Meike Turnbull retired from her post as Anerley President in 2025. here she remembers how a men-only club finally bowed to the pressures of modernity and allowed females to become actual members…
I first “joined” the Anerley Bicycle Club in 1956 when I first started to out with my husband, John. There were actually four other “female members” in the club at that time. We were only associate members. In other words we were there for our usefulness to the actual members.
At the time the Anerley Bicycle Club was a male only club and had been since its inception in 1881. The club used to run cycle on road races early in the morning, start time 6am. Clothing at the time was only black, no colours were allowed in case drivers were distracted by these colours.added to the black. Also these shorts and jerseys were made of wool. On a murky morning the riders could not be seen after 100yds or so. The “Club Ladies” were there to provide first aid in case of accidents, make the refreshments, ie tea, coffee, hot chocolate and all sorts of cakes for all riders and visitors to enjoy. If the race was 50 miles or more, 100 miles, 12 hours and 24 hours, you had to provide sandwhiches as well. Obviously there was a charge made for these goodies. Everything was always eaten, I can never remember any food being taken home. After these events, the Ladies if married, had to take the smelly, often sodden and filthy clothing home to wash. Those were the days!
All that changed in the summer of 1978. The older non cycling members decided to close the club, sell all the cups etc and split the proceeds between them. Bob Edgar, president at the time I believe, called an extraordinary meeting to discuss this. We met at a pub somewhere between, Norbury and Bournmouth near where most of the older members lived. Obviously the younger members didn’t want it to close down. After much discussion twixt the two camps a show of hands was called for. The younger members numbers dropped by one, as John Jackson didn’t want the club to change from a ‘male only’ club. Bob Edgar’s casting vote won the day for the change. The non riders then said in order for the club to continue we would need to set up a proper committee. All jobs were quickly distributed between the male only members. Except the treasurer, they all knew my job was book keeping at the time so wanted me to take the job. “I would but I can’t because I am not a member”, says I. Bob Edgar simply said “All members raise their hands who would like Meike to become a member.” Show of hands including Bob and hey presto… Ladies we became an all can join club. The male members stopped calling us Ladies after that unless they wanted something.
John was a road safety officer at the time and used to go to all the Croydon High schools. So always mentioned the Anerley in any of his classes asking if anyone was interested in joining. He also made a film for ROSPA (the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents), with the Anerley members taking part. He also put adverts into local papers for young or older to come and join and advertised for more ladies to come and join us. He would meet the ladies and learners at the top of Sanderstead Hill by the pond on Saturday mornings. We still have two of those ladies in the club, Geraldine and Ewa.
We always used to have a Club Dinner and Dance, with prize giving once a year. Always in February. Reason for this was that the training season could not start until it was a little warmer and that the racing members could get fit afterwards.All Croydon Clubs used to go to each others dinners each year. The dinner that sticks in my mind for our centenary. I had the honour of organising it. We had it at the drill hall in Ewell. Huge place, we put up parachutes from the ceilings to take away the cavernous feel. We had way more then 100 people there for the evening. I had the honour of welcoming the guests. I have never been to nervous in my life and never since. Still to this day I cannot remember what we had to eat, I can remember going home very hungry.
We used to ride far and wide the whole year through. Except in ice, snow or absolutely gale force winds. Winter rides were usually around 45 miles on a Sunday. Winter time we started at 9.30 to give a longer day light ride. Summer rides started at 8.30 to 9 am, depending on where the destination was that day. We rarely arrived home before supper time. the winter rides had an 11ses built into the ride. The summer rides had elevenses, lunch always at a pub, and afternoon tea build in. Summer rides used to vary between 70 and 100 miles. Often down to the coast somewhere if hot and sunny. We never took a train home. After a long ride the Ladies, would make supper while the men put the bikes away and did a quick clean up of the bikes and oiled the chains etc.
We always traveled on country lanes where possible and always used Ordnance Survey maps. Wonderful things, show you so much information and lovely evenings plotting the next ride. Not like today’s GARMIN. So impersonal and no routes to be plotted and just plain horrible invention. Makes the brain lazy. When I go anywhere I still use them. I can go all the way to Weston super Mare to visit my daughter without using a map. Purley by make a route and notes on turns.