Longford Rockers

I have a lot to thank the Capitol skating rink at Longford for. My parents met there when skating in the 1930's, long before most of the Longford Rockers were even thought of! I myself used to go down there as a young teenager in my leather-look jacket in the mid 1960's to skate and generally hang around. It was great!

Well I never, I was browsing thro this forum when who did I spy, Peter Hutt, and I thought ? then I read on and you mentioned Wendy your sister. I will drop a few names for you. Your mum Win, Peter Baskerville, Pat Baskerville, your dad Tommy, Gerry and Ivy Turner who were figure skaters, you may not know them . I met Pat Baskerville at the rink in 1953. Mr Ward used to own it, then if he thought you were going too fast he'd leg you up with his walking stick when you passed the ticket booth. He was followed by Mr Haywood and his wife, they were nice people, that was 1955. We all had motorbikes, mainly Triumphs, a couple of BSA Gold Flashes, two Vincent Black Shadows, about 15 or so of us all told, you can imagine us all pulling away on a Sat night with our birds on pillion. 'twas called the Sat night roar down the Foleshill Road, happy days, but it all broke up when in turn the Army called us all up for our National Service. Mine was 1956, it was never the same when we came out. We've still got our skates in the same bag, we've been married now 55 years and it's been great. I would still skate today given the chance, the only difference between then and now is if I fall over now IT HURTS. LOL Gg

Plenty of the old boys still about notably Mick Morby - can be found propping the bar up at the Dyers. I used to hang around with Daz, he had a Velocette, I had a 1000 cc Ariel and various other bikes, BSA C10, C12 and C15 but was more into the Triumphs, Tigers, Trophy and actually loved the Sports Cub, not as fast but a good little bike for messing about on. One of my favourites was a BSA Gold Star that I came off and wrecked in Nuneaton, most of my bikes in those days would be called 'Rat Bikes' gobbled up out of what I could scrounge. Bob's Cafe was one of our meeting places. All the best, Roger Wing.

I know Bob Law very well indeed, I am older than him. He never owned a motor bike and was only a hanger on with the LR. You can find Bob Law [now past retirement age] in the Spon End bikers pub most weekends. Thanks for the memories.

John Bishop - Was that really necessary, describing Bob Law was a "hanger-on"? The Longford Rockers were of my time, and - my owning neither a scooter nor a motorcycle - ensured their not entering into my at all. But legend is legend, myth is myth, and I have heard/read of Bob Law, and choose to believe - regardless of evidence to the contrary - that Bob Law was a major figure among the Longford Rockers. And I am sure he had the faux-leather jacket (and similar boots) to prove as much. The exposure of "feet of clay" ain't what this forum is about, as my old granny (long-since deceased) probably would have observed. My vote is with my granny's vote; specifically, cut Bob Law a little slack, for he was - heart and soul - a Longford Rocker, regardless. Respectfully submitted by one who was neither a mod nor a rocker, but definitely a mocker.

Really great to hear memories from Les Beard, I certainly know that name. Regards Peter, also will say Bob Law always stuck up for the LRs, he loved them, still does although I haven't seen Bob for a couple of years. Great times, great years

Where did you read about Bob Laws adventures as an LR. I've known him for about fifty years, never seen anything published. Thanks for the memories.

Bob Law most certainly did own a motorbike.mI saw it. It was a BSA 650. I also know Bob Law very well indeed. References to having 'read about' Bob almost certainly refer to posts sent to the site on this subject. Whether or not he was a fully fledged Longford Rocker is neither here nor there. He was a decent guy who would always stick up for his mates through thick or thin. That was good enough for me.

Yes Bob Law was always amiable and sociable, but I never ever saw him on a motorbike. We were on about it years ago in the Golden Cross and no one else had ever seen him on a motor bike or driving a car. What year was it you saw him on this BSA 650. Thanks for the reply and the memories.

It must have been around 1975/76 when I saw his BSA. Unfortunately he'd left it in a back garden at the rear of Gulson Road. It was in a reasonable state when I first saw it but it deteriorated over the months as various parts were stolen off it!! Bob was quite happy to travel round on the back of my Bonneville on adventures as far away as Sheffield and Leeds. I'm a bit too long in the tooth now to undertake trips like that in January!! We used to frequent the Golden Cross a lot in the 1972-1977 period. It was a great pub then, what's it like these days?

I have photo of a crowd of us around the dartboard in the Golden Cross. If I can find it. Tell Bob if you see him, his old girl friend Liz Moore is very ill. Thank you for the light hearted banter. My son has that photo, I will send it to the moderator to post on here when my lad gets back off his holidays. There are about 17 people on it including the Golden Cross gaffer and me.

The Golden Cross 1977 Coventry. To the Longford rockers, John Bishop 2nd from right, shirt undone. right of the big guy with the beard. Come on you guys, I hope you know plenty on this photo.

Sorry to hear about Baz, he liked a fight. I knew him very well, he didn't like Bob Law. How old was Baz at death?