25-07-1930 to 16-02 2023 Age 92 years
Jack was born and brought up in Southport. He started cycling about 1952 and joined the Southport club. Shortly after he was called up for national service joining the Army stationed in the South of England he quickly found the local club and was soon racing in BLRC & Army events down there. 1953 he won the British Army Southern Command 50m TT.
Also that year he was a starter in an Army 50m race round Catterick camp in Yorkshire also riding were Brian Robinson Les Willmott Bill McAteer Ron Coe & Stan Brittain. After the race Jack rode home to Southport with Bill AcAteer. At Tarleton Bill pressed on home to Liverpool. Jacks exploits as a mile eater were well known to the older members of the club. He was an Electrician by trade riding to work in Wigan each day. He would go to the office get the work allocated, ride to the job then after work would go over Rivington and the back of Blackburn all with his tools on the back of his bike. He said it was good training. He was once sent to a big job in N/Wales and still went on his bike each day.
He was on all our Bill Bradley led Hardriders runs late 50s early 60s with 80m Saturday up to 150m on Sunday. After national Service he was Road racing in BLRC races in the N/West and in 1956 he was the BLRC N/West he liked the hilly races in North Merseyside Road Race champion which that year was contested over 3 races. Jack was 2nd in all 3 making him champion with 57 points. Presentation for this was on the Royal Iris Ferry on the Mersey. In 1957 he was the Merseyside & N/Wales TT champion a 66m TT round Delamere.
He told me he got the knock with 3 miles to go and just scraped the win. 1958 maybe was his best year with 9 places in the top 6. Winning the Liverpool Olympic race in N/Wales was a highlight beating 2 guys from London Highgate CC at the finish.These placings got him a ride in the 1959 Milk Race finishing 28th riding for Merseyside. The 1960 Tour of the Lakes 2 day was another good win. He was the organiser of many early Southport Road Races in late 50s early 60s out to Parbold 3/4 laps then back to Southport. He married Isabella from Lancaster in 1963 and had 2 sons Ian & John He has lived in Wrightington for many years but still made it to the cafes on the Flyde and W/Lancs on his Electric bike taking an extra battery with him just in case the first one ran out.
KB 23-02-2023
