Frank passed away peacefully in the Arthur Rank hospice (Cambridge) on 18th July.
Frank was a longstanding member of the Anglian Section, reinvigorating the section in the early 1970’s. He was a committee member for many years and will be known throughout the VMCC from his time as President (2002-2003), and as Douglas marque specialist.
He purchased a 348cc Ladies model Douglas when he was 17 for 30 shillings, and successfully completed the Pioneer Run sixty consecutive times on this machine – surely an achievement that will never be matched. For this he was awarded the Harry Knight Trophy for best performance on a veteran machine in 2020. For his final Pioneer, he broke with tradition and rode a veteran BSA in 2021!
As well as riding the veteran Douglas to Germany for a rally, he raced various vintage machines including a Scott, Douglas and Manx Norton – often turning up to race meetings on a vintage Harley Davidson outfit with his racing bike on the sidecar chassis. He was also mechanic for Manx Grand Prix riders Martin Orgee and Chris East.
He regularly attended club rides on various machines including a BSA A7 he bought new in the 1950s, a 1930s Zundapp as well as various Douglas machines – and entertained us at club nights with talks of his various exploits.
He was an engineer through and through, having worked at the Cambridge University engineering department throughout his working life, and whatever he turned his hand to was undertaken with skill and precision. He takes with him an immense knowledge of all things Douglas and engineering.
Our best wishes go to his daughters, Wendy and Hazel, and their families.