At the start of a New Year one expects to be optimistic of the year ahead, this year it’s a bit different to previous years the Covid word is evermore in our midst and it is also tinged with sadness at losing one of the club’s long term supporters.
Sadly on the December, the 27th Clive Sandercock passed away. To most of us that knew him he was an absolute inspiration in being positive about life and doing as much as possible despite the barriers that it had thrown at him. In 2014 we attended a big party at Dingles Heritage Fairground to celebrate Clive’s landmark 25 years of having had his Heart and Lung transplant, the event also raised a significant amount of money for charity. Then a year ago he underwent more invasive surgery to receive a kidney. When Vivien and I went to the hospital to visit we didn’t know what to expect, we were somewhat shocked to find him on a walkabout of the hospital looking incredibly fit and cheerfully chatting to all the other patients.
Clive turned out for many events over the years, he was the late Mike Gomm’s intrepid passenger in sporting trials and also performed marshalling and scrutineering duties for the club for many years. But his interests were much wider than just motor sport. Cornish history and walking were just two and the accompanying photo was taken of him impersonating a pixie on Bodmin moor when he and his father Gordon took us on a guided tour of the moor. Clive’s funeral will be on Friday the 15th of January at Altarnun Church 2.00PM. Whilst we will not be able to actually attend the Church funeral many of us intend to be outside to say our final farewell. Our thoughts are with his wife Julie, Mum Pam and all the family.
I will now hand you over to our club President Robin Moore
Alvis and the other lady in my life, Part 8
Annual reunions took place in early November for a number of years following this Golden Jubilee celebration. For the first of these two day weekend events we returned to the Green Dragon in Hereford, with everyone arriving on the Friday evening for an informal get together.
The Saturday usually incorporated a visit to a place of interest, before returning in good time in order to be ready for the formal dinner in the evening. This first reunion was quite a unique occasion as among our number were some talented musicians including a professional dance band pianist, as well as others who played regularly. One such person was a man called Dick Gilbert of Leamington Spa, who played for a Midlands jazz band when he was not racing his Alvis 12/70 Special at Silverstone. I seem to remember that we had quite a quintet on the night and it was a great success. Obviously this had all been planned well in advance.
The following morning happened to be remembrance Sunday and a run out to the Rhydspence Inn near Hay-on-Wye had been arranged for those not departing for home until the afternoon. It is as well to remind ourselves how much less traffic there was on the roads 50 years ago for at the appointed time we all lined up in the near side lane of the fine road bridge that crosses the Wye in Hereford, and we set off in convoy. En route a large lay by had been sorted in advance, and as the hour approached eleven o’clock we drew up together and parked. Car radios were tuned in for the two minute silence and all drivers stood beside their cars. It was quite a moving and unforgettable moment.
The annual reunions that followed were held at Matlock Bath in Derbyshire, which we all looked forward to with enthusiasm each year, although there were a number of other events held during the year when we also got together, such as National Alvis Day. In 2020 it would have been the Centenary of Alvis cars, but like our own club this hasn’t happened and everything is on hold. I can’t help feeling that when we do mark the occasion it will not be quite the same – a bit like missing the last bus home after a good night out.
RHTM to be continued
Polite reminder : Those of you who have not paid your club subs it would be nice if you could do so, last month’s reminder didn’t quite have the effect we were hoping for, you’ve saved loads of money by not going to the January sales (you remember them) so a mere tenner won’t hurt.
Joe Caudle is currently drafting a history of the club, hopefully to be published later this year.
Any reminiscences, anecdotes etc. would be welcome as would scans or photos of any paperwork, awards, photos etc. particularly if they accompany reminiscences. There is a particular gap in the club’s history through the 1930s, and 1940s.
Anything will be gratefully received particularly as Joe says he has plenty of time at present to devote to this! Please send to joecaudlework56@gmail.com
So we find ourselves virtually back to where we started as we enter our third Lockdown. At our zoom meeting next week we had expected to be discussing how plans were going for the Lanson Trial but I fear this event could well become just another statistic. Unfortunately a large proportion of the committee along with those helpers who normally come out to support the club no matter what, are in the senior age bracket and justifiably won’t commit themselves until the vaccine has been completed and feel confident mixing in wider circles as it were. The MCC have already cancelled the Lands End Trial so I suppose we just have to make the best of it, but I am only one person and it’s up to the committee to decide. Plans for the 101 years Club Birthday are hopefully safe so there is at least something to look forward to and we will be discussing that, and other events planned for the year.
When I got up this morning I looked at our weather gauge and saw it was -2.5c outside which is not too conducive to spannering in the garage, alas the Dellow is sat with its bum in the air awaiting parts for the rear axle, although I do have a new 2 wheeler project acquired last month to play with. On going in to the office to start the newsletter I turned on the monitor to see if there was anything happening in the bird nestbox and to my surprise a Sparrow was in there having a good tidy up, after a couple of return visits it disappeared but was soon replaced by a Wren doing similar, it makes you wonder, do they know something we don’t ?
All for this month J.T.
Don’t forget contributions gratefully accepted billjan299@gmail.com