San Fairy Ann Cycle Club

Just seen on another forum that the Cycling Weekly cartoonist Johnny Helms has died after a short illness. He was 85 and had been providing the weekly cartoon since 1946.

A lifelong cyclist he was in great demand as a guest speaker at club dinners. He rode to most of them, often covering long distances. We had the pleasure of his company at an Oldbury & District dinner in the 1960s and he rode from his home in Warrington to Birmingham.

His speeches were as humorous as his cartoons. Oldbury was famous (or notorious) for the number of chemical works and other pungent fume creating industries and his opening words that evening were "I had a very pleasant ride down with an escort of Oldbury riders for the last 30 miles. I knew when we had arrived as I could hear the birds.....pause....coughing"

I'm sure that even our older members who no longer buy the magazine will be sad to hear this news

Johnny Helms also designed the SFACC's famous Milestone cover that many of us remember with some affection which depicted a giant milestone surrounded with long grass with several little bikies wandering around in it. I will look it up & see if I can use it one month when I have nothing else suitable to use - if that time ever comes!!

I believe Ivor Hickman when Milestone Editor wrote to Johnny & asked him to design something & the above was the result. We used it for many years.

That & the Frank Patterson drawing plus the famous Professor Eddywilly ad for Williams cycling gear were regularly looked for & enjoyed by readers of Cycling Weekly for many years.

Pat - Editor