Out of the Archive – the Blackmore Vale Motorcycle Club

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Following the profile of Blackmore Vale Motorcycle Club last month (Revving through history, The BV Jan 25), Francis Custard has kindly given The BV permission to share just a small sample of his archive of images taken at some of the club’s historical events:
‘I have put together a selection of photos from the late 1950’s through to 1970. The photographers are my late father, Ron Custard, and Terry Heath, who now lives in Yeovil. I scanned my Dad’s negatives, slides and cines after I retired in 2008.
‘Just before Christmas I linked up with Terry, who had a case of negatives in his garage, and I have now undertaken a project to scan and share his work. The quality of the images is not comparable with the modern images by Michael Berkeley in your interesting article featuring Dean Whitty. Do bear in mind these were taken 60-odd years ago: the camera equipment was basic, and the negatives are now not always in the best condition!
‘There is a selection of Trials, Scrambles, Grass Track and Road Racing. The Blackmore Vale Club ran many events back then: I remember taking part in Scrambles – I broke my collar bone after a big tumble at Whitesheet Hill in 1970!
‘Along with photos, I also have many programmes from Blackmore Vale events, the earliest is for Road Races at Blandford Camp on 1st August 1949!’

Francis has labelled all the images for us according to the slide annotations:

26th May 1958 – Pauline Dale
No.22 is well-known local rider Lew Coffin (unkown date). Lew also raced Speedway and Long Track. He competed all over the country – and continent – in his long career, with the Blackmore Vale Club badge on his helmet
February 1959 – Benny Crew trying not to drown the Norman
6th June 1960 – Helmut Fath and Alfred Wohlgemuth on a BMW Sidecar
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10th June 1967 – Mike Hailwood: one of the most famous road racers of all time. Dad took this unassuming photo at Blandford Camp as Mike won his first race

6th June 1960 – Ron Langston on a Matchless chased by Phil Read on a Norton

11th June 1967 – Start line, Hambledon Hill

27th Dec 1966 – Tony Davis on his Cotton

27th December 1966 – Don Rickman on a Bultaco

30th May 1966 – Brian Curtis takes the chequered flag on his Metisse

30th May 1966 – Norman, No. 10, leads the pack on his Metisse

22nd December 1963 – Malcom Davis on his Greeves in a TV Scramble

6th June 1960 – the start of the race

February 1959 – Don Rickman

1970

February 1959 – Derek Rickman on a Triumph

30th August 1970 – my brother Nick Custard riding on Whitesheet Hill the day I broke my collar bone!

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