French’s cycle shop in East Cowes, which was next to Orchard’s greengrocers.
LETTERSFrom Monica Driver (nee French), 8 Millfields Avenue, Hillmorton, Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 4HJ:
I WONDER if you can help me solve something that concerns my family.
My father — Mr French — had the bike shop in Clarence Road, East Cowes. The family, parents, four girls and one boy lived over the shop, we moved there from Essex. I have since moved away — two sisters and my brother still live there.
During the 1950s, dad started a cycling club. A lot of the apprentices who worked at Saunders-Roe used to congregate in the shop in their lunch break, they knew dad had been a keen cyclist in his youth.
All I can remember is they used to go out for rides on Sundays and I can remember going with dad and meeting at a pub in Arreton for tea.
They had a badge made, it was metal and had the words Wight Wheelers on it. It would be interesting to find someone who could tell us more about the club. Dad bought the shop in 1949 and traded until about 1968. He died in 1972 but the shop was sold before then.
I realise that if there is anyone who remembers the shop/club they would be getting on in years (as I am 76).
The reason I am interested is that I have a son who does a lot of cycling and he has looked on the computer but found nothing.