Letters and Memories

Alan Gifford - life member of the Derby Mercury.

I started cycling in the winter of 1945, having bought a complete Dawes Racer for £11.00 from Harold Brunton's Cycle shop on Osmaston Road, Derby. The money came from piecework picking carrots on a farm, with Pete Nelmes who also wanted a bike. We worked all day and through the lunch breaks to ensure we made the £11.00. I was so proud of it and that winter John Besant and I found youth hostels - and Mercian Cycles. Initially located, I think in a workshop off London Road, in perhaps Devonshire Street. Here Tom Crowther, wife Ethel and Lou Barker had set up a cycle repair and building shop, I think with Jim "Chainoil" Turner as a paint sprayer. You went in through a wicket gate in large double garage type doors. To us, as new enthusiasts, it was entering heaven - but when we looked at the club bikes to be seen hanging in the workshop we knew we had to work to get one.

There was all sorts of equipment hanging on the walls and we used to watch the careful filing of the lugs, to produce attractive designs, before they were assembled and brazed up as frames and forks, in a jig, shot-blasted and then painted. Everyone specified their own patterns and colours, and the tubes of the frame were elaborately decorated with 'double box lining', done with a special pen-like device. Jack Dove of The Merc spoke French and went over to France bringing back some of the rare components we had only seen in Magazines such as 'But et Club' and 'Mirror Sprint' - and the Crowbars were always glad to get their hands on them.

We joined the Derbyshire Road Club in late 1946 but this was the time of the League and our love was in road racing, so we joined the Merc in 1947, soon after the club turned over, led by Ted Upton and 'Shuffter' Davis. By this time 'Crowbars', as the business was called, had set up a shop on London Road, near St Andrew's Church, and the shop became the scene of many standoffs between NCU and League supporters. Through all of it Tom, Ethel and Lou tolerated our presence and made us all welcome, regardless of 'colours'. I remember Tom taking the Merc team down to Dover in the businesses shooting brake so we could compete in the Dover - London classic, probably in 1951.

Crowbars had a great influence on the cycling fraternity of the town in those post war days when there were no cars on the roads. The shop was almost a super club room at times - and I think they sold things as well!

Tom personally made the new 'welded' frame I used in the 1952 Brighton to Glasgow race and I still have it, restored after I retired in 1993.

16/07/03.

Letter accompanying photo above, received July 03, unfortunately unsigned

I thought the enclosed photo might be of use to you. It was taken outside London Road Mercian shop in 1950. When members of the Mercury cycling club met for their run to Whitemeadows Youth Hostel. This event started the social season off.

Lou Barker can be seen in the doorway. Tom and Ethel always made cyclists of all clubs welcome in their shop if only for a chat.

All the railway apprentices who were cycling enthusiasts made their way to the shop in their dinner breaks to ogle at equipment they could ill afford. Eventually becoming experienced club cyclists and winning racing lads.