Marley Motorcycle Club
A Memory of Dagenham.
In about 1964 I belonged to Marley Motorcycle Club which l think was based at Marley school in Dagenham. The club used an old barn at Stubbers in Ockendon to "hang out". We had a basic kitchen, a few old sofas and parked the motorbikes right outside. We had some great times, barbeques and rides out to be track marshalls at the Bantam Owners club races at Snetterton in Norfolk and motorcycle racing at Crystal Palace.
I remember some of the names and still have a couple of pics showing us stopped to repair a puncture on the way to Crystal Palace.
Around the same time I had the odd distinction of being a "mod" and a "rocker" at the same time depending on my mood and owned both a powerful bike and a scooter. I nearly got lynched once when I turned up on my scooter at a lay-by on the A127, where us hooligans used to race our bikes between two roundabouts.
If anyone remembers the school, the club or riding motorcycles at the time I'd love to hear their memories.
Alan Wilson
Add your comment
You must be signed-in to your Frith account to post a comment.
Add to Album
You must be signed in to save to an album
Sign inSparked a Memory for you?
If this has sparked a memory, why not share it here?
Comments & Feedback
https://boroughphotos.org/barkinganddagenham/dagenham-town-show-1966-at-central-park-showing-marley-school-display-with-motorbike-1966/
from Debbie Nicholas.
Good to hear from you and find out a bit more about the club.
I'm afraid my memories of those times are very sketchy. I tend to remember the faces and the bikes they rode rather than the rider's names haha.
I was introduced to the club by my friend John Spengler, a tall good-looking lanky lad who had a BSA Gold Star. I had a Velocette Venom Clubman at the time, fitted with a D & A Shells (Stratford) racing fairing. I can remember one lad had a Velocette sidecar outfit, one a Triumph Tiger 90 and one a BSA Lightning. I might be wrong but I am sure John Spengler's regular passenger on our trips out was a girl with the surname Ward. My passenger on trips out was usually Cindy. Sadly my good friend John was killed a few years later riding his Gold Star home after work when a car pulled across his path..
I rode all sorts of motorcycles regularly up till my late 50's but still have a strong interest in racing.
Alan
,
I knew John Spengler while still at school. He was killed just before my 21st birthbday in 1968.
It was his death that decided me to give up two wheels for four The motor bike club just faded
Thanks for getting back and nice to know you were a friend of John's too. I still have fond memories of evenings spent with John and his family listening to songs by the Everly Brothers etc courtesy of his dad's pristine record collection. His loss came as a shock to me but was a tragedy for his parents and his young sister.
I had given up motorcycles a couple of years earlier when my girlfriend (now wife) decided riding pillion on my Velo Thruxton was not for her, but a few years later convinced her that commuting to work by motorcycle was a good option and so I returned to two wheels, riding daily to my work at May & Baker (Dagenham) and the City (London).
I feel guilty not remembering you. You are the same age as me if you were 21 in 1968. What bike did you ride during your time at the club?
Alan
Hi Alan
At that time I still had Lplates on and I had a B S A C15 250 .When I passed my test I got a Norton
Dominator 88 500 twin which I still had when I gave up .After John died his dad used to come out
with us all on a friday night for a drink .I think he got some small comfort being with Johns mates
As I said as we all got cars the club just faded away. As far as I can remember the velocette sidecar
rider was alad called bill smith the tiger90 rider was derek lane and the BSA Lightning was Jimmy
Burrells .Before we went to the layby on the 127 we went to a coffee bar in havering called the
WOODLANDS . Happy days
ken
I
almost forgot .Did you go to Johns funeral at Cobets Tay as you would have met me there
Yes I can vaguely remember you now and definitely remember the rider convoys to the Woodlands and later gathering at the layby on the A127. It was there that I nearly caused a riot when I turned up on my bright red and black Lambretta scooter because my Velocette was having work done.
I didn't go to John's funeral I'm afraid. We had lost touch to some extent, with me courting, but he had come round just a couple of weeks before to show off his latest "Gold Star". My pal Jim Adams who worked at Fords and knew John too, told me about it later and it came as quite a shock.
Yes great times Ken and many happy memories.
Hope you are keeping well.
Regards,
Alan.