Triumphrat

KingBear · 06-10-2009, 10:59 AM

As reported in The Telegraph June 7, 2009...

Quote:

The Reverend Bill Shergold, who died on May 17 aged 89, enjoyed unusual celebrity in the 1960s when he was known as the "ton-up vicar" or the "biker priest"; decked out in black leathers astride his trusty Triumph motorcycle, Shergold ministered to the rocker fraternity in east London as leader of the 59 Club.

In 1959 Shergold had been appointed vicar of St Mary at Eton, Hackney Wick, where a charitable body, the Eton Mission, had been supported by the famous public school since 1880. By the time Shergold arrived one of the curates, the Rev John Oates, had started a youth group called the 59 Club which had been opened in a blaze of publicity by Cliff Richard – then the hottest pop singer in Britain – in the presence of Princess Margaret and the Bishop of Bath and Wells.

Shergold, however, had visions of something that would be "a breakaway from all those other fuddy-duddy youth clubs" and attract the disaffected young, of whom the rockers were one of the most high-profile examples.

"The newspapers were full of scare stories about anti-social ton kids," Shergold later said. "I found that some bowling alleys and cafés wouldn't allow young motorcyclists inside. So I thought: 'Why can't they have a club of their own, where they can come and go as they please, with no strings attached?'"

At the time the Ace Café on the North Circular was where many of the bikers congregated to drink coffee and listen to the jukebox, and one day in 1962 Shergold rode there on his Triumph dressed in his leathers and with his dog collar disguised beneath a scarf. "I was convinced that I was at least going to lose my trousers or have my bike heaved into the canal," he later confessed.

He summoned up his courage, handed out church leaflets in the café and invited the bikers to come to the Eton Mission on Saturday nights. This was the beginning of the biking section of the 59 Club, which soon had more than 4,000 members who came weekly from as far afield as Oxford and Kent. The attractions at the church hall included a jukebox, espresso machine and table tennis.

Shergold – known to his new flock as "Father Bill" or "Farv" – held services for the bikers, whom he compared to the "knights of old", suggesting that they should uphold the same ideals of courage, courtesy and chivalry. He addressed them from the pulpit and blessed their machines, parked neatly in the aisles.

The club was even supported by a couple of nuns and the Reverend Mother from the nearby Anglican priory, all of whom rode bikes and attended his services; in 1963 senior boys at Eton invited 59 Club members to a dinner-dance at the Dorchester.

The club received widespread coverage in the press (the Bishop of London was telephoned in the middle of the night by a reporter seeking his views on blessing motorcycles), but if the newspapers hoped for a schism they were disappointed. "I had nothing but support from the Church," Shergold said. "One or two cranky lay people wrote asking me what on earth I thought I was doing, but that was about the sum of it."

William Frank Shergold was born in London on October 17 1919. After reading History at Durham University he trained for the priesthood at St Chad's College, Durham, and at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, in West Yorkshire.

His initial intention was to become a monk, but after being ordained in 1942 he began his ministry as curate of All Saints with St Frideswide, Poplar, in the East End before being appointed vicar of All Saints, Hanworth, west London, where he served for 10 years. By now he was regularly using a motorcycle as an easy and cost-effective way of getting around his parish.

He had actually failed his first test: "I was unlucky to have to face a woman examiner who had a great dislike for parsons and an even greater dislike for motorcyclists. As if to turn the knife in the wound, she told me I was a menace to the public."

Shergold remained at Hackney Wick until 1964, when he became vicar of Paddington St Mary's, where he continued to minister to bikers. Five years later he was appointed vicar of St Bartholomew's, Charlton-by-Dover, where he established, with local motorcyclists, the 69 Club.

He went on to hold three more livings until he retired in 1984, after which he carried out unpaid duties at his old parish in Poplar. He was unmarried, and in 1999 he moved to Wells, in Somerset, to be closer to members of his family.

Shergold was elected life president of both the 59 and 69 Clubs, both of which continue to this day. The 59 Club – which has some 30,000 members – will hold a memorial service for him on September 12, to coincide with its 50th anniversary.

In 1991, when he was over 70, Wrangler jeans invited Shergold to spearhead a new advertising campaign, for which he was photographed under Southend Pier astride a 1960s motorbike.

When he was approached by Wrangler, Shergold sought the advice of his rector, who told him: "Of course you must do it. Good for the Church to be seen doing ordinary, rather silly things."

Read more...
http://the59club.com/public_html/bill.html

Shergold, second from right, with pipe.

Clifford · 06-10-2009, 11:20 AM

What an extraordinary man, may he find peace and happiness in the afterlife.

Catenaccio · 06-10-2009, 01:35 PM

Rest in Peace.

Ballacraine · 06-10-2009, 02:52 PM

Sad to see the passing of a maverick & a true character.

Well, he certainly made his mark.

RIP Father Bill.

Nige.

TIE-Pilot23 · 06-10-2009, 03:29 PM

His passing was posted in the "cafe" section a few weeks back...very sad...he lived a good while...

I still think it was funny that he rode by the the Ace several times before getting the nerve to stop and talk to anyone...

Im a member of the Fifty Nine Club and Im wondering why no letters were sent out announcing his passing...some type of comemertive jacket pin or patch should be made...

Peace Reverend Bill...

koifarm · 06-10-2009, 08:35 PM

Reverend Bill was probably the most influential man in Great Britain and worked hard to change the "bad boy" image of motorcyclists and was successful in more ways than we could possibly know.
He was a great man and it is sad to hear about his passing.
Rest well, Reverend Bill, you are definitely in heaven and probably getting all the angels organized to ride.........

simpson · 06-10-2009, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TIE-Pilot23

...
Im a member of the Fifty Nine Club and Im wondering why no letters were sent out announcing his passing...some type of comemertive jacket pin or patch should be made...

I agree. I am a 59 member as well. There should have been some correspondence, however it looks like the club is a bit disorganized at this point....

-simpson

TIE-Pilot23 · 07-10-2009, 08:27 PM

Well...I did get a over size post card from the Fifty Nine Club in the mail this evening...with Shergold at a bike blessing on the front...
Its kinda banged up from the trip...

You folks that can should try and make it...

Information on back...

Fifty Nine Club event
12 noon 12/sept/09
50th Anniversary service
Spoken replication of Shergolds original blessing
Shergold Memorial
Bike blessing

Ace Cafe run
Leaves at 11am
Returns 1:30pm

So...I guess you ride there from the Ace?

Casper · 07-11-2009, 04:22 AM

Great guy, apparently a very shy man he really did something special back in the 50s and 60s.

The British press (like it is today in parts) made outrageous claims about 'biker boys' and 'ton up tearaways' but Father Bill saw through the hyperbole and from what I've read did a great job at reaching young bikers who really appreciated Bill's efforts.

I am sure he is receving his reward in heaven now and may his memory be revered.

Casper