loader

A Brief History of S&WMC

The Sixty & Worcestershire Motor Club began life in 1920 as the Worcester Motor Cycle Club. The founder Secretary was John Howell who went on to become a well known motoring correspondent. Pressure from members saw events being organised for cars as well as motorcycles and after a short time the name of the club was changed to the Worcestershire Motor Club.

In the 1920s and 1930s members competed successfully in many National and International events such as the Six Day Trial, the Motorcycle Club’s London to Edinburgh, London to Exeter and London to Lands End Trials, and the Isle of Man TT Races.

They organised many different types of event including the Madresfield Speed Trials along the undulating Drive of Madresfield Court, and Motorcycle Hill Climbs on the public road at Angel Bank between Ludlow and Cleobury Mortimer, something that would be impossible today.

Madresfield Sprint 1927

Cecil Jay on the start of Worcestershire Motor Club Madresfield Speed Trial 1928
Cecil Jay on the start of Worcestershire Motor Club Madresfield Speed Trial 1928

Some members entered rallies such as the RAC Rally in the late 1930s. Dr. Steel competed in the RAC Rally in 1937 in a Rover 14 and in 1939 in a Lancia Aprilia. George Goodall entered the 1938 RAC Rally in a works Morgan as part of a three car team including H F S Morgan and E D Bowman.

George Goodhall starting a special test on a rally in 1937
George Goodhall starting a special test on a rally in 1937

The second World War stopped activities for a time and things were slow to pick up afterwards. The motorcycling members splintered off to form the Worcester Auto Club and many other clubs began to form in the Midlands area. The Worcestershire Motor Club emerged as a front runner with members winning awards in many of the larger events.

Peter Morgan, Jim Goodall and Dr. Steel entered a team of three Morgans in the RAC Rally several times in the early 1950s, winning the Manufacturers Team Prize twice.

Dr W Steel on the 1951 RAC Rally
Dr W Steel on the 1951 RAC Rally

As motor cars became more available a new club was formed in 1960 by employees of four of the big engineering firms in Worcester, Heenan & Froude, H W Ward, Archdales, and Metal Constructions. Appropriately it was called The Sixty Motor Club.

The new club, together with the Worcestershire Motor Club, The R.R.E.Motor Club and the Morgan 4/4 Club took it in turns to organise local motoring events, the biggest being the Worcester Evening News Rally, run by the Worcestershire Motor Club.

During the 1960s the Worcestershire Motor Club began to decline and the Sixty Motor Club expanded rapidly. The logical progression was for the two clubs to combine, which they did in 1969, to form the club we have today. The Worcestershire Motor Club brought with it a large number of valuable trophies and members with considerable experience, whilst the Sixty Motor Club provided the enthusiasm of youth from a young club.

Since the merger the club has developed into one of the most respected in the country and is able to boast many past and present champions among its members. Such people as Brian Culcheth, Russell Brookes, John Brown, John Price, Graham Middleton and Alastair Moffatt are or have been members in recent years.

For five years in the 1970s the Club had a permanent headquarters in a converted school in Foxwell street, Worcester, but the financial burden of running a full time club became too much. From then on the Club has met in various local pubs such as Bransford Lodge, The Fox at Bransford, The Crown at Hallow and the Huntsman at Kempsey.

Noddy Watkins

Geoff Wooldridge winning the class on the 1976 Manx International

Over the years the Club has organised a number of National and Regional Championship events such as the Greenleaves Road Rally, the Corkscrew Autotest, the Heart of England Stages Rally and the Woodpecker Stages Rally.

Bill Pardoe 2nd overall on the Targa Rusticana rally 1991
Bill Pardoe 2nd overall on the Targa Rusticana rally 1991.

This is a very brief history of the Club, a book is available from Dood Pearce, this provides a great narration of the club history, with superb photo's included.