About

Barham Club Practice

The club tries to hold practice days on a regular basis as the events diary and peoples time allows. Sometimes held in conjunction with the Folkestone club and prove very popular. They are aimed primarily at helping the youth element of the club to improve their riding skills. The dates will be shown on the News page of this site as well as in the monthly newsletter.
The club actively encourages younger members and has a “Training Officer” to ensure that we focus on the future of the sport by encouraging the younger riders.

About Us

Barham Motorcycle Club is a thriving club with members competing in most areas of motorcycle sport.

When you join the club you’ll receive a monthly newsletter to keep you updated on what’s happening.

Whether you ride competitively or simply enjoy being involved in Motorcycle sport then Barham is a great club to join.

Currently we run four trials a year, along with numerous practice days throughout the year.
While we no longer run our own grass track events, club members are always putting on a strong showing at many meetings, nationally and internationally.
We also hold a committee meeting on the third Thursday of every month at the Black Robin Pub in Kingston. So whether you’re a circuit racer, enduro, or any other faction of two wheel sport why not join us?
A club is made by the enthusiasm of its members, so come and join us and enjoy!

Want To join the club?

For a membership that includes an e-mailed newsletter each month then the cost will be just £5.
For those that wish to have a "real newsletter" posted out the cost will now be £20.

If you would like the TSM these can be ordered direct from the printer, the details are on the last inside page of the TSM and the cost is £25.00 for 12 issues posted directly to your door

The TSM is also available as a digital version and 12 issues will cost £21.00
A single current issue costs £1.80 and back issues are normally £1.00

For the digital version please visit https://issuu.com/thesportingmotorcyclist
Note that the TSM costs may change and the club has no control over this

Club History

The club was formed early in 1929 by a group of young businessman in Barham.
The initial members were: Frank & Charlie Vanner and Charlie Newman (Butchers), Frank Everett, Alf Epps and Alf Andrews (Builders). Soon after the formation a cosiderable number of other local enthusiasts were recruited, the most well known being: Tom Arter, Bert Thompson, Reg Hambrook, John Perkins, Alf Keller and Frank Down.

For a club badge they used the banner of a famous army regiment depicting a lamb holding a long pennant, probably because the founder members were butchers.
Thought to be appropriate our open to centre trial was later named the Mutton Lancers Trial and remains so to the present day.

In the pre war days, grass track racing was very popular, the Barham clubs venue being at Hearts Delight Farm, Kingston.
Tom Arter, his brother Don, Reg Hambrook and others took the clubs name to many wins, including the coveted Silver Helmet trophy at the Ashford Track.

Social events featured strongly in the clubs calendar with many runs and club outings to the coast and other clubs hostelries. An annual Dinner & Dance was introduced and is still an annual club event.

The 2nd World War intervened and although the club did not disband, activities were obviously curtailed. Interesting to note in the Club minutes of March 30th 1937 that “in the event of war the Club to provide dispatch riders if necessary. Messrs Arter, Epps, Thompson and Hambrook volunteered all being of eligible age”

Over the years success grew until in the sixties with riders like Mike Duff, Hugh Anderson, Peter & John Williams and Dave Hughes (who were all Club members), they achieved many successes including Dave winning the Manx Grand Prix. The club won “Best Club Riders Trophy” in the Isle of Man circa 1956 with Toms 3 riders, Gavin Dunlop, Don Crossley & Frank Perris all on Arter Matchless’.
The famous Derek Minter was also a club member during his many years on the road racing scene, in fact he was made a life Vice President following his historic 100mph (first on a 250) lap of the I.O.M TT circuit, later reduced to 99.7mph by the ACU.

Likewise in trials, club riders riding Arter AJS’ such as Cliff Clayton and Mick Waller went on to become full works AJS riders. Mick also rode a works AJS for the British team in the ISDT.
Through the years the Barham club has been involved in most aspects of motorcycle sport.

Trials, until the mid 1990’s always included ground at Jumping Downs, then owned by ex Club President, Lawrence Goddard. Twenty or more miles of roadwork were usually included and only a single lap of the course was used. In later years the Downs were also laid out for a spectacular moto cross course, although flints were a terrible problem, it was used for a few meetings until support dwindled.
Currently the club uses 3 seperate pieces of land to run the various events on.
Grass tracks, run by the club, also eventually suffered from a lack of support, although many fine tracks, such as the original Lydden Hill track and Ham Farm, Barham were used for many years.