© Wessex District Association of the Cyclists’ Touring Club
CTC Office: Parklands, Railton Rd, Guildford, Surrey GU2 9JX
Company Limited by Guarantee - Registered in England No. 25185
WESSEX CTC
History and Administration
History and Administration
In Salisbury, ever guided by Alan Clarke who became a DA Vice President, and assisted by Graham Dudley, as well as the general Sunday section they run a mid-week evening group for hard riders. organised by Malcolm Walters.
EVENTS & RALLIES The Wessex DA has hosted the CTC Birthday Rides on two occasions. In August 1977 at Salisbury 280 members, including overseas participants gathered daily at the Elizabeth Gardens for the start. In those days only two groups were needed to cope with the numbers and the “A” rides were planned at 60 miles, the “B” rides at about 45 miles. Ruth and JackMerchant with Jean and Ron Trill were the chief organisers. In 2003, the DA again hosted the rides and took over the Haven Holiday campsite at Warmwell for the week. The rides were much larger this time with almost 1500 participants. David Durose was the lead organiser for the Wessex DA and was supported by his committee of volunteers who included Christopher Chaplin, Alan Linge, Annemarie Manley, Ken Reed. and myself. The rides were attended by Kevin Mayne, National Director (Secretary) of the CTC and Phil Liggett the President.
In 1981 the DA celebrated its 70th Anniversary with a catered lunch at Sturminster Newton at which Alan Leng, National Secretary of the CTC attended. The 70th anniversary was also marked with a relay ride around the regions of the DA at which nearly 60 people signed the attendance book. In 1986 celebrated its 75th Anniversary with a similar lunch but since that time the 80th and 90th Anniversaries have gone un-noticed. Hopefully this is not the forgetfulness of old age!
In 1983 the DA held a heat of the Veteran’s triennial 100mile rides for the DA. It was organised by Keith Matthews.
In 1996 the Salisbury Section hosted the first South of England Rally organised by Graham Dudley and family aided by Alan Clarke. Formerly known as the Home Counties Rally, the CTC net had been cast wider to provide more variety. The headquarters was a large school in Laverstock on the outskirts of Salisbury. Salisbury Section too were responsible for hosting the 1998 CTC National Dinner in Salisbury City Hall, this time organised by Jimmy Walker.
In 1990 and 1991 the DA held a residential weekend rallies at Swanage named the “Purbeck Weekend” in the old Grammar School. Members of the Union Cyclotouristes Saint Lo attended here and our President, Barbara Johnston, took advantage of the contact to establish the “twinning” arrangement which exists to the present day. The arrangement is maintained today by Norman Payne and the St Lois last visited Wessex in 2006. We look forward to returning to see them in France in 2008.
AUDAX & RANDONNEE EVENTS: The formation of Audax UK made a significant impact on the DA and prompted me to found the “Dorset Coast 200km” in 1978. It has run ever since, celebrating the 30th event in 2007. There have been only three organisers for this, Audax UK’s longest serving continuous event. I organised up to the year 1999 and then passed over to Annemarie Manley. In 2007, Peter Loakes took over the baton and the event is still in good hands. Over so many years there have been almost too many stories to be told, but one deserves particular recognition. In 1981, for the fourth event, I had contact with a group of French cyclists and had visited them. It was agreed that they would come to Dorset and ride in the Dorset Coast 200km. A good group duly arrived and enjoyed a catered lunch and a slide show given by Neville Chanin, however, to our collective horror we awoke the next morning to a cloth of snow right across Dorset. The reputation of the “Coast” was made - we were no longer a soft southern county. The French party were mortified and turned, understandably, at Weymouth for the ferry and home, but 69 riders of the main field completed against all odds.
At this time the Bournemouth section gained some new younger members and the West Dorsets too and relationships between them were pulled together by the new culture of running “open” Audax style events which involved both sections. At that time Ray Haswell organised a 300km “Breakfast Brevet” from Christchurch to Wiltshire and back in a big loop, and John Burrows a 400km which circled the New Forest and beyond. I added to this with the 600km “Wessex Star” based on Salisbury Youth Hostel through the good agencies of Mick Latimer who was both warden and Wessex member. The Wessex DA gained a deserved reputation for their Audax events at this time, which persists to this day due to the addition of the
