Hills Corner

 Romsey Show this year was one of the rainy days in September, luckily all the exhibitors managed to get in and lots of people decided that the rain wasn’t going to put them off, so all was well.

The main reason I went, was the fact that my brothers were taking dads old motor bike to the show, as dad couldn’t get there I wanted to record the day for him with a few pics! 

‘The ROVER Sports’ Motor bike, purchased by our Grandfather

Charles William Bowles in 1924

 Its been in our family ever since. My brothers, Shaun, Paul and myself have  vivid childhood memories, once a year, after haymaking, the old bike was uncovered and pushed out of the shed. all the men would start tinkering around with it, dad would have an oil can and and an oily rag and then the ritual would begin……leavers would be pumped….valves would be opened …..fuelled up and ready to go, I don’t remember it not starting

Then great excitement when dad actually got it going!

cheers all round! and off he would go around the field with a trail of  blue smoke behind him!

And that was it till the next year! 

But, then in the scheme of things, life goes on and twenty or thirty years pass and people are starting to have little vintage shows with old cars, bikes tractors etc…. I remember when the ‘Dorset Steam Fair’ first started and was held in the little village of Stourpain Bushes, Dorset

Dad and a few other friends took various vehicles down and thing went on from there. ‘The Test valley Motor Enthusiasts’ (TVME) were formed from like minded people.

And that bring us back to this years Romsey Show!

Daddy is now 85 years old! and my brother Shaun is taking the old bike round the ring at the show, how lovely to see lots of old faces from the TVME and reacquaintance s are made just as though it was yesterday, life has gone full circle, my brothers and I are just as passionate as mum & dad were all that time ago, and our children are following us close behind…..bloody brilliant!!!!