Bikers welcome anytime
A BRIEF HISTORY OF BOSTON
By Tim Lambert
Dedicated to Becca Reeve
BOSTON IN THE MIDDLE AGES
According to legend Boston is named after St Botolph. It is said he came to the area in the 7th century and built a monastery and church next to an existing settlement. The settlement was renamed Botolph's tun (town). However this story is disputed by some historians who believe its name has a different origin.
Boston was not mentioned in the Domesday book of 1086. However it probably grew into a little town in the late 11th century or early 12th century. At that time international trade was booming. Boston was well situated to trade with Europe and it soon became a busy little port. Boston also became a focal point for the surrounding villages. It grew into a market town.
As well as weekly markets Boston had an annual fair by 1125. In the Middle Ages fairs were like markets but they were held only once a year. Merchants came from all over Europe to buy and sell at a Boston fair.
In the Middle Ages wool was England's most important export. By the 13th century wool exports from Boston were booming. In the early 13th century Boston paid more tax than any other town except London. Apart from wool some salt, grain and lead were exported. The main import was wine (the drink of the upper class). Timber and fish were imported from Scandinavia. Spices were also imported into Boston.
In the 14th century only certain towns were allowed to export wool. They were called staples. In 1369 the king made Boston a staple. However in the 15th century the wool industry shifted away from the East Midlands to other parts of England. As a result Boston began to decline. Furthermore the River Witham began to silt up which hindered shipping adding to the decline of the port.
In the Middle Ages Boston was surrounded by a ditch called the Barditch. Bar is the old word for gate. Just to make life complicated the street name 'gate' as in Bargate is derived from the old Danish for street 'gata'.
Boston was a large town. It had several thousand inhabitants. To us it would seem no more than a large village but by the standards of the time, when settlements were very small, it was a large and important settlement.
However although it was a busy port Boston was not a manufacturing centre. Nevertheless it did have the same craftsmen found in any Medieval town such as carpenters, shoemakers, tanners, butchers and bakers.
St Botolph's church was constructed during the 14th century. The tower, known as the Boston Stump was added between the early 15th century and the early 16th century. It stands 272 feet tall. For centuries it acted as a landmark for sailors.
In the late 13th century friars came to Boston. The friars were like monks but instead of withdrawing from the world they went out to preach. There were 4 orders of friars in Boston, the Dominicans (known as black friars because of the colour of their costumes), Franciscan or grey friars, Carmelites and (from the early 14th century) Austins or Augustines. (The refectory or dining room of the friary was made into a theatre in 1965. It is now Blackfriars Arts Centre).
There was also a 'hospital' just outside the town called St John's Hospital. It was run by an order of monks called the Knights Hospitaller. Here they cared for the poor and the sick as best they could.
In 1281 Boston suffered a fire, which destroyed much of the town. (Fire was a constant danger in Medieval towns as most of the buildings were made of wood with thatched roofs. However if they did burn they could easily be rebuilt).
Several buildings have survived from the Middle Ages. Shodfriars Hall probably dates from the 14th century. (Some friars were called shod friars because they wore shoes unlike the Carmelites who were 'unshod'). Pescod Hall is part of house built in the mid-15th century. St Mary's Guildhall was also built in the 15th century. (In the Middle Ages some people joined religious guilds). Hussey Tower was built in the mid-15th century as part of Hussey Hall. (It was named after Lord Hussey who once owned it).
BOSTON IN THE 16th AND 17th CENTURIES
Henry VIII closed the friaries in Boston.
Despite its importance in the Middle Ages Boston was not made a borough until 1545 when King Henry VIII granted it a charter (a document giving the townspeople certain rights.
From 1552 Boston sent 2 MPs to parliament.
Boston Grammar School was founded in 1555.
Nevertheless in the 16th century Boston was much less important than it had been in the 13th century. The wool trade had almost stopped by 1500. The main trade from Boston was a coastal trade. (In those days it was easier to transport goods by water than by land and many commodities were shipped around the coast of Britain).
In the mid 16th century a writer named John Leland described Boston thus: (I have changed his words slightly to make them easier to read) 'The greatest and chief part of the town in on the east side of the river, where there is a fair market place and a (market) cross with a square tower.'
Leland said the Church of St Botolph was: 'so risen and adorned that it is the chief (church) of the town and for a parish church is the best and fairest in all Lincolnshire.'
During the 16th and 17th centuries the population of Boston continued to grow. (This was despite outbreaks of plague in 1587-88, 1603 and 1625). Maud Foster drain was dug in the mid-16th century.
Then in 1604 James I granted Boston a new charter.
In 1607 a group of Puritans from the Gainsborough area, led by William Brewster, attempted to escape to Holland from Boston. At the time such 'emigration' was illegal but they bribed a captain to smuggle them on board a ship. However he betrayed them to the authorities before they could set sail. Nevertheless most of the puritans were soon released and the next year they escaped in a ship from the Humber.
BOSTON IN THE 18th CENTURY
The writer Daniel Defoe visited Boston in the 1720s and he was impressed. He called it 'large and populous'. However Boston only really began to revive in the late 18th century when Holland Fen was drained. The newly drained land was rich and fertile and soon Boston began to 'export' cereals from the area to London.
In 1794 the River Slea was made navigable from Sleaford to the Witham, which increased the amount of traffic travelling through Boston. The Grand Sluice in Boston opened in 1766.
In 1713 a charity school opened in Boston. It was called the Blue Coat School because of the colour of the uniforms.
A new Customs House was built in Boston in 1725. Fydell House was built in 1726 by William Fydell who was mayor of Boston 3 times.
In 1776 an Act of Parliament formed a body of men called Commissioners with power to light the streets of Boston and to appoint watchmen to patrol the streets at night.
In 1774 Boston gained its first bank and in 1795 a dispensary was opened where the poor could obtain free medicines.
BOSTON IN THE 19th CENTURY
In 1801 Boston had a population of 5,926. By the standards of the time it was quite a large market town.
Maud Foster Mill was built in 1819.
In the early 19th century the coastal trade to and from Boston continued to flourish. Then in 1884 new docks were built downriver of the town which greatly boosted business.
Although Boston was really a market town there was some industry in the 19th century such as making farm implements and in the later 19th century a label making industry.
There were some improvements to Boston in the 19th century. From 1825 Boston had gas light and a waterworks company was formed in 1845. The railway reached Boston in 1848. A volunteer fire brigade was formed in 1855. Also in 1855 a Corn Exchange was built.
BOSTON IN THE 20th CENTURY
In 1901 the population of Boston was 15,000. It rose only slowly in the early 20th century. In 1931 Boston still had a population of only 16,500. By 1951 the population of had risen to 24,000 but this was largely due to boundary changes. (The boundaries of Boston were extended to include other communities).
In the 20th century Boston was still a busy port. Grain, fertiliser and animal feed were imported. So was timber. Wheat, potatoes and beet sugar were exported.
Industries included making tags and labels, food canning and making beds and pillows.
The first cinema in Boston opened in 1910. Centenary Methodist Church opened in 1911. A new town bridge was built in 1913. Then in 1919 the council bought Central Park. In 1924 Boston gained electric light.
A War Memorial was erected in 1921. County Hall was built in 1927. Also in the 1920's the first council houses were built in Boston.
The Guildhall was turned into a museum in 1929. In 1938 the American Room in Fydell House was opened by US Ambassador Joseph Kennedy.
At the present time a new shopping centre called the Pescod Centre is being built.
However Sutterton Enterprise Park opened in 1997. Boston is also a busy and important port.
Boston Stump is the tallest parish church tower in England Or is it?. At 272 feet, the high tower stands out in the total flatness of Lincolnshire UK. If you're visiting Boston Lincolnshire you can't help but see it. And at night, Boston Stump is spectacularly lit up, bringing complaints from ground-based astronomers and spacemen flying over in orbit. There is good news, however, as it is said that the light pollution is not as bad as it was!
This photograph is a composite image created by taking a photo of the top half of the church and another of the bottom half, and then carefully turning them and equalising the contrast/brightness/colour-balance, and then joining them and spray painting the gaps. It seems a bit odd to spend hours of work which can not be seen, but it was the only way of getting a shot that was right. Of course now I've said that, you'll probably look for the join. But you'll probably not find it. It's not obvious.
Boston Market of old
Boston’s immense prosperity in the middle ages has left the town with a problematical legacy – its wealth of medieval buildings. Not all of these are apparent as they are hidden behind Georgian and Victorian facades but two of them – St Botolph’s Church and St Mary’s Guildhall are significant town buildings and both are at various stages of restoration.
St Mary’s Guildhall has been shut since 2001, its closure precipitated by the building’s poor state of repair and falling attendances. During its life it has served as the headquarters of a religious guild, a court, council offices and was even a restaurant during the Second World War. Over the last five years consultations have been taking place and funding sought to carry out work to conserve and develop the building. Money has been obtained from the European Regional Development Fund, Heritage Lottery, East Midlands Development Agency and Interreg, a European Community development initiative. Finally, in February this year, Taskers the builders moved in and started work.
One of the advantages of such a restoration project is that it gives archaeologists the opportunity to examine parts of the building normally obscured by floors, walls and roofing materials, often put in place at later stages of the building’s life. Dendrochronology tests on the newly exposed wooden beams have revealed that the Guildhall was built in the late fourteenth century, making it more than fifty years older than previously estimated.
Archaeologist Dr Jonathan Clark said it had also helped to solve one of the mysteries of the Guildhall – how the ground
'MEMORY LANE'
The History of Boston Rugby Club
Boston Rugby Club was founded in 1927 by Ernst Clark, a gentleman with an interest in giving his boys and their friends something to do, or rather something to keep them out of trouble.
The first 'home' pitch was off Rosebery Avenue in Mountains Field, an unused plot of farmland and the players turned out in blue and white hooped shirts, as they still do. After match entertainment was at the White Hart Hotel. The hotel provided changing facilities which were an old shed out the back which included a tin tank bath. However, this did not unhinge the players as they served a fine pint of Worthington 'E'! It was like drinking dynamite - a drop so powerful that Boston people could only drink it in 1/2 pints. Visitors however drunk pints and were worse for wear very quickly. Whitbread Tankard was sold at BRFC Clubhouse.
The club members were made up from local lads and those coming into the area seeking work. The RAF bases in the surrounding areas provided a strong influx of members which assisted in the growth of the club. Until the outbreak of World War II the club enjoyed the physical and social aspects of the great game of rugby.
During the war the club
diminished, but reformed soon after. The club’s new 'home' pitch was again an
unused plot of farmland; this time off Great Fen Road about 200 yards from
today’s club home. Around 1948 the club was on the move again, this time to
Wainfleet Road where the club used several pitches as they moved field by field
as the farmers requested the use of their land
|
Halfway point |
Roof nearly complete and clubhouse well underway |
As the club grew in strength the next major move was for the club to have its own clubhouse and ground. This happened in 1960 when the club bought ten acres of land from a local farmer. Money for the land was acquired from local business donations and from fund raising within the club. Extra-ordinary supper dances and fund raising proved to be real fun.
The clubhouse project was overseen by Peter Tomes, who had ideas ahead of his time. He proposed that in the changing area the bath should house a radiator which would heat cold water to keep the bills down. With this is mind the only thing you had to remember was 'NOT TO SIT DIRECTLY ON THE RADIATOR'. Apparently Boston Rugby Club was one of the first clubs in the area to have such a facility. To this day the bath is still in full working order and is just the medicine for the players after a long hard slog on the pitch
.
On September 14 1960, the clubhouse was officially opened by Councillor John and Mrs Dell, the Mayor and Mayoress. Mr Dick Clark was Club President at the time and is a nephew of the original club founder Ernst Clark. The clubhouse was now proudly up and running and until 2005 was enjoyed by generations of fine club members and friends.
The Club has now embarked on a new chapter of its history. In 1998 Boston Rugby Club proposed a project that would improve the development of sports within the community.
The idea was to build a new facility that would house not only rugby and athletics but would also be fully accessible to people with a disability. Boston Rugby Club produced initial proposals for the enhanced facilities and these proposals were endorsed by the Borough Council in April 1998. Working in partnership with the local authority; the Rugby Club and Boston & District Athletic Club formed the 'Disabled and Able-bodied British Sports Initiative' which operated under the name of dabsi.
Work soon commenced on the first phase of the project with the help of major sponsor Finnforest, a global timber manufacturer whose UK base is in Boston. The second phase of the project saw the development of the Rugby Club area and the whole development received Royal Ascent when it was officially opened by the Princess Royal and is now known as the Princess Royal Sports Arena.
The Princess Royal Sports Arena
With the new stadium the club can now offer their members the magnificent playing, training and competition facilities. The club also aims to host county and representative matches at both senior and youth level.
|
Although it was 1933 before the name Boston United
first appeared, football had been played in the town since the late 1800s
and, indeed, always on the same site as the present York Street stadium. The
first time that a team from Boston entered the FA Cup was in 1887. In the
first round they were drawn against Gainsborough Trinity and were soundly
thrashed 7-0. Those early years saw some spectacular defeats in the FA Cup,
including a 9-0 defeat at Lincoln City in 1890 and in the following season
Grimsby Town went one better to notch up a 10-0 win.
By the start of the First World War there were two clubs in Boston, Boston
Town, whose headquarters were "The Coach and Horses," and Boston Swifts, who
used "The Indian Queen" as their HQ. In fact, as both the public houses were
situated on "Main Ridge" and the pitch was virtually just opposite, it
wasn't surprising that for the first 40 years or so that was what the ground
was called. A small stand was erected in the early 1900s but other than that
there were no other facilities, and the teams changed at the back of the
appropriate pub! Both teams were members of the Lincoln and District League.
After the First World War only one club, called simply Boston, emerged.
After winning the Lincoln and District League in successive seasons, in 1921
the club joined the Midland League as a semi-professional side. In 1925 it
went on to achieve the first Boston giant-killing in the FA Cup by beating
the then-powerful Football League club Bradford Park Avenue 1-0 in the
second round. The club was also achieving respectable positions in the
Midland League, being runners up in 1924-25, behind Mansfield Town and again
in 1926-27 behind Scunthorpe United. Both Mansfield and Scunthorpe were
non-league sides at this time.
With entrances and dressing rooms at the west end, the ground was now known
as "Shodfriars Lane." At the end of the 1932-33 season, the directors of
Boston FC decided to wind up the club and they took the company into
liquidation. Lack of success had meant that the club was not bringing in
sufficient funds to make continuation of the Midland League side financially
viable. It was proposed to keep football present in the town by running an
amateur team in the Peterborough League. However, on July 3, a group of
Boston FC supporters held a meeting in the Friendly Societies Hall to
discuss an alternative proposal; to form a new club, to be called Boston
United, that would take the place of Boston FC in the Midland League. There
was enough support for the new proposal, so the new club was born and began
playing in the summer of 1933. It was able to replace Boston FC in the
Midland League and the Lincolnshire League, but was unable to get agreement
from the FA in time to take over Boston's entry to the FA Cup for the
upcoming season. The new club was also able to play on the Shodfriars Lane
ground. For the first few games of the season they wore the blue strip of
the old Boston side, but after a month they switched to black shirts with a
white V-neck as they found that the blue shirts tended to fade and were
looking untidy.
In January 1934, Ernest Malkinson, a local entertainment entrepreneur, was
elected to the board. For most of the next 70 years, the Malkinson family,
owners of the Gliderdrome bingo and dance hall, were one of the driving
forces behind Boston United as the club established themselves as a major
semi-professional side. In 1936, a player who is arguably the most famous to
ever pull on a United shirt joined the club. It was Freddy Tunstall, the
former Sheffield United and England winger. He had made seven appearances
for England between 1923 and 1925 and was England captain for matches
against Canada and France. He had also scored the only goal in the 1925 FA
Cup Final when Sheffield United beat Cardiff City at Wembley Stadium in
front of 91,763 fans. Tunstall was soon appointed as player-manager at
Boston and went on to become the longest-serving manager in the club's
history with a total of almost nine seasons in charge to his credit.
The club would find major success elusive until
1954 when they appointed former Derby County goalkeeper Ray Middleton as
their new player-manager. Middleton put together a squad that would
challenge for honours over the next few seasons. Many of his signings
were from his former club and when Boston reached the second round of
the FA Cup in 1955-56, Middleton was delighted to be drawn against Derby
County at their Baseball Ground. With six former Derby players in the
United team they won by an amazing 6-1 margin. This is still a record
score by a non-league club against a League club on their own ground. A
brave fight against Tottenham Hotspur in the third round wasn't enough
to stop them going out. They also finished as runners-up to Peterborough
United in the Midland League that season, their best-ever performance.
Attendances at Boston at that time were averaging 5,000 to 6,000 for
league games, and when floodlights were first used for the visit of
Corby Town in 1955 over 9,000 people were in the ground!
In a search for more honours, and a Football League place, United joined
the Southern League for the 1958-59 season, finishing third in the North
Western Zone. A mid-table position was all that was gained the next
year, while the following season saw them rock-bottom and they resigned
and spent 1961-62 in the Central Alliance completing a league and cup
"double." The next season they re-joined the "new" Midland League but by
1964 financial problems were at such a point they were forced to resign
and to keep the club name alive while they sorted themselves out, they
ran an amateur side in the local Boston and District league during
1964-65.
Season 1965-66 saw the start of the climb back to senior non-league
football with a United Counties League and cup "double." Refused entry
back into the Midland League in 1967, they became something of an oddity
by being an east coast club playing in the West Midlands League! The
travelling didn't seem to bother them as they won the championship both
years and the League Cup as well in the second year. 1968 saw United as
founder-members of the newly-formed Northern Premier League and the
start of an 11-year period in which all kinds of honours were won and
records were set.
Only twice were they not involved in the championship race, winning it a
record four times. Boston were the first club ever to win a NPL "treble"
of league, cup and shield. The League Cup was won twice, the NPL Shield
four times and the non-league Champions of Champions Trophy twice.
United also created a record of conceding only three goals at home in
league games in a whole season, 51 consecutive home and away league
games without a defeat, and 64 home league games (over three years)
without a defeat. During this period a number of FA Cup triumphs over
Football League opposition were gained and, notably, a return to the
Baseball Ground in 1974 when they held Derby County, the team which
would finish in third place in the league that season and win it the
following season, to a 0-0 draw. The replay saw 11,000 spectators at
York Street by which name the ground was now known and Derby through
with few problems.
United received a huge body-blow in 1977 when
Football League inspectors failed the ground as being suitable for the
Football League, and although United were NPL champions yet again,
runners-up Wigan Athletic were put forward instead and were elected. The
United directors unanimously agreed that this must never happen again,
and so commenced the vast undertaking of rebuilding virtually the whole
of the York Street Ground, launching new fundraising schemes in 1978.
The local population backed them incredibly, and new floodlights,
stands, toilets, turnstiles, terracing and snackbars turned York Street
into the stadium it now is.
Unfortunately, with priorities being centred off the field, memorable
events as regards the playing side were few and far after United joined
the Alliance Premier League in 1979 as founder members, third place was
their highest ever placing in their first spell in the top non-league
competition. The highest point they enjoyed was most certainly in
1984-85 when they celebrated 50 years by reaching Wembley in the FA
Trophy final. Although they went down fighting 2-1 to Gola League
Champions Wealdstone, there were over 12,000 Boston supporters that day
in the crowd of 20,775. About 5,000 of them turned out again the next
day to welcome the team back to Boston.
In the 1992-93 season the club finished bottom of the Conference and
were relegated to the Northern Premier League. They did however also
reintroduce a reserve side, playing in the TSW Printers Lincolnshire
League, which consisted mainly of local players. In the 1995-96 season,
United finished as runners-up in the UniBond League but an
administrative error meant that they were unable to take the promotion
spot and return to the Vauxhall Conference. At the end of the season,
long serving chairman, Pat Malkinson "stepped down" allowing him to
devote more time to his business commitments. Long-serving vice-chairman
Sydney Burgess stepped up to take the reins and immediately introduced a
new youth development scheme at York Street. The 1996-97 season saw
United enjoy a good cup run for the first time in ten years, finally
bowing out to Chester City by a 1-0 margin in the second round proper.
They also reached the UniBond League Challenge Cup final, losing 1-0 to
county rivals Gainsborough Trinity at Sincil Bank, Lincoln.
The 1997-98 season saw the Pilgrims pick up the runners-up trophy again
in the UniBond League. The club also introduced a highly successful
"Football For Life Scheme" under the guidance of Chris Cook. The
youngsters on the scheme won the Lincolnshire Services League Cup at
their first attempt and in a close-fought match, lost to Lincoln City
Youth in the final of the Lincolnshire Charity Cup by a 2-1 margin. For
the 1998-99 season, the Pilgrims moved sideways from the UniBond League
into the Dr Martens League. After a poor start which saw them drop into
a relegation spot, manager Greg Fee resigned and was replaced by the
manager of Stamford AFC, Steve Evans. The turnaround in the club's
fortunes was quite dramatic. Although it was always unlikely that Boston
would catch up with runaway leaders Nuneaton Borough, they eventually
claimed the runners-up spot. The club also had their best run in the FA
Trophy since 1993, reaching the quarter-finals before being knocked out
by St Albans City.
The Pilgrims finally won promotion back to the Conference after a
seven-season absence in 1999-2000. They led the Dr. Martens League for
much of the season and clinched the title with a victory at York Street
over local rivals Grantham Town in front of a huge crowd of over 4,000,
with three games to spare. The reserve side won the Lincolnshire League
for the first time, completing their matches without losing a single
game. In their first season back in the Conference, after a slow start,
which saw them go seven games without a win, they began to put the
results together and eventually finished in 12th place.
For the 2001-2002 season, the club made the decision to go fully
professional. This paid dividends when they went on to clinch the
Conference title and promotion to the Football League. Boston were
subject to an FA investigation in the summer of 2002, but proudly took
their place in the Football League, drawing their first match 2-2 with
AFC Bournemouth at York Street. Manager Steve Evans left the club during
that summer. However, new manager Neil Thompson worked hard to overcome
the four-point deficit imposed on the Pilgrims and steer Boston to a
respectable position of 15th place. The 2003-2004 season was another
unsettled one in United's recent history, with a takeover and a
mid-season managerial change at the forefront of the off-field action.
However, Steve Evans returned to the club and guided the Pilgrims to
their highest-ever league placing of 11th, while the newly-formed Centre
of Excellence also enjoyed a fine first season in existence, under the
guidance of Daral Pugh and Neil Richardson.
The 2004-2005 campaign saw the Pilgrims reach the
third round of the FA Cup for the first time in over 30 years, while the
youth team replicated this feat by reaching round three of the FA Youth
Cup. The first team finished the season in 16th place in the
newly-renamed Coca-Cola League Two and striker Andy Kirk became United's
first-ever current international, by playing for Northern Ireland during
his time with the Pilgrims. Defender Austin McCann, signed from Hearts
in the summer of 2004, had an excellent first season at York Street and
was duly named "player of the year" by the United supporters.
The 2005-2006 season witnessed the Pilgrims claim 11th place in
Coca-Cola League Two, although a play-off bid was curtailed by playing
budget cutbacks in November and January. Manager Evans overcame the
difficulties though and guided his side to a best-ever points tally in
the Football League (61) as well as narrowly losing to Doncaster Rovers
in the second round of the FA Cup.
The 2006-2007 campaign was a tale of woe for everybody involved at the
newly-sponsored 'Staffsmart Stadium' with the season ending in
relegation. Players were sold at regular intervals and the remaining
squad members and staff went unpaid for the final two months of the
season. The Pilgrims took their fight for survival to the last day at
Wrexham, but after leading at half-time, United lost 3-1 to lose the
Football League status they achieved five years earlier. Drewe Broughton
scored eight goals during his loan spell from Chester City, but the
Pilgrims were left to look ahead to their first season back in
non-league football.
Worse news was still to follow in June 2007 though, with demotion to
'Blue Square North' confirmed after the Pilgrims entered a Company
Voluntary Arrangement (CVA). It meant that United would begin the
2007-2008 season in the second tier of non-league football for the first
time since 2000.
Many local riders will know us as organisers of the Boston
Bike Night, an event that attracts thousands of visitors every year. But we are
much more than that! Formed in 1990 we are one of the areas most successful
motorcycle clubs organising meetings and events to cater for all types of bike
and rider.
On average we organise approximately 75 activities a year. We hold regular
Tuesday evening rides out throughout the summer plus other nights and weekends
as well. Pubs, BBQs (usually free to members), visiting other clubs, touring
(camping and B&Bs), parties, rallies, museums, shows, bike nights, bike meets
(e.g. Devils Bridge, Squires, etc) and anything else we think might be of
interest. A rough estimate showed a member could easily travel about 3000 miles
a year on club events alone!
We are affiliated to the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) and the British
Motorcyclists Federation (BMF), organisations fighting for rider's rights both
in the U.K. and the E.C. As an affiliated club, all our members have affiliated
membership of MAG and the BMF and are entitled to some discounts and reduced
entry to some events. We are also affiliated to the National Association for
Bikers with a Disability (NABD), a charity that helps get disabled riders back
on the road.
Membership costs £10 for riders and £7.50 for pillions and in addition to
affiliated membership of MAG, BMF, and the NABD also included is membership of
the Wyberton Sports and Social Club where we are based and our home for much of
the winter months (pool, snooker, comfortable seating, competitively priced
beer!). During the summer we meet at the Bargate End Car Park with most Tuesday
rides out departing at 7.15pm or 7.30 pm but if we are not there we might be
found at the Wyberton Sports and Social Club, The Causeway, off Saundergate
Lane, Wyberton.
A regular newsletter is provided to keep members up to date with events and
activities, and members can advertise bike related items for sale if they wish.
A newsletter is pinned on the WS&SC notice board just in case you turn up at the
club and no one is there and you need to know what's on.
So if you've just returned to biking, recently taken it up, or your just looking
for something else to do why not ride along to one of our events.
ALL START WEDNESDAY EVENINGS 6.30PM UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED
All makes and style of bikes are welcome at any of the bike nights
Boston Bike Night
Thursday 5th July
2007
Wide Bargate Car Park 6:30pm onwards
These are just some of the photo's from 2006.
As you can see it didn't rain!
Boston Motorcycle
Riders Association
