Two from the Eight Decades
Mon, February 8, 2016 
I was born this day February 8th 1936, in a village called Dunsfold in Surrey England. Just South of London. I tried to write a brief decade by decade account of my life, but found 80 years was too long to summarise in a blog post. So gave up and decided to post some pictures from the first two. The earliest picture I have is the one above. Already learning to keep my head down and my eyes open.
With my Dad in my first year or so. He was so proud of me back then. WWII took him away for 5 years when I was 4 and when he came home I was 9 years old. I realize now how annoying 9 year old boys can be. No wonder he hated me.
My earliest picture with my mother, as she was usually the photographer. Aged about two I'm guessing.
1940 Aged 4. Why so serious? WWII had started.
About the same time. The tents in the background are an army camp. With my Uncle David, who I was named after.
1944. Left to right, my Mother, My younger sister Betty, my step-sister Joyce and myself.
A school picture. My mother wrote the date on the back, 1944. I was eight.
1948 The war was over, I was 12. Here with my sister.
1949. Aged 13, with my first new bike. A Hercules Roadster.
The local church choir. Me on the right age 13.
1950. Age 14, on a horse at my Aunt's Riding School.
1951, One of my last school pictures. Aged 15. (Is that a hint of a smile, or a fuck you smirk?)
1952. My first year racing. Age 16.
1952, At the end of my first season racing, collecting my trophies. After years of my father and school teachers telling me I was useless, people were praising me and telling me I was good at something. No wonder I fell in love with cycling.
1953. Aged 17. Riding in the National 12 Hour TT Championship. Covered 220 miles in the 12 hours.
1954. On the right aged 18. Wearing the fashion of the day, discovering girls. Into music, modern jazz mostly. Rock n' Roll was yet to burst on the scene a couple of years later. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were only 11 years of age. And People think those guys are old?
And that was only the beginning, I'm off to enjoy the rest of my day, after all I will only turn 80 once.
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Reader Comments (18)
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday dave! Maybe a bike ride today to celebrate....or no bike ride to celebrate, it's your birthday, have a great day!
All the best!
Happy Birthday, Dave - great photos!
Fantastic read , Happy Birthday Dave Moulton !
Happy Birthday, Dave
Enjoy your day, Dave! Others have already said it, but i will as well, All The Best!
Happy birthday, and thanks for the photos. They're all good, but my favorite is that of you aged 13 with the Hercules, which reminds me of myself, age 13, summer 1968, with a newly acquired, gold metallic Raleigh Sports, which I had bought from a friend after selling my 3/4 size Indian Hero. I hot rodded the Sports later that year by removing fenders and chainguard, and installing a steel drop bar. To get the brake levers to match, I beat them with a hammer on a log anvil, and covered the damage with plastic slip covers. Oh, and the icing on the cake was a top-tube-mounted "stick shift" for the AW, with big black plastic knob, from the current Sears catalogue.
Happy B-day Dave and to many more!
So what bike brand was used in the '53 TT? 220 miles in 12 hrs at 17, impressive.
Happy birthday Mr Moulton
I have followed your blog for about six years. Thank you for sharing your ideas and experience. It helped me to many interesting insights to both matters of cycling and life in general. Great inspiration!
Many happy miles in years to come
Jan
Happy Birthday Dave. It was nice meeting you on your West Coast Tour.
Happy Birthday, Dave! May you always keep your enthusiasm for life!
Dave, wishing you a very happy birthday and many happy returns. Particularly love the picture of you in your "Teddy Boy" garb. Never mind the quality, feel the width!
Have a good one Dave, The more you have the better off you will be. The photos are much the same as mine. John
Happy Birthday and keep on riding. The best is yet to come!
Happy birthday, Dave!
Happy birthday, Dave!
Belated happy birthday to you, Dave. Thank you as always for your insightful posts. Keep them coming