Post by Canary on Apr 26, 2022 13:00:33 GMT
By Foundation President: Bruce Ottaway & Foundation Treasurer: Ken Robinson
The foundation of what was to become the Monarchs Motorcycle Club was laid in 1961 when the home of Bruce Ottaway in Railway Parade, Seaford became the gathering point for young motorcycle enthusiasts who enjoyed the fellowship of other like minded people, and loved a good blast in the bush.
Bruce had been buying, re-building and selling 'paddock' motorcycles since the age of 15 when his father brought home a DKW 'Hobby' motor scooter and kindled his desire for the freedom to roam that the scooter presented.
An ever increasing enthusiasm brought with it a hoard of various motorcycle and scooter bits and pieces and a growing range of skills. Soon his parents home became a common gathering point for the local unlicensed paddock riders and their unregistered bikes.
Fortunately there was a lot of bush and very few houses. Those who lived west of Wells Road often rode their motorcycles across the Seaford swamp (now the Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands) near Austin Road and across Wells Road to the huge paddock beside Tommy Lind's house off Galway Street, Seaford East. St Annes Catholic School and the Seaford East Reserve are now located on the paddock.
The more adventurous rode through the bush along Skye Road to McClelland Drive and across to what was the Army Reserve on the Southern side of Cranbourne Road. This area is now called the Langwarrin Flora and Fauna Reserve on McClelland Drive.
All too soon the riders came of age and the gathering at Railway Parade increasingly consisted of licenced riders and road registered motorcycles. Regulars and visitors now lined the kerb, and with all that dull aluminium and chrome, the Goddard's Glow and Brasso gave the boys a fair work out while the girls watched and chatted.
An informal, social get together at Bruce's place on Friday nights decided the destination of the group's ride on Sunday. Usually this was down the Peninsula to Mornington, along the Esplanade to Mt Martha and on to Arthur's Seat for a cup of coffee at the café near the chair lift departure point.
The ride down Arthur's Seat was dealt with in various ways depending on the whims of the group at the time. 'Angel gear' and the heavy application of brakes was the order of the day sometimes, while on other occasions the scream of accelerating and decelerating engines, and the scraping of foot pegs, rang out in the crisp afternoon air. It was an exciting time for the riders as often other motorcycles would turn and join the group for the trip.
Sometimes there was a short Friday night ride as well to appease the 'wind in the face, the boot leather on the road, and the exhaust note in the ear' Gods.
Soon the group's participants took turns at hosting the Friday night get together because of the increasing number of regulars. Eventually, inquiries from others tagging along on the rides, and those joining the gaggle as they rode, prompted the 'hard core' members to find a name for the group so that it could be described more readily.
Because the group was large and organised, formed an impressive sight on rides, rode regally and commanded the road like kings, the name 'Monarchs' was adopted as the official description. Peter Stretton was instrumental in suggesting and having the name adopted, and Bruce Ottaway struck the first brass name badges to adorn the rider's leather jackets. After much work in the ensuing months, Peter Stretton, Ken Robinson and Bruce Ottaway designed the now familiar Monarchs logo.
Peter commissioned the manufacture of pin on metal badges from Luke Group Industries. The white background under the Monarchs name on the early metal badges yellowed as they aged. Peter also had white T shirts screen printed for the group by Peter Hunter's parents, which that long ago had a huge WOW factor which resulted in the club winning two best presented club awards at the Kangaroo Rally. The Kangaroo rally was attended from 1966 to 1969 at Ballarat.
It wasn't too long after that the group began to formalise, and a more permanent home was needed for the ever increasing membership. This was found in the Carrum Church Hall Cnr McCleod Rd and Poulson St, and later moved to opposite the Riviera Hotel in the clubhouse of the Carrum Tennis Club. Bruce's unofficial leadership of the group was cemented when he was elected Foundation President of the Monarchs Motorcycle Club with Peter Stretton the Foundation Secretary and Ken Robinson the first treasurer.
The Monarchs sough affiliation with the Auto Cycle Union (ACU) because many of us were becoming concerned with dangers that were being experienced while enjoying our very enthusiastic road riding. It was after this affiliation that the club started racing with Ken Robinson, John Peel, Mike Brown, and Dave Robertson being the first ones. One of our first very positive impressions of race tracks was 'everybody is going the same way and and an ambulance is always close" Auto Cycle Union Victoria (ACUV) affiliation was applied for on 31 August 1967.
Some of the group at that time included Peter Stretton with a Norton Atlas, Ken Robinson whose road racing endeavors were with a Yamaha DT1 (yes, a 250 trail bike) with Avon tyres. Ken's first race was on the Winton road racing circuit just North of Benalla. Dave Sinclair rode a Triumph 650 and also went road racing with Ken. Barry Williams owned a Triumph 650 and later a BSA Spitfire. Terry Rankine rode a BMW R60 and Mike (whose surname escapes us) owned a 125 twin with a race seat, clip-ons and a small fairing and rode in the style of his road racing hero Mike Hailwood.
There was Jeff and John Peel from Carrum whose dad Bob was a mechanic and allowed club members to use his well set up workshop. Wyn his wife always provided morning and afternoon tea. Saturdays always had a mob of members doing something to their bikes and socializing. Karl Long who I think rode a BSA 500 twin, and Bert Schutte rode a Honda Dream 305.
Bruce Ottaway had numerous road bikes, but notably a Triumph 650, Sunbeam 500, Honda 250 Super Sport and Yamaha DT1.
Group rides also went to the motorcycle races at Bathurst, Phillip Island, Benalla, and to the old race track near Lake Wendouree in the middle of Ballarat. Sometimes it was up to Mt Hotham or Mt Buffalo, the Black Spur, into the Dandenongs or along the Great Ocean Road to Lorne or Apollo Bay. Anywhere where there were bends in the road!
Socialising was great fun too, and the most social event was the Kangaroo Rally just west of Ballarat at Lake Burrumbeet. The Monarchs loved these rallies with their two night stay, campfires and chat, and endless wandering around the wondrous array of motorcycles assembled for everyone's viewing pleasure. The big black Vincent HRD's were the pride of the gathering, but the gleaming chrome and aluminium, and the thoughtful set up of many of the bikes inspired others to greater things for their machines when they got home.
Eventually, the need to further their work and social obligations saw the departure of some members, the welcoming of new members and the new guard directing the great social work of the Monarchs Motorcycle Club.
Bruce Ottaway - First President
20th September 1946 - 19th May 2013
Ken Robinson - First Treasurer
18th July 1946 - 5th July 2021
To be continued........................................
The foundation of what was to become the Monarchs Motorcycle Club was laid in 1961 when the home of Bruce Ottaway in Railway Parade, Seaford became the gathering point for young motorcycle enthusiasts who enjoyed the fellowship of other like minded people, and loved a good blast in the bush.
Bruce had been buying, re-building and selling 'paddock' motorcycles since the age of 15 when his father brought home a DKW 'Hobby' motor scooter and kindled his desire for the freedom to roam that the scooter presented.
An ever increasing enthusiasm brought with it a hoard of various motorcycle and scooter bits and pieces and a growing range of skills. Soon his parents home became a common gathering point for the local unlicensed paddock riders and their unregistered bikes.
Fortunately there was a lot of bush and very few houses. Those who lived west of Wells Road often rode their motorcycles across the Seaford swamp (now the Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands) near Austin Road and across Wells Road to the huge paddock beside Tommy Lind's house off Galway Street, Seaford East. St Annes Catholic School and the Seaford East Reserve are now located on the paddock.
The more adventurous rode through the bush along Skye Road to McClelland Drive and across to what was the Army Reserve on the Southern side of Cranbourne Road. This area is now called the Langwarrin Flora and Fauna Reserve on McClelland Drive.
All too soon the riders came of age and the gathering at Railway Parade increasingly consisted of licenced riders and road registered motorcycles. Regulars and visitors now lined the kerb, and with all that dull aluminium and chrome, the Goddard's Glow and Brasso gave the boys a fair work out while the girls watched and chatted.
An informal, social get together at Bruce's place on Friday nights decided the destination of the group's ride on Sunday. Usually this was down the Peninsula to Mornington, along the Esplanade to Mt Martha and on to Arthur's Seat for a cup of coffee at the café near the chair lift departure point.
The ride down Arthur's Seat was dealt with in various ways depending on the whims of the group at the time. 'Angel gear' and the heavy application of brakes was the order of the day sometimes, while on other occasions the scream of accelerating and decelerating engines, and the scraping of foot pegs, rang out in the crisp afternoon air. It was an exciting time for the riders as often other motorcycles would turn and join the group for the trip.
Sometimes there was a short Friday night ride as well to appease the 'wind in the face, the boot leather on the road, and the exhaust note in the ear' Gods.
Soon the group's participants took turns at hosting the Friday night get together because of the increasing number of regulars. Eventually, inquiries from others tagging along on the rides, and those joining the gaggle as they rode, prompted the 'hard core' members to find a name for the group so that it could be described more readily.
Because the group was large and organised, formed an impressive sight on rides, rode regally and commanded the road like kings, the name 'Monarchs' was adopted as the official description. Peter Stretton was instrumental in suggesting and having the name adopted, and Bruce Ottaway struck the first brass name badges to adorn the rider's leather jackets. After much work in the ensuing months, Peter Stretton, Ken Robinson and Bruce Ottaway designed the now familiar Monarchs logo.
Peter commissioned the manufacture of pin on metal badges from Luke Group Industries. The white background under the Monarchs name on the early metal badges yellowed as they aged. Peter also had white T shirts screen printed for the group by Peter Hunter's parents, which that long ago had a huge WOW factor which resulted in the club winning two best presented club awards at the Kangaroo Rally. The Kangaroo rally was attended from 1966 to 1969 at Ballarat.
It wasn't too long after that the group began to formalise, and a more permanent home was needed for the ever increasing membership. This was found in the Carrum Church Hall Cnr McCleod Rd and Poulson St, and later moved to opposite the Riviera Hotel in the clubhouse of the Carrum Tennis Club. Bruce's unofficial leadership of the group was cemented when he was elected Foundation President of the Monarchs Motorcycle Club with Peter Stretton the Foundation Secretary and Ken Robinson the first treasurer.
The Monarchs sough affiliation with the Auto Cycle Union (ACU) because many of us were becoming concerned with dangers that were being experienced while enjoying our very enthusiastic road riding. It was after this affiliation that the club started racing with Ken Robinson, John Peel, Mike Brown, and Dave Robertson being the first ones. One of our first very positive impressions of race tracks was 'everybody is going the same way and and an ambulance is always close" Auto Cycle Union Victoria (ACUV) affiliation was applied for on 31 August 1967.
Some of the group at that time included Peter Stretton with a Norton Atlas, Ken Robinson whose road racing endeavors were with a Yamaha DT1 (yes, a 250 trail bike) with Avon tyres. Ken's first race was on the Winton road racing circuit just North of Benalla. Dave Sinclair rode a Triumph 650 and also went road racing with Ken. Barry Williams owned a Triumph 650 and later a BSA Spitfire. Terry Rankine rode a BMW R60 and Mike (whose surname escapes us) owned a 125 twin with a race seat, clip-ons and a small fairing and rode in the style of his road racing hero Mike Hailwood.
There was Jeff and John Peel from Carrum whose dad Bob was a mechanic and allowed club members to use his well set up workshop. Wyn his wife always provided morning and afternoon tea. Saturdays always had a mob of members doing something to their bikes and socializing. Karl Long who I think rode a BSA 500 twin, and Bert Schutte rode a Honda Dream 305.
Bruce Ottaway had numerous road bikes, but notably a Triumph 650, Sunbeam 500, Honda 250 Super Sport and Yamaha DT1.
Group rides also went to the motorcycle races at Bathurst, Phillip Island, Benalla, and to the old race track near Lake Wendouree in the middle of Ballarat. Sometimes it was up to Mt Hotham or Mt Buffalo, the Black Spur, into the Dandenongs or along the Great Ocean Road to Lorne or Apollo Bay. Anywhere where there were bends in the road!
Socialising was great fun too, and the most social event was the Kangaroo Rally just west of Ballarat at Lake Burrumbeet. The Monarchs loved these rallies with their two night stay, campfires and chat, and endless wandering around the wondrous array of motorcycles assembled for everyone's viewing pleasure. The big black Vincent HRD's were the pride of the gathering, but the gleaming chrome and aluminium, and the thoughtful set up of many of the bikes inspired others to greater things for their machines when they got home.
Eventually, the need to further their work and social obligations saw the departure of some members, the welcoming of new members and the new guard directing the great social work of the Monarchs Motorcycle Club.
Bruce Ottaway - First President
20th September 1946 - 19th May 2013
Ken Robinson - First Treasurer
18th July 1946 - 5th July 2021
To be continued........................................