Titch Allen - Founder of the VMCC

[Graham Smith]

Passed away today.

I don't have any further details.

 

[Albervin]

94 years old & 64 years at the VMCC! A legend.

 

[ET43]

And so he might be in some folks eyes. I can remember the little squirt at an Annual Dinner saying, The Vincent is dead, Long live Brough Superior. If I remember correctly, certain members of the East Midlands section, or one thereabouts, persuaded him to attend an Annual Rally whereupon they produced a Firefly on a tall gents pedal cycle and invited him to have a go. Being the vertically challenged person that he was, he needed a hand or two to get in to the saddle and when this was accomplished he was shoved off to ride around the field. Instantly all the aforementioned members disappeared leaving this ' person ' to run the tank dry and hopefully fall off! Justice is sweet, ain't it. A deserving reward to someone who rode a Rough Inferior. ET43

 

[Graham Smith]

Phil, I can't for one minute imagine you would be party to something so dastardly!

 

[Len Matthews]

Yes, I remember the late Mr.Allen's remark about Broughs creating a more significant place in motorcycling history than Vincents. At the time he was a travelling salesman for Douglas, the Vespa importers. When he called at my then workplace I asked him if he had enjoyed the VOC Dinner the previous weekend. "Oh yes, I had a nice evening with the Velocette boys". 'Nuff said!

 

[Hugo Myatt]

Titch once said in print that the Vincent would have been a better machine if it had been made by AMC. I suspect he really meant AJS about thirty years previously. Titch was, well titchy, probably titchier than any rider of Vincent-HRDs. I don't think Tich really liked any bikes with rear suspension because of their necessary increase in saddle height. He was a very pleasant bloke with a huge knowledge and enthusiasm for motorcyles. I doubt whether so many veteran, vintage and classic bikes would have survived the crusher today without his inspiration.

Hugo

 

[Hugo Myatt]

With Regard to Titch and his love of Brough Superiors the following may be of interest. In 1991 there was a press story that Brough Superior were having a renaissance led by a certain Simon Piers-Thurlow. There was to be a brand new SS 100 offered to the market. Coincidently at that particular time I had negotiated an astonishing professional contract and was uniquely and improbably ‘flush’. Now I have always had a soft spot for Broughs. (OK, I know the joke.) Perhaps it is romanticism. My father actually knew T.E.Lawrence. Anyway in a moment of brio I wrote off to the ‘Brough Superior Company’. In return I received a brochure of the ‘New’ machine, plus a personal letter from Simon Piers-Thurlow regarding my requirements, specification and performance, etc.
Frankly, I forgot about it. Probably, it was about the time the Rapide went bang and was sent off to Bob Dunn. However about a year later and coinciding with a time that I was now financially pallid, wan, if not completely anaemic, I received a phone call.
After ascertaining that I was the person in question, the caller, with a cut glass accent, informing me that he was from the Brough Superior Company and enquired of me as to when it would be convenient for me to come into the works for a fitting. PCV never went that far.

 

[Graham Smith]

Memorial Service for Titch

Memorial Service for Titch

View attachment 607

 

[clevtrev]

With Regard to Titch and his love of Brough Superiors the following may be of interest. In 1991 there was a press story that Brough Superior were having a renaissance led by a certain Simon Piers-Thurlow. There was to be a brand new SS 100 offered to the market. Coincidently at that particular time I had negotiated an astonishing professional contract and was uniquely and improbably ‘flush’. Now I have always had a soft spot for Broughs. (OK, I know the joke.) Perhaps it is romanticism. My father actually knew T.E.Lawrence. Anyway in a moment of brio I wrote off to the ‘Brough Superior Company’. In return I received a brochure of the ‘New’ machine, plus a personal letter from Simon Piers-Thurlow regarding my requirements, specification and performance, etc.
Frankly, I forgot about it. Probably, it was about the time the Rapide went bang and was sent off to Bob Dunn. However about a year later and coinciding with a time that I was now financially pallid, wan, if not completely anaemic, I received a phone call.
After ascertaining that I was the person in question, the caller, with a cut glass accent, informing me that he was from the Brough Superior Company and enquired of me as to when it would be convenient for me to come into the works for a fitting. PCV never went that far.

So, did the trousers fit ?