Firstly, Councillor Archie Benstead of Horsell, who had shown great interest in the D.A. was elected as a Vice-President;  Terry Collins came on to the Committee, while Tom Paveley, Cyril Cripps and "Ginger" Davies became regular riders.

Over 50 were at the New Year's Party at the Rendezvous and there was a well attended supper at Hazledene when Wilf Warren and a friend provided musical entertainment and were each rewarded with 50 cigarettes!  There was also a rumbustious comedian, sloshing all within reach with an enormous imitation sausage.  He received the princely sum of 15/0d (75p).

Vice-President A. Benstead presented the D.A. with a challenge cup and replica and Reg Best proposed that seven events be arranged with points to be awarded for each.  A committee headed by Terry Collins master-minded a percentage points scheme (still being used) and the first of the events - a hill-climb - was won by Reg Best with Tom Keeble and Bernard Reeves as runners-up.  Mr. Benstead also donated a number of indoor games for use on club nights and Horsell members, Mr. & Mrs. Binns, gave a brooch medallion bearing the figure of a cyclist, to be presented to the lady with the best attendance and this was won by Mrs. Paveley.

Then a letter was received from a member of the Kingston Section of the M.D.A. enquiring, unofficially, whether there was likely to be any opposition to a proposal that Kingston Section be transferred to the West Surrey D.A.  (This was brought about as the Metropolitan D.A. was trying to shrink its huge area by shedding outlying parts.)

A reply was sent asking if Kingston had considered forming a separate D.A. but later, a Mr. Rands of Kingston attended a West Surrey committee meeting to fully discuss the matter.  The committee did not disapprove of the idea in principle but feared that Kingston, being more likely to expand and increase membership might, in time, vote to change control from Woking to Kingston.  After due consideration it was agreed that the D.A. would have no objection to the suggestion even though there would have to be separate section committees as well as a D.A. committee.  The scheme was later agreed to on the basis that the D.A. committee would have four representatives from Woking and two from Kingston.

At Whitsun 19 went to the Isle of Wight and in May there was a hill-climb on Chobham Ridges when steel rims and mudguards were obligatory but gears were unrestricted.  There were no entry fees or prizes but points were awarded towards the Benstead Cup.  There were only 10 entries, the first three being R. Sadler, C. Davies and G. Alesbury.  Messrs. Steel and Woolgar acted as timekeepers.

On a week-end in June there were Invitation Rides to St. Martha's Chapel on Saturday when 17 took a picnic tea and through the Hampshire Lanes on Sunday when 53 were present for tea at The Iron Duke, Farnham.

The committee discussed the distance of tea places from Woking and the Runs Secretary was asked to arrange that, on at least one Sunday per month, tea would not be more than 20 miles from Woking.  After a 10 mile speed-judging event in the Chobham/Frimley area, the Annual Test Ride started from Guildford Lido at midnight on 4th July.  The route included Andover, Newbury, Oxford and Wallingford, finishing there at 8 a.m.  Breakfast was quoted at 1/0d (5p) per head and Messrs. Benstead and Binns (in cars) were a great help as checkers and by supplying refreshments throughout the night.  Attempts were made to arrange club nights at The Red Lion, Horsell, and The Rio Cafe, Ripley, but the former was too heavily booked and the charge for the latter was deemed to be prohibitive so The Ship at Worplesdon was tried.  Later that month, Les Gray acted as timekeeper for a treasure hunt - won by Reg Best with Tom Keeble and Mrs. Paveley as runners-up and the weddings took place of both Les Norman and Jack Thompson.

August Bank Holiday tour was in the Cotswolds and there was a day run to the Isle of Wight with a 6 am start and lunch in Seaview with 17 to tea at Petersfield on the way back.  George Alesbury still likes to recall the many times he had tea at Petersfield with the subsequent long ride back to his home at Walton-on-Thames.  He also remembers that several regulars rode throughout that winter in shorts, using some sort of oil to combat the cold!

A visit to a miniature railway from Farnborough to Hawley was followed by a map-reading event organised by Les Gray and there was a Special General Meeting at Avondale, Dunsfold (then a regular tea place) to confirm the decision to take over the Kingston Section.  The motion was carried by 21 votes to 5 and later the council of the Club confirmed that "the portion of the M.D.A. area situated in the County Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames be transferred to the West Surrey D.A."

Other happenings that year included another visit to Mr. Southon's old bicycles, an 11.30 pm start of a ride to Hurstmonceux and Pevensey Castles, with breakfast in Eastbourne and lunch in Brighton;  Norman Pearce organised a re-union ride for 11 members in the Plaistow area;  a rough-stuff event at Frensham was won by Don Field with Ron Sadler and Tom Keeble 2nd and 3rd.  A committee meeting at Hazeldene ordained that runs start 10 minutes after times stated in the runs lists while the tenth A.G.M. of the D.A. (and that of the new Woking Section) was held at Newdigate Holiday Camp.

Terry Collins emerged as Secretary and Treasurer of Woking Section with Tom Keeble as Runs Secretary, while Bill Inder continued as D.A. Secretary and Treasurer.  A photogaphic competition was won by Terry Collins and the Benstead Cup result on points was T. Collins and T. Keeble tied for first place with Reg Best next but T. Keeble was declared the winner as having the best runs attendance.

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Web page by Chris Jeggo.  Last revised:  2 January 2005.