. The vitality and long memories of the Clarionettes I met recommended the bicycle and the fellowship of the Clarion as well as any minute book or article could. If “mutual aid, good fellowship” and support for a step change in attitudes that will lead to grater equality is old fashioned then I indeed am a dinosaur; if having a good time with other people is past its sell by date then so am I. The Stockport Section of the Clarion were an inspiration to me; they were the vital human link to all the history I had read.
Know your Club’s history, never forget your Club’s history, its what makes Clarion cyclists different from every other cyclist.
Julia Dawson and the Clarion Vans
Julia Dawson was an activist in the Liverpool and Lancashire Socialist movement at the end of the 19 century, who famously planned and championed the Clarion Van's which spread the creed of Socialism throughout Britain. In October 1895 she was asked to become the editor of the letters page "Our Women's letter" in The Clarion newspaper, at a time when it was claimed that the lp weekly "had more influence on the public opinion than any other English journal, The Times included". Julia Dawson's Clarion column became an important forum for developing and promoting ideological positions around issues with particular relevance to women. Topics included women's suffrage, contraception, divorce, children's health and working conditions.
Undoubtedly one of Julia Dawson's most important achievements was her plans to establish Clarion Vans to promote Socialism. She announced in The Clarion on 29th February 1896, a plan for a thirteen week Clarion women's van tour starting in June 1896. She proposed that Socialist women speakers would tour with the Clarion van. The plan was for Socialist leaflets and literature to be distributed and sold at the open air meetings held in village greens and in the market places of small towns throughout the land. She also envisaged the Clarion Cycling Club would be there on bikes to greet the Van's arrival in towns and villages.
The call for money and volunteers was quickly answered. A leading socialist speaker Caroline Martyn, undertook to join the van for a whole month, helped by young and able workers such as Ada Nield, an elected socialist member of Crewe Poor Law Guardians; Sarah Reddish and Catherine Mayo both organisers and lecturers for the Women's Co-operative Guild.
Julia Dawson proudly announced that this would be "The first Socialist Van ever put on the road by women". The Van's route in Summer 1896 was to be through Shropshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire finishing in County Durham. Liverpool Clarion Cycling Club were there at the big send off from Chester market place at 4.30 pm on Saturday 13th June 1896. Thousands of well wishers turned out in brilliant sunshine to see the first Clarion Van on it's way, headed by the Liverpool Clarion Brass Band and followed by a column of fifty Clarion cyclists and a crowd on foot marching to the inspiring strains of the Marseillaise. The Clarion Vans were initially met with great hostility, but the women speakers soon became very adapt at handling hostile crowds, a hostility often brought on by drink and Conservative Party agitation. Caroline Martyn the founder of the Glasgow Socialist Sunday School, a trade union organiser and one of the greatest women orators of the time, was due to join the Clarion van tour in August, however she tragically died of pleurisy, while organising women textile workers in Dundee 23rd July 1896 aged just 29. A fund was established to build a second Van known as the "Caroline Martyn Clarion Van" and this was unveiled in front of a crowd of over one thousand out side St Georges Hall, Liverpool on 1st June 1897.
By the end of 1907 there were six Clarion Vans operating in different parts of the country and they continued their valuable work until 1929.
CYCLE JUMBLES
Surpringly not every cyclist has visited a cycle jumble. They should, simply because they are a ‘reet good do’ where you meet loads of friendly folk with whom you share a common interest. You also usually leave far happier than when you arrived and always far poorer than when you arrived; which goes to prove that money doesn’t necessarily bring happiness. In the case of cycle jumbles money usually brings you a load of rusty junk which you like to call a bargain, your wife or partner may choose to use several more accurately descriptive phrases!
So what, for the uninitiated, is a cycle jumble? It’s a very different animal than the new phenomenon: the dreaded car boot sale, which now regularly block the lanes of our Sunday Club runs. A cycle jumble is far more civilised: it’s a cross between the traditional Boy Scout or Church hall jumble sale and the modern computer fair. Cycle jumbles, like computer fairs, specialise: but in rust rather than state of the art technology. Like the Church Hall jumble sales of old they are always full of bargains. The bargains will range from the new to the old, to the very, very old. You will find all sorts of bits and bobs: the unusual (which you buy before enquiring what it is) to the very rusty (which you foolishly convince yourself it well clean up like new). No cyclist worth his trouser clips (yes! there will be some for sale for less than a pound) can resist a bargain. Cycle jumbles are the place to be whether you are a shopper, a commuter, a tourer, a roadman or woman or a velodrome superstar there will be a wide range of parts and kit to suit you.
So how do cycle jumbles work? And why are they such good fun? The organiser, usually a cycling club hire a church, village or school hall equipped with tables and chairs. They then notify any potential stall-holders and the general public by placing an advertisement in Cycling Weekly aka The Comic. Local papers and local radio stations will usually give the event free publicity in their ‘What’s On’ slot. Tables will then be rented to stall-holders, the usual rate is between £4 and £10. The public are then often charged a nominal entry fee which is rarely more than £1. It is also a good idea to have refreshments available as this helps to keep the crowds fed and happy thereby encouraging a longer stay at the event.
The stall-holder’s objective is to get rid of as much of his cycle related old junk as possible for as much money as possible thus ensuring an early retirement to the Seychelles. There is little evidence that this ever actually happens, the more usual scenario is that: any profit made is immediately spent on buy more old junk, which results in your returning home with a van containing twice as much junk than you set out with and a far, far emptier pocket. Any unlikely profit is more than offset by the garage bill for the broken rear spring due to your over-loading of the van with ‘new to you’ old junk.
The general public having paid their admission, children are usually admitted free and can sometimes even be exchanged for a frame or a pair of wheels. CAUTION: Stall-holders new to the game should be warmed that it has been known for unscrupulous parents to leave a troublesome child as a deposit on a desirable frame thereby ensuring the parent of at least three hours of child-free rummaging. The public’s objective differs from that of the stall holder as they are looking for the best possible piece of equipment for the smallest amount of money. There will always be plenty of bargains especially for those who arrive early. You will find exceptionally good deals on cycle clothing, helmets-and shoes; tyres and inner tubes will be much cheaper than in the shops (please don’t neglect your local independent cycle dealer they have the expertise you may need someday). If you are into old bicycles then you will have found your heaven: badges, transfers, rare frames with rare configurations, saddles that will be comfortable in another forty years of touring, bells, toe clips, tourist maps of
countries which no longer exist, brake levers for Penny Farthings are all to be found; the fim is in the searching.
Tips for buyers:
(1) Remember CASH is the only God, stallholders are honest, respectable people who would have nothing to do with banks.
(2) Always haggle, it's what you are meant to do, it's what makes jumble fun. So stop thinking like a shopper in Harrods, think more the bazaar in Marrakech.
(3) Try to make multiple purchases. It strengthens your bargaining power. Even the hardest stall-holder will knock a few pence off if you buy 500 inner tubes.
(4) Accept that the minute after you have bought the bargain of a lifetime you will see it cheaper on another stall.
(5) Always buy something that you don’t need; will never use or have no idea what it is, that gives you a reason for
going to another jumble. Happy hunting.
P.S. If you fancy spending your hard earned cash on some rusty bargain why not visit your local cycle jumble or the next National Clarion 1895 (North Lancs Union) Cycle Jumble at Oakhill College on February 20" 9am to 1 pm.
You'll live to regret it!!!!
My first Penny ride.
1 used to rather like Morris-men, even envied them for having the courage to prance around the streets wearing floral hats waving their handkerchiefs in the air. That all changed the day I met the ‘Morris-men from Hell’. However let me begin at the beginning where all stories, good or bad, should really start.
About five years ago my tandem comrade, Ruth and I had the opportunity to ride Merlin Evan’s Penny Farthing at the Collar and Tie Cycle Club’s Annual York Rally. I say ride, that’s all we actually did, Merlin held the machine while we mounted, No not both at the same time. We then pedalled off zigzagging to the left and to the right for about 200 metres, Merlin running along side ready to catch us if we fell, leastwise I assumed his prime concern was our safety.
Having completed our ride Merlin held his precious Singer steady whilst we dismounted. In unison we agreed (a) it was fun and (b) we must get ourselves a Penny Farthing to share. This proved to be easier said than done. Merlin’s 52 inch machine had been slightly too large for Ruth to ride comfortably so we decided to search for a 50 inch machine, in running order for about two shillings and six pence. Ruth declared it had to be old she didn’t want a moder repro.
After two or three disappointments we eventually found the ideal machine: a 50 inch, 1889 Springfield Roadster model Number 5 and in showroom condition. There was only one slight drawbacks, it cost £1994 17 shillings and 6 pence more than we had planned to pay! The said machine was somewhat unusual, that instead of cranks, the Springfield had been equipped with twin'levers and a clutch which oscillated on a fixed axle. The manufacturers claimed ‘this made headers impossible’! Fortunately for us, someone had replaced this treadle mechanism with conventional cranks and pedals, and easy conversion which probably knocked two grand off the value of the machine. Ruth recently saw an original version of our machine is displayed in the Henry Ford Museum in America.
Having done the deal I excitedly rang Merlin ‘good’ he said ‘you’re just in time for the May Day procession in Knutsford, I always ride with the Cheshire Wheelmen, they are a really friendly bunch, you must come along’. Great! I thought my first ride on International Workers Day, what could be better than cycling along behind scores of tanks and intercontinental ballistic missile launchers bedecked in the red flag of Socialism. As it turned out Knutsford was not exactly like May Day in Red Square, firstly it wasn’t on May Day and secondly it was called ROYAL May Day! Not very good for my credibility at the meeting of the Clarion’s Politburo.
48 hours before the event I woke from my slumbers with.a jolt, my heart pounding in the grip of fear. No! it wasn’t a bad dream, it was a very real nightmare: I didn’t know how to mount or perhaps more importantly dismount my Penny Farthing. At first light I frantically called Merlin ‘no problem, we’ll go early and I°ll teach you its easy’. Most things are easy if you happen to be called Merlin but as a mere mortal I was far from convinced.
Finally and all too quickly the fateful day arrived. I collected Merlin and his machine and we trundled off in our Clarion Van to Tatton Park where Merlin gave me a quick 15 minute lesson on how to mount; how to dismount and how not to do the much dreaded ‘header’. How I wished my Springfield still had its treadles.'Having, according to Merlin, ‘mastered it’, meaning I had mounted twice, fallen off once and successfully, somewhat gracefully dismounted ONCE, we set off to meet the rest of the riders at Glen Stockdale’s tearoom where I saw for the first time his wonderful display of cycles.
Introductions over we went for a quick pint which I badly needed as some very serious doubts were now beginning to cloud my mind. All too soon our Captain informed us it was time to leave and find our position at the start of the procession. Some parade organiser, though in hindsight I could think of several more accurate and apt titles, informed us ‘You'll be riding behind the Morrismen’. ‘Oh sod’ said Merlin ‘the buggers are always stopping to dance’. STOPPING!!! my recent lesson hadn’t covered stopping just getting on and off in 400 acres of traffic free, pedestrian free parkland. The only thing I had had to avoid was the odd dollop of raindeer poo. ‘Right’ ordered the Captain, ‘mount up we're off’. The Wheelmen obeyed mounting a variety of hobby horses, bone-shakers and penny farthings etc and away they went. I
held back and when I thought the road was clear performed my first ever public mount, rather elegantly I thought. My smirking satisfaction immediately turned to horror when I realised all my new found companions had all dismounted, those bloody, bloody Morrismen had stopped and I was speeding through the ranks of Wheelmen trying desperately to remember how to get off, my left leg waving furiously in search of my miniscule rear step. Captain quickly realised my plight and shouted ‘Charles, you need to be able to find that step in the dark, blindfolded’ Thanks Captain!
I did fortunately find my ‘step’ and dismounted in a less than graceful manner just one handkerchief’s thickness from the now fleeing Morrismen. ‘Mount up’ shouted Captain and off we sped for another twenty yards. This sequence was repeated for the next two hours and since it took me 8 yards to get on and 11 yards to get off I was effectively riding just one wobbly yard in every 20. Gone were the open spaces of Tatton Park, so numerous were the cheering crowds that in places it resembled the stage finish of the Tour on Mont Ventoux. My fear of falling off and killing some innocent peacefully sleeping child in its push-chair did nothing for my recently found, rapidly disappearing confidence. To amuse the spectators I twice ‘pretended’ to fall off, how they all laughed and cheered has I bounced off the tarmac. Little did they know how close their encounter with death had been.
Just when I thought things could not possibly get any worse, our Captain announced we were to ride abreast, full width of the road so that some local press photographer could get a good shot. Had my Springfield Roadster been equipped with a Springfield rifle that photographer would have got a good shot along with those bloody Morrismen from Hell. The Captain’s vision of what he wanted to occur differed somewhat from my vision of what could potentially occur. I was on the end of the line the raised curb to my left, sixteen riders to my right; the road was narrowing; there was a grate; a pile of, must be avoided at all costs, dog poo and a discarded piece of half eaten pizza all directly on my line. To me the domino effect seemed a very real possibility even more so when Captain shout ‘smile and wave’.
I avoided the grate, the poo and the pizza, it looked like pepperoni and mozzarella, I hadn’t waved, I daren’t let go of the bars but I did manage a sickly smile. At last the end was in sight I breathed a sigh of relief and said a silent thank you to a God I don’t know. My arms ached, my knuckles were white, my mouth drier than the Atacama Desert but I had made it. All I had to do was remove my cap, bow to the dignitaries and find the nearest pub.
Will I be there next year? most definitely. Riding at the wheel of my recently purchase T34 Russian tank, hopefully right behind the Morris-men from Hell.
ON YER BIKE
Donations
This year we have made new Clarion marching banner which is slightly smaller than the Ray Cox/ Roy Watts Memorial banner we made for the cycle ride to Barcelona. That banner has now been donated to the Peoples Palace museum in Glasgow. The new double sided banner was recently displayed at the Annual General Meeting of the International Brigade Memorial Trust held at the Miner’s Hall in Durham. It is also very pleasing to be able to report that we have been in a position to make small donations to the fighting funds of four different trade unions.
AL sLOQUED.__ “Los 5, LIBRES
On the March
Advance notice of dates for the diary on the campaign tront: i" iviay March in Beifasi with our comrades from
UNITE and the International Brigade. 2™ May Commemoration of the great Chartist
Rally of 1846 at Blackstone Edge.
3" July~ South Yorkshire Festival at Wortley Hall 10 July~Durham Miner’s Gala 18" July~Tolpuddle Martyrs Rally
i 7
If there is a campaign near to you please give it your support. Let people know that the Clarion is much more than just another cycling club. Road safety, better facilities for cyclists are POLITICAL ISSUES, we must fight for all just causes.
Rides List
All rides leave Oakhill College, Whalley at 9am. The distance of each ride will be judged on the weather and the experience of those who attend. The speed will be that of the slowest. Don’t forget to bring some money for the café stop. Sunday 17" January Chipping Sunday 24" January Velodrome Cycle Jumble Sunday 3 1* January~ Long Preston Sunday 14” February~ Dunsop Bridge Saturday 20" February~ Oakhill Cycle Jumble Sunday 28" February~ Settle Sunday 14 March~ Scorton Sunday 28" March~ Clarion Tearoom Friday 4° April~ Easter Tour Pocklington 11am Sunday April~ Clapham Sunday 25" April~ Rivington Annual Subscription rege Comrades are reminded
that their subscription of £2 is now due. If you wish to continue receiving The Clarion newsletter please forward a cheque made payable to NCCCC1895.
To Charles Jepson,
f Aysgaard,
Beardwood Brow,
Blackburn. BB2 7AT.
Peace in 2010 from the caves of Tora Bora to the markets of old Baghdad.
At the front supporting the Principles of Socialism “The Clarion cyclist is a Socialist utilizing his cycle for the combined purposes of pleasure and propaganda” Tom Groom 1895
A fine example of the above statement comes from a photograph album that our comrades in Bolton Clarion recently donated to the Working Class Movement Library in Salford. The photograph shows Mrs Bowden, winner of the Club’s 1900 annual fancy dress ride organised in aid of the Indian Famine.
Solidarity with the Postal Workers On Sunday September 27" over 30 cyclists set out on the 3% annual Communication Workers Union Cyclo Sportive to raise funds for the union’s International Solidarity Fund. A number of our members took part in this’ excellent and well organised event. One Clarion member and CWU rep from Somerset, Dave Chapple rode the 71 mile route on an old style Royal Mail issue Pasley delivery bike. The ride, which was followed by a barbeque, raised over £1800. Every penny of which will be spent supporting our brother and sisters in their struggle for workers rights in Columbia and the Philippines.
50 mile event in the Spring as well as their September Sportive. Email Trish Lavelle on :tlavelle@cwu.org
Raise Your Banners Choir Festival Comrades from the Bolton Wood Street Clarion Choir under the direction of Moira Hill took part in this bi-annual gathering of Socialist Choirs. This three day festival was held in Bradford with the Socialist choirs from all parts of England and Wales performing in the Cathedral. As well as the choral singing there were concerts, workshops and lectures. On the Sunday morming Andrew Bibby gave an interesting illustrated talk on the Clarion Choirs. Clarion members then attended a Peace Service at the city’s cenotaph. The highlight of Bolton’s contribution in the cathedral was the singing of ‘Jean Charles’ written by Clarion member Rachel Mann, in memory of an innocent man murdered by the police.
Tribute to International Brigaders
In early December Clarion members attended a commemoration ceremony in Belfast honouring two members of the International Brigade: Jack Jones and Bob Doyle. It was a weekend not of sadness but of celebration: Jimmy Kelly of UNITE spoke about the men and the high ideals they fought for. Bob’s granddaughter unveiled a statue; flowers where laid at the IB memorial in Writer’s Square. Joe Mulheron movingly sang The Connolly Column and Kevin Doherty recalled one of Bob’s last speeches:
“lam not here to make you sad with tragic recollections of a heroically fought war, or to make you happy with my survival into an old age. am here to make you boil with anger, the powers that supported Franco in Spain are stil active today and their reach is global,
The same U.S corporations that supplied the fascist with oil in Spain are today pilfering the oil of the Iraqi people”
“Lanterne Rouge”
Comrade Peter Shepherdiy The Club mourns the passing of a real stalwart of the Clarion Cycling Club. Peter was the Secretary 1 of the London Section for many years. He was at the forefront of so many Clarion events, a man who knew that no contribution was ever too small.
In his younger years Peter, equipped with his camera and his smile, had embarked on many European cycle tours. In later years when ill-health curtailed his riding, he put his extensive knowledge to good use by organising his famous and highly amusing Austro-Hungarian Empire quizzes at Wortley Hall. Farewell and thanks for the memories
EASTER TOUR 2010
This year’s tour of the Yorkshire Wolds and the North York Moors will start from Pocklington Glider Station at 12 noon on Good Friday. The first night will be spent in Scarborough, the second in Pickering, the. third in Helmsley. The daily distances are not great and the pubs are many. Members are welcome to ride the full ‘tour’ or to join for just part of the tour.
Scarborough, Pickering and Helmsley all have a wide range of accommodation to suit everyone’s budget. There will be no back-up vehicle so riders do need to carry their own gear. If you are
interested please contact.Charles: Telephone 01254 51302.
Wortley Hall Meet
Members of the Club joined their comrades from the Manchester and Stratford Section of the National Clarion for the annual get-together at the Workers’ Stately Home. The route of Saturday’s Club run to Dore Moor had to be changed when Martin Perfect (London Section) telephoned to say he had found a good pub at Low Bradfield. Yes, it was a good pub but Martin failed to tell us why it was called LOW Bradfield. After an evening meal we watched ‘A Boy, a Girl and a Bike’, the1950’s classic film about the Wakefield Wheelers R.C. Sunday’s hill climb was cancelled due to the poor weather so Chris Goode ran an extended quiz, extended in the sense that a group of wedding guests also joined in the fun. The Wortley Meet has a place in the history of the Clarion Cycling Club. It is too important to be allowed to die. If you have never visited Wortley Hall please join us next Autumn or visit our stall at the South Yorkshire Festival held at the Hall on Saturday 3” July.
Cc ub Colours i in Catalonia Our second order of shirts sold extremely well, we have only 3 left: small (40°’) extra large (46”) and extra extra large (48”). Subject to demand we will place a further order at the end of January the cost remains at £32 including postage. Comrade Anna Marti wears our colours on a recent tour in her home region of Catalonia. If you wish to order a