59 Club
Encyclopedia : 5 : 59 : 59C : 59 Club
The 59 Club, also known as The Fifty Nine Club, was an Church of England-based youth club originally situated in Hackney Wick on the 2 April 1959, London (the then-poor and deprived "East End"), started by Curate John Oakes, who went on to become the Canon of St Brides in Fleet Street. Leadership duties were later taken over by priests Father Graham Hullett and William Shergold.
The Club became well known and attracted luminaries of the time such as: Sir Cliff Richard, Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon to its opening night, and later many motorcycling sportsman and musicians. Its trustees included Bishop Trevor Huddlestone the famous anti-apartheid campaigner. To motorcyclists, it was famous for being one of the first places to preview the then banned but seminal biker movie starring Marlon Brando film called "The Wild One". The movie, having been banned 14 years earlier, was about two gangs of motorcyclists toughing it out in a small town.
From 1962 to the early 1970s, it enjoyed fame as the top "hang-out" spot for British-style Rocker and motorcyclists, but overall it created a very positive archetype for the young motorcyclists to follow in the "bad boys made good" vein. At that time, the young Rockers were the folk devils of society due to their clashes with scooter riding Mods. Indeed, the club had to split in two to keep both sides apart; the Mod elements staying in Hackney Wick and the Rocker element moving to a church property in Paddington in the West End of London.
The 59 Club was run down and declined considerably from the early 1970s onwards under the management style brought in by later club leader Mike "Cowboy" Cook and a committee that wished to exclude the Rocker element (the current committee openly encourages Rockers). It still exists in London and has a large international following, all of which is still part of and affiliated to the London 59 club. Bill Shergold is the president and Father Scott Anderson is the chairman.
The 59 Club profited greatly from the work being done by others in the "Rocker Reunion Movement", within which its "Classic Section" (a sub-group of members dedicated to upholding 1960s Rockers values of fashion, music and motorcycle) was involved in heavily. During its 1960s heyday, it was probably the largest motorcycle club in the world, with over 20,000 members whom at that time all had to come in person to the 59 Club to join - members came from all over the UK and even Europe.
The 59 Club was a unique melting pot for society at a unique time in British History, the era of "Swinging London", bound together by their love of motorcycles, and inspired by Rock and Roll. It attracted both male and female members and, according to Father Graham, its success was down to its almost entire lack of rules. It bore many special interest groups such as football and sub-aqua diving which gave the youth, mainly from underprivileged backgrounds, an outlet for their energy. It also organised ride-outs to famous winter motorcycle rallies such as The Dragon Rally in Wales, The Elephant Rally at the Nürburgring in Germany and, of course, to the Isle of Man TT races each year. In fact the 59 BBQ event still occurs every year at TT in Laxey.
Towards the end of its heyday, it also saw the birth of a very different type of motorcycle club; the American-style backpatch "MC", or so-called "outlaw" motorcycle clubs, included both the London-based Road Rats and then the Californian Hells Angels. The rise of these "outlaw" motorcyclist groups, that tended to cater to an older, tougher, and sometimes criminal crowd, pretty much marked the death of what was known in 1960's English youth culture as the Rocker scene. At least until the Rocker Reunions of the 1980's, where the Rocker following enjoyed a sort of re-emergence onto the 'music/fashion subculture' of England, coincidentally at the same time that Rockabilly music was being revived in a big way.
The 59 Club is now based in Plaistow, East London and meets twice weekly. It remains a registered charity as established in 1965 but has not been involved in youth work since the late 1960s.
Today, almost 47 years after it's founding in London, The 59 Club is now recognized worldwide as a genuine motorcycle club with a rich history and members all over the globe. Unique to this club and one that sets it apart from other motorcycle clubs like The Vagos, The BoozeFighters, The Outlaws or Hells Angels, is the fact that members do not consider themselves "1%'ers", their loyalty is to the English bikes they ride and the music/fashion subculture associated with Rockabilly, Cafe Racers and Rockers. The main patrons of this organization being true enthusiasts of classic and/or vintage British and Italian motorcycles such as; Norton, Triumph, Ariel, Matchless, AJS, BSA, Motto Guzzi and Ducati, to name a few.
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