Lynes Store

I'm sure there must have been. There were certainly one or two girl bikers, called Greasers after the Mods and Rockers era. When I had my first bike, I was in Oxford at a filling station when I heard brumm brum brum. A big bike, a 500cc BSA twin, came in for fuel. All clad in black leather bikers' gear, jacket, boots, helmet, I was amazed it was a girl. Too old for me - I was only 16. And in any case, I felt inferior on my titchy Bantam 175. There were certainly girl Rockers too. I can't speak about scooterists, as I was into mortar barks (as my Bradford cousin would have pronounced it). But I do remember an incident when I was a little boy. We were on holiday in Gt Yarmouth. It was in the era of Mods and Rockers gang warfare. There was a big, pitched battle on the main drag by the sea front, much to the disgust of the majority of law-abiding holidaymakers, like my parents. A Rocker girl, clad in the gear, was spearheading a huge gang/crowd of male Rockers, as they stormed along the front to clash with Mods at the opposite end. She was egging them on, shouting things like "come on lads, let's get them!". And of course, the army of young males, pumped full of testosterone, showing off in front of girl/s, obeyed orders. Police reinforcements had to be called in and many were arrested.

Hello, Was it a 175D?

Yes, a D7 IIRC. Early 60s. 3 speed.

Well Lindatee, I do like the thought of Mobility Scooters emblazoned with multiple Mirrors, Aerials with 'Foxtails' and Pennants, but alas no. ! There are numerous 'Mod' Girls/Ladies even wearing the fashions today, as there are Skinhead/Northern Soul female enthusiasts. The fashion was also adopted by the Specials & Selector Bands and their respective followers, which of course included 'Two Tone' Suits, which were a statement to wear during all the Groups mentioned earlier, which are still made to measure by a lot of Tailors. I never knew anyone that wore Steel Toecap Boots, albeit a common nickname was 'Boot Boys' or Bovver Boys', (a corruption of Bother), for Skinheads, and I'm not sure if Hawkins or DM's made this type, so please enlighten me. As I stated, the fashion was unique to British Teenagers throughout the 1960's, and was not akin to organised violence which was to come through Football.

Lynes probably sold their Doc Martens to mods, and to skin heads who in my experience were divided into those who wanted the look and those stupid enough to go around kicking people. Personally I never saw anyone wearing pit boots other than those wearing them for work. Pit boots were issued to miners as part of their working attire so were supplied by the National Coal Board (NCB) who purchased them on some massive contract. Docs were also purchased by postmen, policemen, and anyone who was on their feet a lot during their working day. I knew a bank manager who wore docs, but they were a very discreet pair of chelsea boots. Lynes also sold a lot of speciality clothing such as aprons, overalls and chef's whites.

"Docs were also purchased by postmen, policemen, and anyone who was on their feet a lot during their working day." Apparently Pope John Paul wore white Docs!

Hello, STORY TIME. Once upon a time, during the early seventies, I was walking through Fowey town centre whereupon I spied an ex military shop. There in the window was a canvas bag with a price label of £2. They must have seen me coming. The proprietor told me that it had come as a consignment from the midlands. Later, back home, I saw the same bags in Lynes. £2. I suspect a common manufacturer/ wholesaler to be at the same price. A subsidiary of the Courtaulds group manufactured them in Chesterfield. They might be still there.

My mate Jack was always into the outdoor life: camping, cycling marathons, outward bound courses... and suchlike. He got all his gear from Lynes.