In August 2009 we were asked if we could help to trace past members of a club called the 171 Club, based in Manchester. This is our page for that club. The content is nothing to do with the Freedom Riders and any questions should be referred to the linked e-mail address.
Search for the original members of the 171 Club
The 171 Club.
Tony, a young maverick motorcycle-riding minister worked in a local church
in 1968 and rode a Kettle GT 750.
Tony was riding through the streets one day when he witnessed an accident
between eight young bike boys and a car. The police were quick to jump to
the conclusion that the bikers were at fault. As Tony approached the police
on his own bike ready to defend the boys, the Police accused him of being
'one of them,' Tony undid his jacket and revealed his dog collar. The bikers
were let off and gained a certain respect for this 'biker priest.'
In the subsequent months the bikers began to turn up to Tony's church for
services. They were greeted by a mixed and not totally sympathetic reception
but it soon became apparent to Tony that they were a group of ostracised
young men with a bad reputation who just needed somewhere to hang out and
something to occupy themselves with.
Tony decided to turn the disused church hall into a social club for them.
The bikers were brought together to dig out rooms, design, build, decorate
and furnish the hall and even managed to get a juke box donated.
The 171 club had one major achievement in its time that distinguished it
from any other motorcycle club in operation at that time. The club realised
that they were faster on the roads in comparison with the emergency services
and set up an organ transplant service between Manchester and Liverpool. The
bikers were soon declared 'Heaven's Angels'!
The club grew enormous as a result, going so far as to have separate biker
nights: Monday was BMW, Wednesday Suzuki, Thursday Honda etc..
And as this point Tony felt his work was done and left to become the
director of the leprosy mission and Princess Diana's Charity Advisor. He
sadly passed away some years ago but his daughter is now keen to tell his
and the club's story...
We know that parts of the 171 club branched off to form the beginnings of
the Suzuki Owners Club, the Triumph Owners Club and the Honda Owners Club
but are unaware what happened to the rest of the members and their bikes. We
are desperate to get in contact with anyone who was a club member.
If you would like any more information, know anything about this club
yourself or would like to talk through it at all, then please do not
hesitate to call me on 07947 444 013 or email me at
georgina@171club.com
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