Our 2018 Annual Rally

Thank you to all our members, associate members and guests who supported our 2018 Annual Rally at Bosworth Hall on Sunday 10th June. Our full set of photos can be found on our club’s facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Pre-1940-Triumph-Motor-Club-166339953434360/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1849099151825090

A TRIUMPH OF A WEEKEND
More Than 40 Club members with their wives and partners gathered over the weekend of 9th/10th June to celebrate the 57th annual rally of our Club and to participate in the organisation’s 7th AGM since the formation of the Limited Company.
Generally, our organiser, Martin Johnson-Howe provides us with a different midlands location each year and recently we have had the benefits of being able to hold our rally at a location which can also provide both our accommodation needs and a suitable venue for our celebratory dinner on Saturday night. This year we enjoyed all the facilities and careful attention of the lovely Bosworth Hall Hotel in the delightful Leicestershire market town of Market Bosworth.
Many members made their journeys on Friday, some others early on Saturday with the intention of joining in some nostalgic entertainment which Martin had laid on. A short vintage car drive away from the hotel we arrived at ‘The Battlefield Line’ and the headquarters of the Shackerston Railway Society, established in 1969 to preserve and run part of the old Ashby/Nuneaton line which fell victim to Dr Beeching’s axe in the early sixties. Eight of our lovely cars adorned the cinder car park and we all enjoyed an interesting few hours riding the line to Shenton in their vintage carriages, enjoying their traditional tearoom, examining the huge array of British railway memorabilia and taking in the sounds and smells of the GWR Small Prairie Tank loco which had been pressed in to service for the day. Leaving Shackerstone, lunch was taken at the nearby pub, The Gate Inn.
Bosworth Hall had allocated us part of their extensive grounds for our Sunday gathering so Saturday afternoon’s task was to establish our site with the erection of our marquee, a couple of gazebos and to greet the arrival of our ‘posh loos’ to ensure the comfort those attending!
Saturday evening’s dinner was another great success. This Club is now a truly international one and we were so pleased to greet four of our most enthusiastic members, with their wives who arrived from Texas. Following a customary welcome from our Chairman, David Mason, a most enjoyable dinner was expertly served to the 60 of us and throughout it the room rocked with laughter as each table was entertained by ‘The Magic Medic’, Dr Ajay Vera, our Chairman’s ex-GP, friend and member of the Magic Circle. Tricks, sleight of hand and distracting banter showed a man at the top of his game! He then delighted us all further with a show, involving unsuspecting and often unwilling ‘volunteers’, to delight and simply amaze us.

Gladly, Sunday 10th June dawned bright and fine with no prospect of rain and the display ground in front of the impressive facade of The Bosworth Hall Hotel soon filled with our lovely cars. Market Bosworth, in middle Leicestershire is a lovely small market town with pleasant architecture and many local attractions and well worth a visit. Our weekend coincided with their local festival with all sorts of events – photography/art exhibitions, the scarecrow trail and ‘Pop in the Park’ taking place around the town so the area was busy, and to the benefit of our display as we were able to welcome many interested spectators.
Our Annual General Meeting was conducted quickly with our usual aplomb; the existing management of the Club reinstated for a further year with Directors and Officers re-elected; we picnicked together, enjoyed the raffle which took a very creditable £200 towards Club funds (and many thanks to all who provided such generous prizes), judged the assembled cars and watched as deserving recipients received their awards from Jonathon Wood, our esteemed guest who had recently authored and published the definitive work of a famously historic part of the Triumph Motor Company’s activities in 1934 – the production of the Triumph Dolomite 8c, with it’s wonderful straight eight engine. Another one of Helen’s beautiful bouquets was presented to a delighted Mrs Wood.
26 cars made it through the gates, many a familiar sight at our gatherings but one or two not seen before or so much altered as their restorations progress.
Our day drifted by with plenty of friendly conversations and the camaraderie which comes from the ownership of a rare marque and by 4.00pm many were making their ways home, reflecting on a splendid weekend and on how much Martin’s organisational skills and attention to detail had been appreciated.
We hope visitors to our website will enjoy the many lovely photographs which accompany this brief write up of our most successful weekend. Perhaps you would like to join us in 2019 on Father’s Day at Wroxall Abbey.
Steve Jacobs