AJS & Matchless Owners Club

clive wrote:Mike M perhaps you can comment but i think it started as Surrey section and became West Surrey when the meeting point changed. Was west Surrey when i joined in 1980.

First mention I have recorded in " Club people " file is 1964. they met at The Black Horse Reigate. Chairman J Wood. I see an M. Monk listed as club Chairman 1973.
I assume 1973 would have been year of office from 1973 AGM to 1974 AGM. It may not be possible to record any or all mid year arrivals & exits.

Sorry Poachers, we seem to have hacked your Post. Perhaps that nice forum police man may transfer non related posts to another topic. I'd better Hoppit before a Poacher mistakes me for a Rabbit.

No problem at least we know we're not the oldest section but 40 years isn't bad going and remember, you must be careful because a Poacher is never far away!

I think quite a few started earlier Roger. HQ had an Hon. Gen. Secretary from NW London. Branches later called sections, seem to spread from Plumstead. With South Eastern, South Essex. West Herts, Medway & Surrey spreading out in that order. I'll be making a spread sheet based on info from Jampot magazines. I have a feeling that will show sections ending, renamed, re starting etc. Like the early South Essex section has re started. However that has moved from it's original area, which East London and Essex Section covered 80's onwards, and still does so.

Dear oh dear, bet you are sorry you even mentioned the age of the section, Roger! Well done to all Poachers past and present for 40 great years I say

A lot of club Officials came from Poachers. 1983.
Founded and held 1st IJR, Got spares up and running operating out a garden shed.
Provided, President, Vice President, Dating, Spares, Secretary, Tech Ed. PRO. Archivist. Some offices held by more than one member, some for a lot more years than just 1/2. From 1984 to date. I may have missed some.

The original Surrey section existed some years before the collapse of the factory and the Club in the late 60's when the club shrunk down to just the Headquarters Section, Paul Furphy from Hayes and I used to go to the Headquarters meetings which in the early 70"s were held at Mitcham. Being totally fed up with travelling to Mitcham and being the only ones there we decided to try and organise a section nearer to where we lived, so using a publication of members that was produced by Fred and Billie Ham I wrote to about 20 or so members living in the surrounding area where I was living at the time. The inaugural meeting meeting was held at the Vine in Chertsey in September 1974 and it was decided to name the section West Surrey due to the area we operated in. The first chairman was the late Fred Ham, secretary and treasurer, myself and social secretary Paul Furphy. With a lot of hard work the section blossomed and in 1975 I organised our first Three Counties Road Trial, and in 1976 the section organised the Windsor Jampot Rally. Some time during the late 80's the section name was changed to Surrey. Sadly the Surrey section has all but ceased to exist despite various efforts to encourage members to attend meetings. I hope this clears up any queries regarding the West Surrey/ Surrey section. MikeM.

Sincere apologist the Poachers members for all the Surrey spiel, I was just qualifying what I had written at the start of this session. MikeM.

No problem MikeM and Ron, at least it raised some debate and highlights what efforts a small number of individuals do for the club, just wish that there were a few more of like minded people arround and Mike, I hope that the Surrey section survives. Roger

Thanks Roger, hope to see you guys in Norfolk for the International or Hampshire at the Jampot. MikeM