Welwyn Wheelers regret to announce the death of John (Sid) Darby, of Sandridge. John, known by the cycling community as Sid, passed away at home on 8th January 2021. A private burial took place at St Leonard’s Church, Sandridge. The family hope to have a service at which all can attend in the future. Donations to Rennie Grove Hospice Care are welcome: https://justgiving.com/fundraising/renniegrovedarby
John joined just a few years after foundation of the club. He is remembered in Welwyn Wheelers: A History on Wheels, published last year, an extract is reproduced below:
“My first experience with cycle racing was as a lad….a friend of mine, Pete Dawson, was a cycling speedway enthusiast. Both my Dad and Pete’s Dad had shops in the village – Pete’s Dad was the Butcher. He needed 8 riders and a couple of reserves for a speedway team. They started calling me Sid because that was my Dad’s name and it stuck. I first joined the Verulam but joined the Welwyn in 1950. I remember the old Welwyn reliability trial. My first year it wasn’t half cold. I remember it was January. We came up from Dunstable, then went to Aylesbury and High Wycombe, and when you come back you come to what is now a roundabout at Batchwood Drive. I felt like quitting in Hemel Hempstead and heading for home, we turned for Dunstable, Luton, Hitchin and back to WGC where we finished. I then had to ride home so I did 110 miles. We were supposed to get a medal, but nobody did.”