In the late 1960 and 1970s the One Eleven Motor Club was one of the top motor clubs around. Meetings were held at the Big Tree on Woodseats and members regularly competed on rallies from club level to even competing on international events.

Are any old members still around?

The Big Tree? This was a motor stealing club then?

The Big Tree? This was a motor stealing club then?

Thank you for such a helpful comment.

Only joking.

huh? dont get it

A great road rally club. Did plenty of events with them. Remember Graham Bearmore/Martin Phaff-Escort TC, Bob Wells-Bentleys Firenza, Graham Calton-GT6
Most rallies started at Owler Bar. Cars came back bent and rolled-what memories!

Crikey, I was a member of this around 20 years ago with my bf Chris and his mates Jez and Leah. Marshalled on the Lombard Rally, Chatsworth stage, lotsa night rallies in Derbyshire and forest stages in Nottingham.

My top marshalling memory is being in a quiet carpark for ages in the cold, dark countryside, dying for a wee, thinking how quiet it had been for ages, dropping my trousers and suddenly car headlights lighting up my bum as a rally car came screeching into the car park!

Happy days!

A great road rally club. Did plenty of events with them. Remember Graham Bearmore/Martin Phaff-Escort TC, Bob Wells-Bentleys Firenza, Graham Calton-GT6
Most rallies started at Owler Bar. Cars came back bent and rolled-what memories!

I rallied various Mini Cooper S, Firenza, BMW 2002, Lotus 7, Riley 9. Also used a Mini cooper on autotests.

Yes I remember all the above. I still go drinking with a few of the old members.

Crikey, I was a member of this around 20 years ago with my bf Chris and his mates Jez and Leah. Marshalled on the Lombard Rally, Chatsworth stage, lotsa night rallies in Derbyshire and forest stages in Nottingham.

My top marshalling memory is being in a quiet carpark for ages in the cold, dark countryside, dying for a wee, thinking how quiet it had been for ages, dropping my trousers and suddenly car headlights lighting up my bum as a rally car came screeching into the car park!

Happy days!

Oh happy days indeed. We were marshalling on a stage on Gamston one night. I think it was the Dukeries Rally. We spotted a car parked up with a courting couple....ermm...at it. All of a sudden a Twin Cam Escort came round the corner with full beam and 4 Cibee Oscars. Lit up the lasses bum a real treat.

1 minute later the next car arrived and........ repeat 120 times.

I also remember all the above as I was a S & H member but joined 111 MC as they seemed more involved with road rallies. Wasn't it a 111 event that Barry Marshall rolled on in quiet a big way. He should have stuck to the roundy round stuff!

My rallying days were in the 1960s - 1970s, which most consider was the haydays of rallying, or am just rembering through rose tinted glasses. I consider Martin Phaff to be the best local road rally navigator of his time.

I entered autotests at Thoresby Hall, great fun !!! Although I burnt the clutch out once and had to reverse up Mosborough hill to get back home. I remember getting my Imp up on one wheel at Redmires autotest. PCT's at Rowlee farm and Dronfield hilltop.
Ah! memories of the sound of a Lancia Stratos at full tilt thru' Clipstone in the dark (RAC).
Cruising round the Isle of Man in a big Fiat van with an american artic painted on the side, the van was purloined by Joe Twigg, after we had all written off our cars.
Surely the best local navigator was the late Nigel Harris, although my favourite win was with Simon Cork alongside.
I remember marshalling a night rally in Clumber when the the late Derek (D.C.) Cook just about trimmed my toe nails with a Datsun 240Z.

I entered autotests at Thoresby Hall, great fun !!! Although I burnt the clutch out once and had to reverse up Mosborough hill to get back home. I remember getting my Imp up on one wheel at Redmires autotest. PCT's at Rowlee farm and Dronfield hilltop.
Ah! memories of the sound of a Lancia Stratos at full tilt thru' Clipstone in the dark (RAC).
Cruising round the Isle of Man in a big Fiat van with an american artic painted on the side, the van was purloined by Joe Twigg, after we had all written off our cars.
Surely the best local navigator was the late Nigel Harris, although my favourite win was with Simon Cork alongside.
I remember marshalling a night rally in Clumber when the the late Derek (D.C.) Cook just about trimmed my toe nails with a Datsun 240Z.

I competed twice in Redmires autotests. Once in a Cooper S and once in a 3.5 ton Ford truck! I still have dozens of photos.
Now then. Men with Imps were fairly rare. Did you by any chance also have a Cooper JAP?

I agree that Nigel was by far the best codriver - car manager, but for road rallying navigation I still go with Phaffy. A big mistake would be if he read a 60 as a 30 once in two or three rallies. However, he never bought maps and tended to borrow them at the start - a practice that I never appreciated!

Imps might have been rare but blokes autotesting 3.5 ton Ford trucks - well that's a totally different ball game!

Imps might have been rare but blokes autotesting 3.5 ton Ford trucks - well that's a totally different ball game!

True but the 1929 Riley on the Jackson Trophy Rally was my piece de resistance.

By the way Pfaffy was S&H not 111.

Well, some good memories here! It was Gerry Marshall that hit a wall and flipped over-I think it was The Gearbox Rally organised by Chesterfield MC.
Martin was probably a member of both clubs.
My nightmares were the ford at Spifire Bottoms-got stuck in a Cooper S in front of a very large crowd (all very simpathetic-not) and the many airfields thereabout-an overshoot in the dark cost a lot of time.
Does anyone remember Ron Ship? I bumped into him at a neighbours party here in Spain. He drove a Firenza sponsored by Thompsons of Hull but was a regular EMAMC competitor.

Ref Graham Calton GT6
My first rally car was a Truimph Spitfire,followed by the bright yellow, big winged Truimph GT6,then a Ford Anglia 1760 cc big winged in blue,then a Vauxhall Viva HB 2.0LTR GT in met/blue & silver,followed by Escort mexico mk1in various colours , starting with yellow, then met/red and then met blue/silver, with standard 1602 cc engine , then a Lotus Twin Cam,then 1760cc pushrod , followed by Escort Mk 2 big winged red/white and finally what i thought the best my OPEL KADET GTE in white /orange /black sponsered by Walter Fox & Partners / ICI Auto colour 2K have great memories from 70s/80s @ 111 motor club and quite a few photos of my cars but if anyboby has anymore would love to see them.

Ref Graham Calton GT6
My first rally car was a Truimph Spitfire,followed by the bright yellow, big winged Truimph GT6,then a Ford Anglia 1760 cc big winged in blue,then a Vauxhall Viva HB 2.0LTR GT in met/blue & silver,followed by Escort mexico mk1in various colours , starting with yellow, then met/red and then met blue/silver, with standard 1602 cc engine , then a Lotus Twin Cam,then 1760cc pushrod , followed by Escort Mk 2 big winged red/white and finally what i thought the best my OPEL KADET GTE in white /orange /black sponsered by Walter Fox & Partners / ICI Auto colour 2K have great memories from 70s/80s @ 111 motor club and quite a few photos of my cars but if anyboby has anymore would love to see them.

I am in contact with around 10 members and usually bump into them at the Hope Car Show.

They really were great times. As I look back on it I find it quite incredible now that it was legal to hold rallies on the public roads and have upwards of 100 cars competing on them.

My own rally cars (road and stage rally) were in order

Mini Cooper
Mini Cooper S (3 of them)
Riley 9 (1929) out of sheer daftness.
Princess 1300 (stolen from my mother when my rally car blew up).. and yes I did crack the gearbox casing.
Vauxhall Firenza
BMW 2002
Lotus 7.

I also co drove in a Renault Gordini and an Escort BDA.

It would be great to organise some sort of re-union if there is enough interest. In a pub of course.

I to still keep in touchwith a few members including my navigator Ian Humphrey,do you remember Kim Bolsover,i still see Kim, she arranged a reunion about six years ago which was great but i was on holiday at the time and missed it .
I would love to meet up (in a pub) for a chat etc

I was an active member of Dukeries Motor Club from about 1958-1970, and 111 became famed for the quality of the marshals

Dave West

Yes i remember the club ...although not involved ..my mate Martin who was a big car fan took me to a meeting one night which started at Owler bar around midnight..and we positioned ourselves down in the valley towards Dronfield. All you could see was the bright headights of the cars roaring down to this hairpin bend and screaming around the corner at full belt.It wasnt long before the police arrived and set up a road block as the rally was illegal.. i remember a mini cooper taking the bend followed by a police car with flashing lights..and struggling to keep up ..we jumped in Martins MG and followed ..pretty scary!

Yes i remember the club ...although not involved ..my mate Martin who was a big car fan took me to a meeting one night which started at Owler bar around midnight..and we positioned ourselves down in the valley towards Dronfield. All you could see was the bright headights of the cars roaring down to this hairpin bend and screaming around the corner at full belt.It wasnt long before the police arrived and set up a road block as the rally was illegal.. i remember a mini cooper taking the bend followed by a police car with flashing lights..and struggling to keep up ..we jumped in Martins MG and followed ..pretty scary!

Well in that case you don't remember the club at all as the club was fully RAC affiliated and registered. They ran fully authorised events that had police approval. They certainly wouldn't have organised any events that headed from owler bar towards Dronfield. You appear to have latched on to a bunch of boy racers.

I was a marshall on events with 111 and also did PR work prior to road events, not always he easiest of tasks! Visiting every property on the rally route to ensure locals knew the even was taking place and also listen to and act on any objections to the route passing their property.

I was briefly involved in the 1980s as a competitor, sadly changes to targa timing on road rallies put an end to the style of rallies I enjoyed, also fully blown stage rally cars being banned fromremember road events. Not that I could ever have afforded a GP4 Escort, unlike some! Anyone the Motoring News / BTRDA road rally series?

As shytot states 111 was a fully affiliated RACMSA motor club, certainly wouldn't be involved with event on the public highway without Police authorisation.

I am in contact with around 10 members and usually bump into them at the Hope Car Show.

They really were great times. As I look back on it I find it quite incredible now that it was legal to hold rallies on the public roads and have upwards of 100 cars competing on them.

100 cars? Oh those infamous 12 car events :hihi:

I can remember marshalling on many 111 events, and also travelling with other members to marshall on events like the Highwayman in North Yorkshire


Tazz

True but the 1929 Riley on the Jackson Trophy Rally was my piece de resistance.


So SHYTOT, memories eh? Not to mention waving the deerstalker out of the back window whilst crossing Spitfire Bottoms.

So now you know *exactly* who this is I guess.

Hi, been a long time.

So SHYTOT, memories eh? Not to mention waving the deerstalker out of the back window whilst crossing Spitfire Bottoms.

So now you know *exactly* who this is I guess.

Hi, been a long time.

I still have that deerstalker Mr B.

Any of the rally members remember Andy Womack? I thought kadett get might have been him, car and sponsor matches.

Did a bit of rallying late 1969 into 70's good times.
Knew the lads you talk of brings back memories.
Had a Cortina 1500 GT, then modified it to 1760 full race head 3/4 race cam,
Twin side draft webers, wonderfull induction noise.
Mazda RX 2 Rotary in standard form then fully ported and Turbocharged it,
Very quick car, and would be now.
Ian Humprey navigated.

Good times.

Did a bit of rallying late 1969 into 70's good times.
Knew the lads you talk of brings back memories.
Had a Cortina 1500 GT, then modified it to 1760 full race head 3/4 race cam,
Twin side draft webers, wonderfull induction noise.
Mazda RX 2 Rotary in standard form then fully ported and Turbocharged it,
Very quick car, and would be now.
Ian Humprey navigated.

Good times.

And a garage in Beighton?

And a garage in Beighton?
Yeah Bill Barett the owner of Beighton Mtr Company did sponsor me.
Anyone remember Len Kelk? he did some navigating for me early days when I had the Cortina.

Yeah Bill Barett the owner of Beighton Mtr Company did sponsor me.


I remember it well GD.

great memories marshalling RAC and 111 rallies, got tons of photos and dropped one shot off at Beighton motors a couple of years back when I noticed their motor with garage ad on side. lots of cracking shots ar Spitfire bottoms with unfortunates not quite getting to the far side! A couple of memories that stand out like Stigi Blomquist? rolling over his Saab I think in Clumber and going crazy because it took us at least 20 seconds to get him back on all 4's, or Timo Makinen in his beautiful No.14 escort doing 4 or 5 end over ends for about 80 yds coming out unscathed and asking Mr Ford for a new motor as his had not one straight panel left - got shots before and after, unbelievable. Does anyone remember 'Mad Mark' a nutter in a mark 1 escort who turned up on several 111 local rallies driving against the flow!
Wonderful memories. Will have to get these B&W negs scanned when time allows.
Vin

great memories marshalling RAC and 111 rallies, got tons of photos and dropped one shot off at Beighton motors a couple of years back when I noticed their motor with garage ad on side. lots of cracking shots ar Spitfire bottoms with unfortunates not quite getting to the far side! A couple of memories that stand out like Stigi Blomquist? rolling over his Saab I think in Clumber and going crazy because it took us at least 20 seconds to get him back on all 4's, or Timo Makinen in his beautiful No.14 escort doing 4 or 5 end over ends for about 80 yds coming out unscathed and asking Mr Ford for a new motor as his had not one straight panel left - got shots before and after, unbelievable. Does anyone remember 'Mad Mark' a nutter in a mark 1 escort who turned up on several 111 local rallies driving against the flow!
Wonderful memories. Will have to get these B&W negs scanned when time allows.
Vin

Oh yes Spitfire Bottoms. They always dammed the stream so it was a foot deep. I remember a guy on his first rally being advised to keep way over to the right at Spitfire Bottoms. He turned right and floated off down the river.

Remember a rally around the Goyt valley area, one guy came screaming round a right hander and failed to negotiate a stone gateway - shortened his bonnet by a foot! he tried to crowbar it open without success until his navigator pulled the bonnet catch and the concertinered lid popped open. You definately needed to rely on either your own or a very sympathetic garage owner.

I used to work with a '111' club member, Roger Thomas, any one know of him?

A great road rally club. Did plenty of events with them. Remember Graham Bearmore/Martin Phaff-Escort TC, Bob Wells-Bentleys Firenza, Graham Calton-GT6
Most rallies started at Owler Bar. Cars came back bent and rolled-what memories!

I seem to remember Graham Beardmore driving the Bentley Bros. Firenza.

Spitfire Bottoms! It was a guy from S & H that turned right-Dave Worthington, I think was his name.
It was then straight onto Scampton airfield
I got stuck with Pete Beardsley in a Cooper S in the ford much to the delight of the spectators who always crowded the footbridge. Think it was The Jackson Rally, a close co-promoted event organised by S & H. No doubt Tim Cork would have been Clerk of the Course.
Was it Dave Thomas that navigated for Bob Snazell
Graham Beardsmore and Martin Phaff in the Bentleys Firenza was surely the highlight of those days. Didn't they win the EMAMC championship and had several excellent results in Motoring News events.
Bob Wells took over the car after Graham's enforced retirement with Simon Cork reading the map.
Does anyone remember Phil Hale-Graham Humphries navigated-in the ex Cologne 2.8i Capri?

Age set in with the last post! I do mean Ian Humphrey navigating for Phil Hale-as well as a host of other drivers.
I moved from Sheffield in 1975-what actually happened to 111? It wasn't just a rallying club but did autotests amongst other motor sports.

One Eleven were a very well organised Club, with a lively social side. I used to enter most of their rallies, with mixed results although Brad Piercey and myself won their 'Noble Mellors' rally back in 1981. Now he could go....

Dave Warrington was the unfortunate driver who turned downstream in Spitfire Bottoms, he used to run a transport business in Hillsborough. And Phil Hale's car was quite a rarity - a Capri RS2600, with lightweight panels, etc. As you say, ex-Cologne.

I saw Martin Phaff at the weekend, he now runs a single-seater series for the MSA (he sold the Ginetta business some years ago). Ian Humphrey is retired and living in Norfolk.

111 had a 'closing down' party a few years ago in an attempt to spend the money they had left, with food and a disco, but so may people turned up it made a profit!

Happy days.....

(and hello RX2, I think we only did one event, in your yellow Cortina with the twin Webers. Trust you are well. TC)

You're right Cyclecar it was Dave Warrington.
You had some tremendous results-didn't you finish in the top ten on the Manx with Roger Thorpe in the late 60's in his 1300 Mini. Now, he was unbelievably fast.
Mick Curry-another name from the past. He ran MJ Cars in Blast Lane. Mick did stages rallies with Ian Humphrey. Was it an Escort TC? I did The Jackson with Jock Curry, Mick's dad, and I know we won a pot for something. I think Jock retired after that on a high!!

Trying to collect some info about AB Gelder Auto's from london road and sharrowvale road. Tony Gelder was also involved in racing. He had two sales reps John Bradwell and Bill Lawson. All info is welcome about the garage or the people who worked there.