A BRIEF HISTORY OF CAPITAL WINGS
 
July 81 - On Wednesday 1st July the initial get together of Capital Wings took place at the Princess Louise pub, High Holborn, London, WC1. The landlord agreed that they could use a room upstairs for regular meetings every two weeks on a Thursday night. Letters were sent out to 28 GWOCGB Members in the area and 20 owners turned up. At closing time a small group set off for a run to Heston services for a bite to eat and this first Meeting of Capital Wings came to a close at midnight. The reps were Dave Sowden and Denise Lloyd.
 
Sept 81 - London Honda Dealer, Mocheck (there's a blast from the past!) invited Capital to hold a Meeting at their Premises.
 
Feb 82 - A new Meeting place was found at the Oxford & Cambridge Pub, New Oxford Street, London, W.1. Neil Hewitt came on board as Rep's assistant.
 
April 82 - Dave tried to start up a darts and pool team for the pub
 
May 82 - Yet another new venue as Capital moved home once again to the Prince George Of Cumberland. Maybe the last lot didn't like the way we threw the darts!!
 
Jan 83 - Capital hosted 2 French Wingers and 34 bikes did a London tour---after closing time, of course! The first Wingding was planned for this year at Picketts Lock, Edmonton.
 
May 83 - The first Capital Wingding May 6th to 8th. Inscription fee was £5.00 per bike. There was a free buffet.  Ray & Chris Richer Joined GWOCGB
June 83 - Brian Barton became the new Rep.
 
Dec 83 - A Christmas bash was held on the 10th at Fawlty Towers Restaurant, Fulham Road, London, SW6. Price per head was £7.50 and 98 Members attended!!! Colin Bingley won the fancy dress competition---dressed as Master Blaster!?!?!? Stan Ching came as an educated vampire!?!?!?
 
Feb 84 - The Saturday night visits to the Chelsea Cruise began.
 
May 84 - Rep Brian Barton was involved in a serious accident so "Uncle" Fred Miller took over as Rep "for the time being".
 
June 84 - At the 2nd Capital Wingding, 73 Goldwings turned up at Picketts Lock. The run was to Hendon and was led by 2 police motorcyclists. Fred Miller raised £9.00 for charity by sitting in the stocks having wet sponges thrown at him. Joe Sene, Gary Ingram, John Higgins and Count Roderick Sangorski join GWOCGB.
 
Oct 84 - Stan Ching had his combination stolen from outside the Meeting place. John Woods joins GWOCGB.
 
Nov 84 - Capital organised the Club stand at the Motorcycle Show at Olympia, London.
 
Dec 84 - Club Meeting nights were being regularly attended by up to 60 Goldwings. Joe Sene sold his Wing.  Fred donned his Santa suit for the first time for the Capital Toy Run. Dave Pace joins GWOCGB.
 
April 85 - New member, Dave Pace, has admitted that he is a magician and a Capital magic show was held. This raised £22.10 for the Kidney Dialysis Fund. Who put in the 10p?---they probably all did (well this was nearly 30 years ago-you could probably buy a pint for 25p!!)
 
May 85 - The new Capital "skyline" logo, drawn by Stuart Ching, was first used.
 
July 85 - Capital became the 1985 "Aunt Sally" champions at the White Horse Wingding.
 
Aug 85 - Ray Richer became the Capital Treasurer.
 
Oct 85 - Capital officially announced as the largest region in GWOCGB.
 
Jan 86 - Stan Ching, Capital member, died at a winter bike rally in Belgium on the 18th, at the age of 77.
 
Feb 86 - Edward & Doreen Goodrum (Ed & Dor) joined GWOCGB.
 
Mar 86 - Capital commissioned a glass model GL1200 Goldwing. It was made for a raffle prize.
 
April 86 - The Capital Easter Egg Run was attended by 88 Goldwings!
 
June 86 - Dave Fearey took over the Rep's job from Uncle Fred Miller. Big John Higgins became secretary and Ray Richer was still Treasurer.
 
July 86 - After four years a new venue was required. We went on to the Cock Tavern, Phoenix Rd, London, NW1.
 
Sept 86 - At the Abbeville Wingding in France, Lyn Higgins was voted "Miss Goldwing".
 
Dec 86 - Ray Brooking & Jeanette Jerome became members of GWOCGB, along with Lee Skinner.
 
Jan 87 - TV crews arrived at the Cock Tavern and floodlit the street to film John Higgins arriving at the Club night. After filming the Club room, a Granada Estate with a cameraman standing on top, led a run to Chelsea Bridge. This was three hours filming which was shown on "South Of Watford" for a whole 3 minutes!!!
 
Mar 87 - New members from London were Moira Stewart (was it really the newsreader?) And Eric Richard, the actor from The Bill. Doreen Goodrum did a 40 length sponsored swim for charity and raised £200.
 
Jun 87 - Griff Griffiths joined GWOCGB as did Richard & Karen Monksfield.

July 87 - John Woods became the new Capital Rep and we went back to the Prince George Of Cumberland pub again.
 
Aug 87 - Capital Wingding had 101 inscriptions.
 
Jan 88 - Colin & Chris Bingley turned up as Mickey & Minnie Mouse at the Capital Christmas bash.
 
Feb 88 - A beardless Yetti turns up in a photo with Radio 1 D.J. Mike Read on the front cover of WingSpan. Al & Kerrie Peskett join GWOCGB.
 
April 88 - Phil & Peggy Peskett join GWOCGB. Barry Archer showed off the first GL1500 in the country which he had just collected from the docks.
 
Oct 88 - Ed won the oldest rider award at the Thames Valley Wingding. Yetti won the award for the Wing with the most lights at the White Horse Wingding.
 
Nov 88 - John Woods resigns as Rep as he lost the enthusiasm to turn up every week. Capital was suffering a low point at this stage. Ray Richer took over as Rep.
 
Dec 88 - The first Capital Christmas lights run takes place.
 
Jan 89 - Capital went on a run out to Walton on the Naze with Essex Wings and played on the beach---in January!!!
 
Apr 89 - Looking for a new Meeting place, again!
 
May 89 - Record producer, Mickie Most, joins GWOCGB.
 
June 89 - New Meeting place found at the Victoria pub, Mornington Terrace, London, NW1.
 
Aug 89 - Ray Richer pleads with Capital Members to turn up at meetings as attendance is getting so low.
 
Apr 90 - Geoff Plumridge came along with the first SE version of the GL1500 in the country.
 
Aug 90 - Roger "Gadget" Kemp joins GWOCGB.
 
Sept 90 - Nick the old fart, joins GWOCGB.
 
Oct 90 - Yetti was first called Yetti in Ray Richer's WingSpan report.
 
Dec 90 - "Adrian" first appeared (or not) to write the Capital WingSpan reports. Big John Higgins took over as Rep.
 
Mar 91 - Yetti delivered a cake to Barts Hospital for charity. It had been relayed by Goldwings from Nottingham.
 
Apr 91 - Capital took 11 boats out on the Norfolk Broads.
 
Jun 91 - Steve Taslim and John Tarby joined GWOCGB. This month, Uncle Fred Miller set out to find out how old Capital Wings was. He found a letter dated 1st July 1981 which confirmed the date.
 
July 91 - Tony & Jackie Regan joined GWOCGB. Ed tried to remove some stickers from his new crash helmet which left sticky patches. He decided to use toilet paper soaked in petrol to clean it but dropped it into the petrol tank of his bike. He then had to drain the tank and remove the soggy bog paper!
 
Aug 91 - Capital Wingding had a Bavarian Oompah band and Graham did his famous fire eating act! Chris Wood and Peter & Linda Light joined GWOCGB.
 
Nov 91 - Dave Baruch joined GWOCGB, He owned a caff by the station at Kew and we went there for bacon sarnies after the Meeting one night. Yummeee!!
 
Dec 91 - Capital decided to collect for the Hearing Dogs For The Deaf to train a hearing dog. Ginny became Treasurer and immediately got a new car!!!! (Not really!). Richard Monksfield became secretary.
 
July 92 - The Mole Street Circular first appeared. Yetti's bike, FUBAR, caught fire on its first start up and appeared (with Yetti) on You've Been Framed.
 
Aug 92 - Richard was knocked off his Wing by a Skoda!! Linda blew up her air bed---NO SHE ACTUALLY BLEW UP HER AIR BED!!!! A lesson was learnt by us all! Don't go away anywhere whilst your air bed is being inflated!! Kevin & Marion O?Brian joined GWOCGB. Big Daz used his best French to order burger and chips, and got 5 ham rolls!!
 
Nov 92 - Capital Raised £1000 for Children In Need.
 
Feb 93 - Peter Russell joined GWOCGB (but which Peter Russell was it?)
 
May 93 - Capital had 45-50 Members. Stuart & Wendy join GWOCGB.
 
Jul 93 - Capacacabana Wingding saw 170 inscriptions and Elvis had entered the building.
 
Nov 93 - Rick & Debs joined GWOCGB. John Higgins was on the Big Breakfast T.V. programme with Chris Evans, along With Lee Skinner, Uncle Fred and Taz.
 
Feb 94 - Richard Monksfield took over as Rep.
 
April 94 - Yetti becomes secretary (he's getting closer!!)
 
May 94 - Les & Val Dorney join GWOCGB along with Compass Peter Martin.
 
Jul 94 - Ted & Madelaine Temple join GWOCGB.
 
August 94 - Mike & Jeanette Preston joined GWOCGB. The £2500.00 was raised for the Hearing Dog For The Deaf. The Meeting place changed again and went back to the Cock Tavern. The Wingding at Tesco Country Club was attended by 234 Goldwings!!.
 
Sept 94 - Alan & Chris Smith joined GWOCGB. Cliff Keen & Lela also joined.
 
Dec 94 - Barry & Karen Barnard Join GWOCGB. Peter Fisher & Gill join GWOCGB.
 
Jan 95 - The Hearing Dog For The Deaf was named BOBBIN. Yetti and Richard Monksfield became joint reps (he got there at last!!!)
 
Mar 95 - Ray Thorogood & Rose join GWOCGB. Yosipa becomes WingSpan reporter.
 
May 95 - Daz & Sarah got married. Yetti and Big All turned the fridge door round and removed the labels from every tin in their house. Imagine thinking about beans on toast and opening a tin of Pedigree Chum!!!
 
Jul 95 - Joe Sene rejoined GWOCGB. Richard & Karen Monksfield bough and moved into their Post Office/Store in Chelmsford. Elvis was back at the Wingding.
 
Aug 95 - Mike & Dotti joined GWOCGB.
 
Nov 95 - Bald Eagle became the WingSpan reporter. Capital took part in the November Lord Mayor?s Show in London and all got on the telly.
 
Dec 95 - The first visit to the Star Trek pub in London.
 
Feb 96 - Bobbin, the hearing dog for the deaf was presented to his new owner, Christine in Camberley. Chris Wood won Most Turned Up Mole award (surprise surprise). Peter Martin was nicknamed Compass Pete as he used a compass to make sure his tent was facing the right way at Banham Zoo.
 
Mar 96 - "Bolt-On" Barry Carter joined GWOCGB. We moved Meeting place again and went to the Duke Of York, Downham Road, N1. Lee & Hazel got engaged.
 
April 96 - Jim & Sheila Pidgeon joined GWOCGB. Bill Spear also joined.
 
July 96 - A GWOCGB record of 287 inscriptions for the Capital Wingding made it the most successful Wingding ever known!! Some Moles visited Jersey for the first and only Channel Islands Wingding.
 
Aug 96 - Cliff & Lela were escorted to the police station for a coffee and a rest (not arrest!) after being caught having a pee at the side of the road.
 
Dec 96 - Dotti, Ray & Gary won the Essex Quiz Night.
 
Jan 97 - Mike, Dotti and Bolt-On Barry took part in the London New Years Day Parade for the first time. Ponsbourne Park was the venue for the Capital Christmas bash. Anyone remember trousers rolled up to "Zorba The Greek"?!?!?! Vandal Val became WingSpan reporter.
 
Feb 97 - Mo Green joined GWOCGB. Debs knocked herself out by headbutting a wall at the Brass Monkey Weekend. She now takes more water with it!!
 
Mar 97 - The boys only managed 9 out of the 13 pubs in the centre of Waltham Abbey on the Mad March Mole Weekend pub crawl.
 
May 97 - Norfolk Broads weekend proved eventful when we were stopped from flying the Swastika on our U-Boat. The policeman took it in good humour, clocked off and came back to our boat for a beer and photos. Last time Ed went to the police station, the photo was still on the wall.
 
Jun 97 - Gary & Jane joined GWOCGB. Pete Russell won a brick of a trailer at the Treffen.
 
Oct 97 - Jim & Pat Green joined GWOCGB. Moving home again. This time to the Mitre in the same road, N1.
 
Jan 98 - Yetti became sole Rep and now we are up to 13 years and counting.
 
May 98 - Neil & Jill Campbell joined GWOCGB. The first Maastricht Parade in Holland was enjoyed by all participants. Gary put his tent up in the underground car park at the hotel.
 
Aug 98 - Robert & Tom's "No Earwigs" sign seemed to do the trick at Thames  Valley after Edd & Dor found millions of them. Mike led 104 Goldwings on a runout to North Weald Market and aerodrome.
 
Sep 98 - Edd & Dor had had a tumble from a dodgy scooter in Majorca. They were removing grit from under their skin for weeks. Lee & Hazel tied the knot.
 
Oct 98 - Ten moles went Stateside for a 3 weeks touring holiday. Mark Thomas was taken ill and had to wrestle with a rubber glove!!
 
Mar 99 - Our dear Doreen lost her fight with cancer on the 8th March. She will never be forgotten.
 
June 99 - Another dear friend, Fred Miller, passed away.
 
Jul 99 - Ted got bashed on the bonce when a railway barrier came down at a level crossing in Spain.
 
Aug 99 - We had a visit from Bud, Jim, Joe, Kelly & Vicky form Ohio. We travelled with them to many places ending up at the Treffen in Kelso. We showed them how to have a good time!!! Cliff's home made toilet came in handy at the Capital fishing dropout in Sussex.
 
Sep 99 - Mark & Anne took delivery of their new 1500.
 
Jan 00 - Yetti's 1200 was on the front cover of the first WingSpan of the new Millenium, with the Dome in the background. Cliff was presented with a toilet seat and brush for his splendid toilet making efforts. Bob & Lydia (Ma & Pa) Larkin joined GWOCGB. Capital ventured to Paris on the Goldwings for the Paris New Years Day Parade. Bolt-On Barry Became WingSpan reporter.
 
Mar 00 - Bud & Jim from Ohio joined GWOCGB.
 
April 00 - The Moles invaded the London Eye. John Smithies joined GWOCGB.
 
July 00 - Denny & Charlene from Pennsylvania came over to London and wanted to meet up with some Goldwingers. Boy! Did they get more than they had bargained for! The friendship still continues today. Little Georgia was christened.
 
Aug 00 - The new Capital mugs were unveiled to the membership.
 
Oct 00 - Mal & Tracy Green joined GWOCGB. Capital's Redcoats organised a party at the Belgian Friendship weekend, where the theme was Hi-Di-Hi!! Our race night raised £500 for the Little Haven Hospice.
 
Feb 01 - Peter & Lesley took front cover of the WingSpan with a photo of them on their new GL1800 at the London New Years Day Parade.
 
March 01 - Geoff & Janice Roebuck joined GWOCGB after buying Mike & Dotti?s red 1500 after Meeting on holiday on a Turkish Gullitt (Boat). Another new Meeting place. This time the White Hart, London, WC2.
 
May 01 - Rick shows off his refurbished and highly polished light blue 1200 and has centre pages in the WingSpan (well he was living with the head of WingSpan!!!) showing how he took it apart piece by piece to clean it. Geoff Roebuck travels 180 miles with a lump in his crash helmet. Don't we all know that the intercom speakers are supposed to be next to your ears and not on the top of your head!!
 
Jun 01 - Wayne (Baby) & Ingrid join GWOCGB after arriving from South Africa. Wayne won youngest rider at his first ever Wingding at Centre.
 
July 01 - Capital's Wingding was cancelled at the last minute due to travellers invading the site. Peggy had 2 puddings!!! Tracy packed her tent away with a full cup of coffee inside it at the Yorkshire Wingding.
 
Oct 01 - Big Al & Kerrie got married.
 
Feb 02 - Catford Walnut John & Lidia joined GWOCGB.
 
Mar 02 - Jed & Ros joined GWOCGB.
 
Jun 02 - Mike Pearce appears on the front of WingSpan dressed as Noddy!
 
Nov 02 - Mike Pearce was elected to the post of General Secretary of GWOCGB.
 
Jan 03 - Wayne became assistant Rep with Yetti.
 
Mar 03 - Jim (The Bitch) & Cath Page Join GWOCGB.
 
Apr 03 - Bud Lovell, one of our American Moles from Ohio, lost his fight with cancer. Mike, Dotti & Cliff were pleased to have visited him just before he reached his worst.
 
Mar 03 - Several moles went to a benefit concert held in memory of Ken Snell. Big Al spends 2 hours trying to meet up with the bikes on the famous Pioneer Run only to find out that he turned up a week early!
 
Jun 03 - Denny, Charlene & Ron from Pennsylvania joined GWOCGB.
 
Jul 03 - Len Clarke joined GWOCGB, firstly as an Associate member. We lost Squadron Leader Ray Richer not long after he and Christine had moved to Devon.
 
Aug 03 - Bolt-On Barry & Val moved to Cyprus. Denny, Charlene & Ron spent a month touring the UK with Mike & Dotti, ending up at the Treffen in Kelso.
 
Jan 04 - Edd Goodrum passed away. A sad time for all of us.
 
Jun 04 - The Mystery tour to Normandy took us to a lovely chateau in France. A superb holiday was had by all.
 
Jul 04 - Martin & Sue Spitty joined GWOCGB. Mike Pearce saw a trailer sail past him on the A4 on his way to the Avon Wingding. It wasn't long before he realised that it was his own!!!!
 
Oct 05 - Tommy Walsh paid a visit to the meeting place in Stratford to present our cheque to Richard House Hospice---A few people got star-struck. Taz set off all alone for his marathon bike trip to Bangladesh. The journey was to take him 7,300 miles through France, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh. His pledges and donations totalled £4000 for charity. Well done Taz!!
 
Mar 06 - Keith & Val Drinkwater joined GWOCGB. Capital lost Jeanette Wallace in a twist of fate which took her so young to an untimely death,
 
Apr 06 - Taz's Tango 1800 gets front page of the WingSpan with a picture taken close to the Khyber Pass.
 
May 06 - FUBAR gets front of WingSpan on display at Ally Pally.
 
Oct 06 - Baby Wayne, Ingrid & little Dani are on their way back to South Africa after 5 years on the UK.
 
Jan 07 - Tommy & Sue join GWOCGB.
 
Feb 07 - Another sad loss was Peter Light who was a good friend and early Capital member. As a lay preacher he had conducted both Edd and Doreen's funerals. Colin & Coral McGee joined GWOCGB.
 
Apr 07 - Rob & Maria Landragin Joined GWOCGB.
 
Oct 07 - We lost an amazing presence from our Club when dear friend Lesley Kennedy passed away.
 
Nov 07 - Just as we thought he might get better another dear friend left us. This time Cliff Keen. There will never be anyone else like Cliff. We had some great times together.
 
July 08 - The MOLEYWOOD Wingding went down a storm.
 
Jul 10 - John & Helen did the Long Way Round the whole of the M25 to protest against London bike parking charges.
 
Sep 10 - Stuart & Wendy Bell got married---about time too!!!
 
Jul 11 - CAPITAL CELEBRATES 30 YEARS!!!

Jul 15 - MOLE BRITTANIA Wingding - A blazing hot red white & blue weekend!

Aug 19 - Capital Wings Swiss adventure.

May 20 - V.E. Day 75th Anniversary celebrations (In lockdown). Capital members still celebrated online!

April 23 - Sad loss of our dear friend Joe (Oggi Oggi) Sene.  Greatly missed.

Jun 23 - THE GREATEST SHOWMOLE Wingding - Circus themed antics! A great weekend.

Today - STILL GOING STRONG!