John Bacon (Ducati 175 Sport) Pictures
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John Bacon aboard his Ducati at Brands Hatch a circuit which, in that era, had a lightweight class of up to 200cc thus putting my own 125cc Ducati at a disadvantage straight away. John later rode a 250cc Norton (reduced from a 350cc Manx engine by Ray Petty). On that Norton he finished 12th in the Lightweight TT a year or so later. Sadly, after retiring and then returning to the sport again, he was killed on one of the continental circuits while riding a Beart-tuned Greeves. He was a friend sorely missed.
John Bacon was my Father.He was killed when I was only two.My Mother was expecting my brother at the time of his death.She was widowed at the age of 27.She met him at 14.They married when she was 18.So sad that we never really knew our Father.Is there anybody out there who knew him?Tragically we lost our Mother in 1984.She never really came to terms with his death.
Hello Linda,
From early school days to racing together in cycle speedway for the Old Woking Jets before eventually taking up club, national and international motor cycle racing, your father and I were the very best of friends.
The last time we met you were only two years of age ! – I have today e-mailed your “other John” and hope we will be in contact very soon.
Richard M
Dear Linda, I remember you well as a tiny baby and your mother always made me welcome when I visited your dad in their (then) bed-sit down in the Woking area. John and I raced regularly at Brands Hatch (and other Circuits) back in the late 1950′s. In 1959 I followed your dad’s advice and bought a Ducati Monza 125cc which gave me some moderate success and eventually led to me meeting a girl in the IOM who later became my wife so I have a lot to thank him for! I have often spoken about him to my wife and although I am now a very old ex-racer, (80), I still speak of him with fondness and a deep sense of loss. There was a time when I thought he had retired from racing as he found work in Switzerland as a dental technician but he returned to the UK and I remember visiting him at his uncle’s house in Woking where he proudly showed me a Francis Beart tuned Greeves racing bike on which he made his return to the sport. The photo I placed on this web-page was given to me by John and is one of the ‘treasures’ in my collection of personal memorabilia.My very best wishes to yourself and your family. Arthur (A.J.) West.
Hello Authur,
It has been a such long time since I last heard of you and I am so pleased for Linda and David that you put your photo of John on the web. Please contact me through http://www.motoparilla.co.uk when you can find time.
best regards
Richard Morley
Dear Richard, I finally got round to returning to this classic bike website and was delighted to see the responses from John’s daughter and son. If you would like to contact me directly, please use my email address —– jomanton19c@hotmail.co.uk I would also be pleased to hear from Linda and her brother if there is anything I may remember that would help fill any gaps in their family history. I may be able to find some of John’s entries in our short-circuit races of the 50s/60s which I could photocopy and post if required as I still have all my old racing programmes and results sheets. Please note there may be a time-delay in my resposes as I am not able to access my computer on a regular basis. Best Wishes, Arthur.
I am Jean’s sister Barbara (Linda/David’s Auntie Babs) and remember my tall handsome brother in law known to us all as “Big John” as he was taller than our brother John. I was 13 when the terrible news came that we had lost Big John to racing in Holland 7thJune1965. My dearest sister was unconsolable with grief and tried her best to carry on for her darling children Linda (2) and David due on 26thSept that year. I vaguely remember a house in Woking backing on to the river Wey where John’s Aunt Gloria lived (we played in her long garden there) and John’s cousin? Trevor&wife lived in flat at side of house. Not sure if surname was Ford? I remember standing with my lovely sister Jean waving John off to his races in Holland and he was waving out the window til out of sight. He had a thing about collecting Owls i remember and liked everything neat and tidy at all times! He also liked white choc teddy bears for a treat and only drank liquid bottled strong coffee. At one time he hand an ice-cream van which outshone any other called King Candy which also sold candyfloss and toffee apples which our mum made at home for his business-always kind he would let us have a free icecream
i just about recall their flat near Woking train station before their cottage at Old Woking and it was at the very top of lovely old house but many stairs to climb with shopping! The communal grounds i remember an empty swimming pool where my sis Jean taught me dance steps 4 Charleston and 1 of her sandals flicked off into the empty pool! Both John and Jean would be very proud of their children and I am sure of their gorgeous grandchildren too. My heartfelt feeling is that they are now reunited in their love.
Hallo Babs,
Reunited in their love – of that I am sure.
all my very best wishes,
Richard.
Hi, This was my uncle, I never remember meeting him as I was a baby as well. My mother was his sister.
Hello Linda and David, It has been many years ago that I was John’s friend, We started life together about 5 years old, I lived in Coniston Road, Old Woking. I drove on the back of his first bike that he converted. We made all sorts of things boats- model planes, we then joined the forces Royal Air Force I met him again at Melksham were he was having his dental testing etc. I was working near him at Vickers and we spoke quite much. It was then that he went to Belgium and got killed . His Uncle was also working at Vickers and he told me what had happened, I thought that it was terrible, I still have some of his photo’s if you would like them. It was a long time ago i am now over 80 years old but feel younger!!! regards Barry
I am John Bacon’s son David. My dad died 3 months before I was born. I am so pleased that my sister and I have managed to find some information about my father (thanks to Auntie Babs and cousin Bonnie-Jean for that). What has been even more wonderful is that we have found my mother (Jean) and father’s best friend Richard Morley. Through Richard and Vintagebike website we found other friends of my father, and have been invited to Tubbergen in Holland. They are unvailing a memorial monument to the 5 motorcycle racers who were killed at the circuit their 40 years of racing. Sadly my father being one of the racers. Heartfelt thank you to Richard and Michael Morley, Gerhard Sauer and Theo Bult (Tubbergen), Nigel Wynne, Audrey Smith and Arthur West for your great help in “filling in the pieces of jigsaw of my father and mother’s lives”. I look forward to telling the stories to my wife Emma, son Joshua (6) and daughter Keira (3).
I would like to echo the comments that my brother,David has made.We are so thrilled to have made contact with Richard Morley(our Father’s best friend)It is all down to Richard that we have made so many contacts and has led us to being invited to Tubbergen,Holland (where our Father was killed racing)to a special Memorial service.
hello My Friends.Linda,David Bacon,and Richard Morley.
we are very happy that Nigel Wynne has found you and you are all welcome at Tubbergen
Holland.
kr.Gerhard Sauer.Tubbergen.
I have just returned from the 10th anniversary of Historic Motorracing in Tubbergen,Holland. My brother David, my Fathers good friend Richard Morley and myself were all invited as guests of Gerhard Sauer and Theo Bolt. My Father, John Bacon was killed racing at theTubbergen circuit in 1965. The unveiling of the memorial monument and ceremony for the 5 people who died was very moving and will stay with us forever. The warmth and sincerity of the people of Tubbergen was overwelming. I would like to say a big thank you to Gerhard, Theo, Marcel and everyone who helped to organise the event. It was a very emotional weekend and it has helped us come to terms with the loss of our Father. I feel that he would be very honoured to be remembered in this way along with the other people who lost their lives.
Well done you too Linda for your courage and forebearance with all that has been happening. In your life. So very glad you have found your soulmate in the lovely John your husband who bears your father’s name
xxx text hugs c u soon xxxAuntie Babs xxx
Tubbergen 10th Anniversary Classic Racing and Special Memorial unveiling. May 26th-May 28th 2012. A truly amazing weekend. Looked after from start to finish. Thanks to everyone involved. Special thanks to Gerhard Sauer, Theo Bult (who is still a fantastic motorcycle racer), Marcel, Harry and their wives and children. John Lipscombe in England for his great help. Also to Riet (The Guardian Angel of the bikers), Rein (translation and photography), Eric, who let me ride pillion on his Suzuki 1000cc, where I experienced the incredible thrill of the Tubbergen race circuit that my father did.I walked in my father’s footsteps and I felt proud. Wil Hartog who kindly made an effort to speak to Linda and I. A dutch legend and very nice guy. The large group of riders going around the circuit were like “A guard of honour” for the family and friends on the coach also going around the circuit, but, stopping for 1 minute silence at the point of the passing of each of the 3 riders and 2 spectators. A very moving and emotional experience for all involved. The people who turned out in force in honour and respect for the lost lives.
Thanks for all your generosity and kindness, but, most of all thank you for remembering the family and close friends of dearly departed loved ones. It means the world to us. No matter what the weather “an eternal ray of sunshine” will always remain over the memorial due to the warmheartedness of the wonderful people of Tubbergen Motorcycle racing.
Friends for life,
David Bacon (Neale)
Well done David for your heartfelt reply regarding the Memorial visit to Holland xxx ps i also remember being in Woking that very time reading a headline on one of the news stands at the Market entrance stating “Britain’s Motor Ace John Bacon Killed in Holland (or it might have said The Hague, Holland) i would guess it was either the Woking News and/or Echo, or the Surrey Advertiser? Xx text hugs Auntie Babs xx
Hello David and Linda. Have only a few days ago been contacted by Richard Morley regarding our knowledge of friends from schooldays and motorbiking times back in the 50s and 60s. How lovely that hopefully you can now form a picture of your lovely parents at last. My husband was obviously the motorcycllist but does not use the internet so with his help i’ll do my best to fill in a few more details. We all lived within 3miles of Woking/ Send and Old Woking.from childhood.Your dad and his sister who i’m sure was called Lorraine,Richard and me- all lived in Old Woking .Ken and your mum were in Send village but we all knew each other obviously. A most amazing memory for us was the fact that when we got married on Valentines day in1959 your dad used his car for the day for us from the church and later with your mum -drove us to a London theatre as we didn’t have a honeymoon but had a house to move into straight away..which in those days was VERY lucky. They then picked us up from the theatre back to our new address in Maybury and they then went home themselves. The highlight of our friendship was that your dad made my wedding ring for us as a wedding present. ( being as he was a dental technician- the ring is still as solid as a rock 53yrs later.) Like yourselves it was heartbreaking to hear the news of his untimely death as it was also of your mum altho we had lost touch by that time as we had moved away..not far but unfortunately- in hindsight- we wish we had kept in touch with her. Like them our similarity was the fact your mum and me were both 18 when we got married and Ken and your dad were previously both in the air force together so we did have so much in common. Hopefully you’ll enjoy hearing this bit more of people that truly respected both of them. One more thing i’ve just just realised is that you David were born 26/9/65 and our son was born 24/9/65…how freaky is that.? Our daughter Dawn was our first on 19/6/60 and then our last one Kelly on 18/8/74. I am now 72 next month and Ken will be 77 in November. so we go back a long long way. haha.Kindest regards to you all.x .
DEAR MARY & KEN.I THINK WE KNOW EACH OTHER FROM THE ‘ 60′S’, WAS IT FROM MPHW IN GOLDSWORTH ROAD?
WAS KEN AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER?
AS I REMEMBER KEN WAS A BIT OF A JOKER!
IF I AM CORRECT , PLEASE LET ME HAVE YOUR E MAIL ADDRESS AND I WILL SEND YOU SOME PHOTOS.
BRGDS.
IAN PLUMRIDGE.
ianplumridge@hotmail.com
Hi david and linda…just a couple of our personal poignant memories of your lovely parents and why they were so special to us. Ken ( my husband) who isn’t into this laptop as he says its too complicated so i am filling in bits he remembers best. We- along with Richard and his brother and,your dad and mum -were all brought up in SEND/ OLD WOKING area. Ken and your dad always had great interests in cycle speedway …Send Mustangs and Old Woking Jets. They then both went into the RAF for their national service duties at Odiham in Hampshire.Straight after they were demobbed (Ken was Nov 1956 not sure about your dad tho- and met me straight away when i was 16 he was 21), your Dad and Mum got married- as we did too. Ours was Valentines day 1959 ( having got engaged feb 14th Feb also in 1958). The best part of this is that your dad being a dental technician made our wedding ring as a wedding present to us,he also used his beautiful Humber as our wedding car to and from the church. They then picked us up and drove us to London where we went to a show and they then picked us up later and drove us back to Woking. That was our honeymoon in those days as Kens wages were £8 A WEEK….and they were called the good old days.haha. We have 3 kids our son being born 2days before you David….how freaky is that. Hope this clarifies a bit more as to what special friends they were to us. How sad they are no longer with us. God bless them both. Would love to hear of your history whenever you have a while to spare…so great to also have Richard who started the ball rolling for you. Take care. x . Mary and Ken Lucas. ( Hope you’re surviving the dreadful weather conditions.!!!!!.).
On Friday evening the 28th September, 2012, a group of John and Jean’s close friends met up at the Talbot Inn in Ripley Surrey, primarily to remember them. The Talbot having been one of their favorite watering holes – when funds permitted!
We enjoyed our selves so much reminiscing over the good old times we had all shared with John and Jean, some of us again met up at the Talbot on the Saturday evening when we were joined by John and Jean’s son David who clearly also enjoyed meeting so many of his mother and father’s old friends and I suspect our reunion will now become an annual event.
Hi Richard, have just caught up with msgs from the past couple of weeks as we have been in Benidorm for a week and had a meet up out there with Don and Caroline Jelly who very kindly travelled on a coach for 2/ 1/2hrs to spend a lovely few hours with us.Our jaws ached from talking and laughing…really nice of them who are both having a lovely life living in Spain. When we got back we had a theatre mission to see Marty Wilde,Eden Kane and Dave Berry singing loads of all the 60s hits. Then as a last minute booking we went to Butlins in Bognor for a whole 60s revival weekend – which was absolutely fantastic…too many artist to list but all top artists throughout the whole decade. Came back yesterday on an absolute ” high ” ….loved it.!!!!!!!. Even better was the fact it was Butlins brand new hotel built this year- which should have been well over £430 but as they had an unnocupied apartment for 4, we got it half price,under occupancy, plus late booking so we ended up paying £103.70 total….how bad was that. Plus of course it was all adults wheras of course its normally ideally for children also. So ..now to try and get back to a reality check and realize we are 72/77 yrs old and are now desperately in need of a rest. haha. Hope alls well with you and yours. x.