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FATHER GRAHAM GETS THE SPIRIT OF 59 The event drew old friends of the Rocker heydays together from as far as Germany, Belgium and Cananda, with everyone hiding away in a storage shed with the classic British bike prior to the surprise ceremony. Originally founded in 1959 as a church-run youth club, which was intended to save the souls of potentially wayward teenagers, the 59 Club began to attract large numbers of motorcyclists in the early 1960’s, at a time when ‘Rockers’ were viewed by polite society as being antisocial and dangerous. Those who remember him describe Father Graham as “a biker and a genuine friend to the young rockers”. The list of his services includes bailing them out of trouble, enjoying a laugh on the Isle of Man, seeing them through hard times - often out of his own pocket and to his own personal risk - and sharing their love of motorcycles. Many of the original 59 Club members gathered at the head office of Royal Enfield motorcycles, near the Cotswold market town of Moreton-in-Marsh, for the presentation to an unsuspecting Father Graham, who believed he was visiting for a guided tour. There he was given a brand new Royal Enfield Bullet Sixty-5 motorcycle, the classic design of which is relatively unchanged from the British bikes of the 1960’s, produced especially for him and badged “The Sprit of Fifty-Nine.” Many Club members, including Sir Cliff Richard had contributed to the cost of the bike, worth nearly ₤4,000! Father Graham may have been lost for words but his admirers weren’t. Someone shouted from the crowd “We promise not to nick it!” BBC Radio 4 producer Dilly Barlow captured the event for posterity and her report will be broadcast soon on Home Truths. Details from Watsonian-Squire on 01386 700907 www.royal-enfield.com Note Although production ceased in the UK in 1970, Royal Enfield motorcycles have been built in India since 1955. The factory currently produces 25,000 motorcycles per annum. The UK is their biggest export market.
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