OBITUARY

Mike Hutchinson       18th March 1939 – 11th September 2023

It is beyond doubt that Mike’s contribution to running CTC Lancaster and South Lakes will never be bettered. He was Club Secretary for 21 years from 1996 to 2017, and President for 3 years up to 2023. It is difficult to imagine the extent of the dedication, commitment, and actual energy needed to run a Club such as ours for such a long period.

Mike’s involvement in Club cycling began in his early 20s, as a member of Edgeware CTC when he moved from his native Lincolnshire to study in London.  At that time, he was a ‘fast man’, and raced with the Westerly Road Club.  After National Service, then studying for a second degree at Lancaster, a new ‘campus’ university at the time, he stayed on and worked in the University library, a job which he loved and in which he was well-respected.  He was promoted over the years, to the height of Deputy Chief librarian and was in post until retirement.

Mike began riding with CTC Lancaster & South Lakes in 1990.  He was also a very fit and keen fell runner and walker and it was with this latter group that he met and married Anne.  When he moved on from cycle-racing he took up Audax riding enthusiastically, and used to travel long distances to take part in weekend events.  For many years, Mike organised annual Audax events locally, in aid of Club funds and for national charities.  He was also a long-term supporter of the CTC Birthday Rides, and helped to organise the successful Lancaster edition in the mid-1990s.  Similarly, he was, with Anne, a regular fixture at the Semaine Federale annual rally in France, a manifestation of his Francophile outlook, nurtured by avidly following the Tour de France and other Grand Tours.  He enjoyed Club rides visiting the last remaining Clarion Hut in the country at Newchurch in Pendle, this dove-tailing with his lifelong socialist beliefs and support of the local Labour Party.

In recent years Mike couldn’t continue to rack up huge distances in individual Audax and other rides, but still got out on his bike most days of the week. His other favourite pastime was walking Vera the dog, the current family four-legged friend.  He was assiduous in his record keeping, and by 2017 had clocked up 300.000 miles on his bike (more than most people drive their cars in their lifetime).  Many of those miles were on our Club rides, with Mike leading more than his fair share and encouraging new members to continue riding with his helpful advice and assistance (including sorting out punctures to his trademark high standard when required).

In early 2023 Mike slipped on ice and injured his lower back, which set off a chain of health issues which resulted in his death on the 11th September.  A large number of Club members and other friends attended his funeral on the 4thOctober, a celebratory farewell to a lifelong cyclist who had in his time encouraged many people in the area to take to two wheels and a cycle touring lifestyle.

Len Howard, 12th October, 2023

In memory of Frank Feinberg

FRANK FEINBERG: CYCLIST, SKIER, FELLWALKER, RACONTEUR,and FAMILY MAN

We recently lost Frank, who for many years was known locally to many people around the Lancaster & South Lakes area for his exploits on the bike,and on the tandem, with his wife Ruth. He was a committee member on the Lancaster & South Lakes branch of the CTC, holding the position of Press Secretary for many years. Tasked with the job of reporting on our activities in the local press (i.e. The Lancaster Guardian), he would forward on the runs reports, diligently penned by our runs leaders every week, for decades. In the main, we had a fair amount of success in getting into print.

Frank and Ruth took part in many trips away with the CTC in the UK, and travelled extensively abroad, bringing back photographic memories to entertain us at Club nights in Lancaster. I think it is fair to say that Frank was one of life’s characters, and loved to regale us with his tales from earlier parts of his life when he worked in Africa, and when in recent times he visited the Far East. On one tour, over a beer or two, he told us of his time as a young man, working on the buses (I cannot recall where) about the escapades that happened when everything didn’t go to plan!

More recently, and on a personal note, I landed him with a job on BBC TV NORTH WEST TONIGHT, when Roger Johnson rang me to go on TV to talk about MAMILS…….middle aged men in Lycra! This was a phenomenon happening after cycling took off after Bradley Wiggins won the Tour de France. Me being a shy sort of person (coward) and not wanting to go on TV, I pointed Roger in Frank’s direction! Frank was surprised, but agreed to go on Being a born raconteur, he made a brilliant job of it, and even got his vintage Curly Hetchens bike on the telly! I’m sure he enjoyed every minute, and had yet another tale to tell.

As well as friends from our area, he had friends in other parts of the UK, notably through skiing. He was a keen skier for many years and went on many of the famous Pete Edge Ski Trips, which began in 1991 if I remember rightly. Not content with just Europe, he skied in the USA and Canada, notably with his group of pals John, Dick, and Bill, who sadly are no longer with us. He always enjoyed a beer or two, and a laugh after a hard day on the hill. Ruth came on the trips a few times and eventually decided skiing was not really her cup of tea.

My abiding image is of Ruth frantically wondering where Frank was, when we were on the coach packed and ready to depart back to the UK. Somebody said “He’s in the shower!” The call went out and Frank appeared, wrapped only in a towel, and clambered onto the coach clutching his tee shirt and trousers! All was well and we didn’t miss the ferry!

I could tell you of the time when at Kielder Youth Hostel, Frank and I finished up both wearing each other’s cycling shorts after a hurried early morning start… but that’s a tale too far!

RIP FRANK
Dave Hugill. Jan 25th 2022

In memory of Fred Lloyd

FRED LLOYD:  22ND MAY 1928 – 20TH AUGUST 2013 

I wish to pay tribute to Fred Lloyd, latterly president of our CTC Member Group, for his role in creating the group with whom we cycle.  Fred had been an active member of the CTC since joining the club in May 1947. Throughout the following 50+ years he cycled extensively throughout Britain and Europe and also further afield.

During the war and its immediate aftermath Fred had been involved in work classified as a part of Britain’s “essential works programme” and it was only after his discharge from this that he was able to embark upon his main passion in life: cycle touring. Fred has passed on many of his reminiscences of those post-war tours: including working in a circus in Rome with cycling companion Albert [previously a trapeze artist]; an Austrian cycling rally with Noel Abrahams and, with Frank Singleton, touring the Baltic coastline and then circumventing the entire British mainland.

I have only known Fred and Pat for less than 25 years but during that time they have toured regularly and have been involved in both the CTC and the Rough Stuff Fellowship. Pat’s book Mud on my Wheels provides details of off-road escapades that they undertook and their contribution to the local cycle tourist group has been immense.  Not least of these was, of course, their key role when Lancaster played host for the CTC Birthday Rides in 1996. Pat and Fred have been present every time I have been to the Birthday Rides and at the York Rally where a pitch was reserved for them each year.  

In 1984 Fred was a founder member of the CTC Lune & Lakes D.A. when formed to serve the membership of the most northerly area of the old North West D.A.  Initially Lancaster CTC was the only CTC Section within the newly formed DA and the section and the DA were synonymous. With the establishing of the Eden Section several years later Fred served on the committees of both the Lancaster CTC and the DA (later renamed the Lancaster & Cumbria DA). He held various executive positions including those of Chairman and Treasurer. When the CTC proposed reorganising its local structures to set up independent “main member groups” Fred was our natural choice for the post of Honorary President.    

We all have fond memories of riding with Fred.  From a personal standpoint I will always remember how supportive he was when, in 1990, I began riding with the Lancaster Section.  Fred took us along roads [and, often, ‘off roads’] which otherwise might have been missed.  His ready wit and sartorial headgear were legendary.  He will be sorely missed.

Mike Hutchinson, Club Secretary