Category: Article

From Stephen Holden :-

I have provided details of the funeral arrangements. We can support a small contingent of six members, although we appreciate the current pandemic may not be conducive to some members attending

The details are below.

FUNERAL FOR DAVE HOLDEN
As valued friends of Dave and family over many years we would like you to join with us at in the service in a celebration of his life and to mark his passing.

The funeral service will take place on Friday 30 October at Kirkleatham Crematorium at 3pm. The cortege will be leaving from 28 Bydales Drive at 2.45pm. Social distancing will be observed throughout the service.

Live Webcast
A live webcast of the service will be available over the internet for those unable to attend and Log-in details are provided below. A Test Webcast is available which we recommend you view in plenty of time before the of the service.

Website: https://www.obitus.com/
Username: Dake7349
Password: 740064

Service Viewing Time: 2.55pm – 3.55pm (if logging in prior to this time you will automatically be directed to the funeral service once it starts)
Should you be unable to view the Live service, a recorded version will be available to view from Friday 6 November to Wednesday 9 November.

Many thanks for the friendship and support you have given Dave and family over the years and the kind thoughts in cards and flowers you have sent, they have been greatly appreciated and provided much comfort at this sad time.

Margaret, Stephen & Anne Holden

Dave Holden, who sadly died last week, was a founding member and the first chairman of Cleveland Wheelers. As a tribute to him we’ve taken the opportunity to reproduce an article that he wrote for the Spokesman magazine on the club’s 50th anniversary in 2008.

Fifty years ago cycling politics was in crisis. The National Cyclists Union, the governing body for road racing (often called “mass start” in those days) sensibly insisted that events should be held on closed roads.

However, apart from a few prestige events like the Isle of Man, and locally the Richmond Road Race, ‘mass start’ events usually meant riders getting dizzy racing round and round a trading estate until the officials ran out of fingers and toes to count the laps; then there was a problem keeping count of all those who’d been lapped on such a short circuit. This type of racing was a minority but growing interest at the time and the rival British League of Racing Cyclists was formed to run events which mixed riders up with traffic. The NCU promptly excommunicated the BLRC and its members. Meanwhile the RTTC had dropped its requirement for all black attire it but still required the first rider be pushed off well before the lark had staggered out of its nest. And track racing! That was something we just read about.