The very first committee meeting for Dukeries Motor Club was held on Friday 24th September 1954 at the Swan Hotel, Mansfield. The following officials and committee were elected;
President: M Royce
Vice President: J E Flintham
Secretary: T Mc Hugh
Competition Secretary: F C Kynaston
Treasurer: W H Mc Mahon
Committee Members – I Maclean, W Calladine, G Mills, G W Edwards,
P Robinson, B Rose.
It was decided that subscriptions would be 7/6d over and above ORMA subs and Mr F C Kynaston was to arrange affiliation to the ACU. The rules of the Club were to be drawn up by Mr Kynaston and W H and J A Draycott and these would be discussed at the next meeting. These were duly put forward and adopted by the committee on 9th December 1954. A few of the rules and objectives of the club were:
A: To cultivate and encourage the use of motors of every description.
B: To act as a motorists aid in motoring matters, one member to another.
C: To assist in the defence of the interests of the members so far as lies within the power and means of the club.
Every candidate for membership has to make application on a prescribed form to then be duly elected (or not) by the committee. In January 1955 a proposal was put forward and accepted to create a reduced subscription rate for ladies of 5/-. During February and March of that year the committee then began the organisation of fuel economy runs, Treasure hunts and Night Navigational Trials. The first event held was a treasure hunt which took place on June 19th 1955. There was a three way tie for first place of Mr D Bend (Hillman Minx), Mr J S Fowkes (Simca Aronda) and Mr G W Edwards (Singer 9 Roadster). A Grand Total of Ł2-7-0 was raised for club funds. There then followed a series of successful Scavanger Hunts in September and October, Dukeries Motor Club was born. It was a fairly short lived affair as petrol rationing came into being and caused the club to go into hibernation from February 1956 to May 1957. According to the new minute book, the Club was re-formed in May 1957 with “new officers, a new committee and a new spirit”. Unfortunately, the minutes from May 1957 to Jan 1958 have gone missing but at the AGM held in May 1958, the then Chairman, Mr John Taylor, clearly states that “the resummation of activities was largely due to the efforts of Mr J E Flintham and Mr S Fowkes”. A new constitution was presented and accepted at the AGM when the main objectived of the club were changed to:
A: To bring together people who are interested in motoring activities.
B: To promote social and competitive events at regular intervals.
Membership subscriptions were raised to 10/6d, with no mention of a reduced rate for ladies. It was during this time that a lot of the Clubs trophies were presented which are still in use today 0 the Kings Mill Trophy, Flintham Trophy, Henstock Trophy, Margaret Evans Challenge Bowl, Churchman Trophy and Maclean Trophy etc. Events were being organised every month with “50% serious and 50% social”, running under such titles ad the January Jaunt, the Spring Double, the Little Ladies Run, the June Social Safari and the Minature Monte. Then from September 1960 a series of Gymkhanas were held at Broomhill Grange. Over the next 6 months there were a lot of minutes about applying for affiliation to the RAC, until November 1958 it was minuted that the Clubs application would be considered by the Competitors Committee of the RAC once neighbouring clubs had been circulated for objections.
To be continued…