Norman Maple - Potterers Cycling Club
The Potterers Cycling Club
Pottering in Kent for 50 years !
The Potterers Cycling Club
Pottering in Kent since 1971
Words > Obituaries
Eulogy read by Dave Rodd
I first met Norman about 40 years ago, when as members of the Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC), we both attended club rides organised by the local section.
As a cyclist, he was not inclined to speedy riding, preferring to sit up and enjoy the countryside. It was no surprise to learn that he preferred old-time roadsters to up-to-date lightweight machines, although in deference to other members he did have a couple of lightweights that he used on club rides.
I soon learned that Norman had a wide range of interests that he could tie in to his cycling activities. One of his interests was windmills, and he told me that whilst still a schoolboy, he visited most of the windmills in East Kent and beyond, in the company of his friend Malcom Hobbs. This was during the war years when the roads were traffic free, apart from military vehicles, and they covered many miles on their bicycles, which had been assembled mainly from parts salvaged from the local rubbish tip. In later years, he would point out sites of mills that had long since disappeared completely from the landscape. He also had a considerable knowledge of flora and fauna, and could usually identify plants and birds that we noticed along the way.
When not active with the CTC, Norman also joined the Potterers Cycling Club, a body started by a handful of cyclists who, having retired from work, wanted to meet up with others for a chat and a few beers. With three other Potterers who also loved the roadster bikes, he had some interesting tours following canal towpaths.
Along with a handful of others, Norman and myself had several holidays touring on our bicycles. Shropshire, The Peak District, North Yorkshire and several trips in North Wales. Norman became keen on the Festiniog Railway and became a member of their supporters’ club for several years.
Norman also took a keen interest in an annual series of events called the Belle d’Europe Challenges. These were a series of rides at different locations around Northern France, Belgium and UK offering three or four events of different lengths to suit varying abilities. Although some were tougher than others, the emphasis was as much social as riding. Norman rode several of these over the years, and collected quite a number of medals for completing the set distance. Typically, of Norman, he set out to learn French so that he could converse with the locals in those events held across the Channel.
Norman could always be relied upon to help out with organising events run by the CTC section, and could be found many miles from home directing riders at marshalling points or providing refreshments. I don’t know if he ever kept a record of his mileage, but I would think it was quite considerable.
A fellow-CTC member, Geoff Anderson said that when he joined the Canterbury section, Norman was the rides leader. He remembers him as a strong rider, always willing to offer advice about anything to do with cycling. He always carried his yellow cape on top of his saddle bag and if it looked remotely like rain he would stop and put it on. One of his marshalling points was near the top of Charing Hill, and he always encouraged riders who looked “spent” after the climb.
I find it amusing that he encouraged those who had toiled up that hill. In later years, he would give me a running commentary on any hills that we encountered when attending meets, and he gave his assessment on their difficulty factor. He always expressed surprise that some others struggled on hills, and I never managed to convince him that he had the ideal physique for climbing.
Tony Barnes, another CTC member, also recalls Norman’s help with the Canterbury CTC section, both in establishing it and when on rides encouraging newer members and always available for help with punctures and mechanical mishaps. He describes Norman as a “Gent”, and I think anyone who knew him would say the same.
Regrettably, age started to take its toll, although he was cycling well into his eighties, but in more recent years, following a broken hip and a stroke, from both of which he made good recovery, his cycling activities went into decline. To offset this, Norman did buy an electrically assisted bike but unfortunately after a while found that he could not trust his legs to support him when he put his foot down to stop.
Norman still enjoyed the company of his fellow Potterers, and for as long as possible we supported him by giving him a lift to meetings. For preference, we would take a route he would have used when cycling, along the back roads and country lanes rather than the main roads. He still took part in conversations, from which it became clear that he kept up to date with current affairs, and to the end his mind was quite sharp.
I mentioned earlier the three companions who accompanied Norman on their roadsters. He used to refer to them as “Good Old Boys” and that is how I will always remember Norman – a Good Old Boy.
