Calleva Road Cycling Club

Received an email this evening for which I'm not going to be of great assistance with, but perhaps by posting it here someone will know something and help them.

My daughter, Carolyn Turner (nee Wysom) is trying to find information with regards to the Calleva Road Cycling Club which may have been disbanded in the late 1950's.

She is trying to find information and photographs on her Grandfather, Ronald William Wysom who cycled with that team and died some years back.

His Widow, Audrey Alice Wysom, reched 90 years of age yesterday 11th February 2012 and hasn't any photographs of him. Ron hated photographs of himself.

Carolyn would desperately like to be able to get a photograph of him. Indeed, I myself have never seen him and I'm sure his son, also named Ron would like one as well.

Audrey's Uncle was Rex Coley, a former Editor of Cycling Magazine of years back and Audrey was once interviewed on In Town Tonight for the cycling fraternity.

Are you able to help, or do you know of anyone who could possibly, urgently, help Carolyn.

Many thanks

Lesley Wysom

So if anyone knows anything about Ron Wysom, could they please email:

wysom (at) freeuk . com

The Calleva Road Club.

The name is Calleva not ‘cavella’.

I have not got any worthwhile information on Ron Wysom at this moment, but my Calleva contact ( Pete Wright) tells me there will be an annual reunion on the 22nd Feb and he will make enquiries from those even older than himself. Pete does confirm than Ron did not like being photographed, but it’s not impossible something may turn up.

As some of you may have noticed, The Calleva is one of my favourite subjects, so for the meantime here are some notes on the club which I hope may be of interest. This information is based on what I’ve been told, not on documents, and so it may not be 100% accurate.

The Calleva was founded in 1925 by a group of bank employees as a social cum walking club. ‘Calleva’ is the name of a Roman town a little to the west of Reading (AKA Silchester). It was of pre Roman origin, having been the capital of the Atrebates, and was a favoured destination of the above mentioned bank workers.

Walking turned to cycling just as a more efficient means of getting about and then, in a pattern so often repeated, the touring interest turned to racing. By the mid thirties the Calleva had become a major force in the London time trial scene, with Edgar Seeley holding the 24 hour comp. record. Other well known members whom readers here might have heard of include: Harry Ferris (shop owner and highly regarded frame builder), Ron Brown, the one armed hard man, Albert Derbyshire, British Best All Rounder Champion 1944, 1946 and 1947, and youngest by far, Jeff Marshall, still competing in 2011 – see the TT thread here.

The club lost members in the early fifties- it has been suggested that this was the result of an old fashioned men only membership policy. By 1956 it could no longer manage its main open promotion, the Calleva 100, with the result that the event secretary, Pete Wright, joined the Hounslow & District Wheelers and brought the event with him. It is still being run by the Hounslow as the ‘Ron Brown Memorial 100’ and I would like to encourage forum members to consider entering this classic time trial. The 2012 edition is on 27th May, and the closing date for entries is 14th May.

I have heard only recently that the club held a special early season ‘open’ club run from Hounslow to Sutton Benger and back (about 180 miles) and I hope to have an eye witness account of this ride to post in the near future.

Typically excellent post from clubman. There is a forum member with the username 'Calleva'. Perhaps he/she knows something about it, too?

Thank you clubman for your help. I would appreciate any help/information/photos you can find for me - Many thanks. From
Carolyn

Oliver Schick - Thank you - I will try to contact "Calleva" and see if they know anything.

Velocio - thank you too. Really hoping I can find at least one picture of my Grandad.
From
Carolyn

Tom's (Calleva username on here ) grandfather used to belong to Calleva road racing club. PM him and I will drop him an email.

Yes, my grandfather was a member of Calleva Road Club. I don't know much but my understanding is that they disbanded in 1957. My grandfather died over 20 years ago but my Gran, who is now well in to her 90s, would (and maybe still does) meet up on an annual basis with members of the club. I haven't seen any memorabilia from the club, but I have been told that there is a box of stuff somewhere around. I will see if it can be unearthed, if it does indeed exist.

Thank you Calleva - I look forward to hearing from you if you find anything.
Thank you
from
Carolyn

I have been told that there is a box of stuff somewhere around. I will see if it can be unearthed, if it does indeed exist.

The 'box of stuff ' is at the Brooklands Museum. I haven't seen it myself, but I have been intending to arrange to see it. It's possible there could be a Ron Wysom photo there, but it would almost certainly be necessary to take some who could recognise him, since it's unlikely that even if there are any photographs there, the people in them will be identified.

I may be able to organise this, but we are talking about octogenarians here so it's not that easy. I'm going to wait until after their meeting and then see what can be arranged. If some one else is going to do this, could they let me know since my time is limited.

In general, I'm interested in this because I think cycling club history is at least as interesting as the history of bikes, but is rather more neglected.

Thank you all so much for your help. This would really mean a lot to us and we do appreciate anything. I hope the reunion went well and fingers crossed maybe some information.

Yes, my grandfather was a member of Calleva Road Club. I don't know much but my understanding is that they disbanded in 1957.

When I was first starting out as a cyclist, back in the early 1990s, there was a small, but very active, Calleva RT (Racing Team) based in west Berkshire/North Hampshire. I don't recall any of the riders who rode for it, but seem to remember that it was quite a select team.

Just to say that we do not live very far from Brooklands Museum and therefore my dad would be happy to go along and see if there are any photos of his dad (Ron Wysom). If someone could let us know what we would need to ask for and would we need any special permissions.
Thank you

Thanks Turnip.

Yes we are more than happy to go as Ron Snr is Ron's Dad. It would be so brilliant to have a photo not only for us but for Audrey (his widow), fingers crossed. Thanks to all of you that are helping. Much appreciated.

Ello Clubman I've received this on the e-mails from Brooklands
We do indeed have a small archive of documents and photographs from the Calleva Cycling Club 1926-c.1958 and you would be most welcome to come and view them by appointment. If possible I would ask that you book your visit Monday to Thursday as our library is not generally staffed Friday to Sunday, the library is generally open the same hours as general museum admission.

Kind Regards

Andrew Lewis
Assistant Curator

Brooklands Museum Trust Ltd

Will be looking to make an appointment asap. Brilliant news, you've been so helpful. Thanks a million

Now I'm just waiting for parsnip, swede, potato, celeriac, and other root vegetables to turn up. It's all quite appropriate for researching your family tree. Good luck, Carolyn. :)

Love this thread - well done to all for undertaking this research. more please clubman on the one armed hardman! Brooklands sound very helpful, but can't help feel that their bicycle display could be better organised. Gerrie Knetemann's bike is just on the end of a line of Raleigh's without much contextual info about him.

what a lovely thread.

so much help and positive energy.

you lot are great.

According to the polo-velo website Calleva formed a polo team in 1930. Would be fascinated to hear more club histories.

Yes we think you are all great and given us so much help. We have an appointment at Brooklands...here's hoping a photo will surface. Thanks from Carrot (Lesley) but I'll be swede, parsnip any root veggie if you like. So grateful to you all.

this thread makes me happy to be a member of lfgss.com
a truly knowledgeable informed well connected forum

unlike the football thread !

Clubman, you're wonderful, pat yourself on the back!

The Calleva Club archives at the Brooklands Museum certainly gave us what we wanted. (We had an appointment to search today). Three photographs, one of Ron, Senior, with his bike, one on his bike and a portrait photo. Added to which there was a hand written letter from him booking dinner tickets, a typed letter from his wife, details of his position in races. Superb and Carolyn was able to take photographs of the photos and documents.

His wife Audrey was truly amazed at our findings and we told her that you and other forum members had assisted us. For the first time in 45 years I've seen my father in law and Carolyn her paternal grandfather.

The 'power of the web' certainly worked for us with your help. Carolyn has hopefully been successful in posting photos on the forum though she is not sure if they are in the right place.

There were four boxes of 'volumes' numbered 1 - 7 and nos 5 and 6 helped us.

Our day was made even more enjoyable by the fact that we went on Press Day and there were several Classic cars being allowed to drive around the Brooklands Track whcih we sat outside watching consuming coffees. All in all a wonderful day.

So cheers to you all and many, many thanks especially to whoever had the aforethought to archive the Calleva Road details and get them lodged at Brooklands.

Thank You (two words that really aren't sufficient),
Best regards and enjoy your cycling
Lesley

A big thank you to everyone who has helped in this thread. As you can see from my mum's post (carrot), my mum, dad and I went to Brooklands Museum today and looked through 3 "boxes of stuff". There was so much information. My grandad's name was mentioned lots and we found correspondence from him and my nan and also my great, great uncle Rex Coley. The biggest surprise was to find 3 photos of him which I have uploaded. It means such a lot to us and my nan was in tears when she saw the photo of "her Ron".
Once again thank you - you are a great group and we can't thank you enough.
Clubman you must definitely get to Brooklands and have a look through - there will probably be lots of information that you will interested in.
THANK YOU
x

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What an amazing story with an incredible ending. The photograph of him leaning against his bike....speechless. I'm never riding gears again.

Makes me proud to be a cyclist in England.