Father Graham Spirit of 59 Club Memorial Run

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TRIBUTE RUN SPIRIT OF 59 CLUB FOR FATHER GRAHAM HULLETT

SATURDAY 4TH MAY 2013

11:30am: meet at the old 59 Club site in Paddington on the Harrow Road A404 by the Westway Flyover A40. Walking distance from Paddington Station. The Dudley Arms pub will be open for drinks/food/refreshments as will the local taxi cafe.

2:30pm: following old burn up route to Chelsea Bridge then onto The Pavilion pub for free rock’n'roll entertainment – early Rockers Reunion films plus a display of Father Graham’s original 59 Club photos and press cuttings from the 1960s.

A 1960s Routemaster double decker bus will follow our route for those who need transport (fee payable).

Wanted 100 cafe racers to lead run (first 100 will receive a free exclusively designed cloth rockers memorial badge)

All motorbikes welcome
Pillion passenger lifts available (bring a spare crash helmet, if you can offer a lift).

FATHER GRAHAM WAS THE LAST OF THE VICARS LEFT WHO RUN THE 59 MOTORCYCLE CLUB THROUGHOUT THE FANTASTIC SIXTIES ERA.

HE WAS A LEADER WHO GAINED THE RESPECT OF THE CHELSEA BRIDGE BOYS AND OTHERS, A MAN OF CARE & INTEGRITY WHO TOOK THE 59 CLUB TO THE PINNACLE OF WORLDWIDE SUCCESS YET MANAGED TO REMAIN ONE OF THE BOYS.

5TH DECEMBER 2012 RIP

COME AND PAY YOUR RESPECTS TO THE END OF AN ERA YOU WON’T BE ALONE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM :

USA-CANADA-AUSTRALIA-JAPAN-EUROPE

THIS IS YOUR HERITAGE COME & CELEBRATE IT

MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU!

 

Father Graham Hullett Funeral Details

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We are sorry to inform everyone of the death of Father Graham Hullett. See obituary, here.

Graham passed away on Wednesday 5th Dec, 2012 in Lincoln Hospital. Having survived 3 general anaesthetics after complications relating to stomach surgery, the fourth operation was too much for Graham. He died in the intensive care unit shortly after returning from surgery at 1:30pm.

Graham’s funeral is being held in Lincoln Cathedral on Monday 17th Dec 2012 at 10:30. Everyone is welcome to join us in body and mind. There will be some of his motorcycling mates in attendance who hope to bear his coffin into the cathedral.

Graham asked for no floral tributes, instead any donations could be made to the Cathedral where Graham spent much of his later years helping in, having lived within 300 yards of its walls.

There will be a memorial motorcycle run and dance for Father Graham on Sat 4th May 2013, starting at the old 59 Club site near the Dudley Arms Pub in Paddington and riding to Chelsea Bridge as we all did in the 1960′s. We will then go to the Pavilion pub opposite the famous Battersea Dogs Home, where Rock n Roll bands will provide appropriate sounds.

This will be your chance to bear witness to the life and achievements of a truly inspiring and remarkable man, Father Graham Hullett.

All are welcome and donations will be given to Father Grahams preffered charity’s, it will be expected upwards of one thousand bikes will attend, with friends and ex-59 Club members coming from all corners of the globe.

You can help make this a fantastic nostalgic day simply by forwarding notice of this to all your mates. If you want to help on the day simply let me know.

Lenny Paterson ex-59 club member, founder of the Rocker Reunion movement.

Obituary: Father Graham Hullett

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Reverend Frederick Graham Hullett, leader of the 59 Club during its heydays in the 60s, died on 5th December 2012 aged 80. A full requiem will be held in his memory on 17th December in Lincoln Cathedral at 10 am.

Father Graham’s love of motorcycling was first enflamed during his National Service which he spent riding a G3 Matchless with the British Army in Germany. Returning to London in the early 60s, he approached the church in order to help out with the hugely popular youth club out of a genuine love for young people and motorcycles. His interest was welcomed as the previous leader Bill Shergold wished to move on and, at the start of the infamous mods and rocker period, the club was split and a dedicated motorcyclist section created.

Father Graham’s involvement was always hands on riding with club members to runs to the notorious Elephant Rally in Germany six times, the Dragon Rally in Wales, and taking the club on summertime pilgrimages to the Isle of Man TT. He oversaw its move from Hackney Wick to Paddington, and then later back to Hackney, taking it to its peak of international renown and developing it into the then largest motorcycle club to which riders flocked from all over the world.

Always approachable and down to earth, he had a special place in his heart for the more troublesome rocker elements and even earned the respect of clubs like London’s Road Rats MC, in one case by breaking a member’s finger at the start of the stormy backpatch era. The 59 Club had held the first UK showings of Brando’s banned The Wild Ones movie which inspired it. The secret to the club’s success, Hullett always said, was that it had no rules.

Never one to preach religion, Father Graham is remember for his unintrusive guidance. A credible voice who spoke up for the young rockers, at times of personal trouble in law courts and to parents, giving moral and sometimes financial support, visiting prisons, marrying and even burying members. He turned many a life around by his example, riding what where then the superbikes of the day such as BSA 650s and Norton 750s, wearing his trademark sideburns and a dog collar under his Lewis Leathers jacket.

Defending the ton up tearaways by reminding their critics that these were exactly the same kind of boys who a few years before would have been defending the country by flying Spitfires, Graham let them run the club the way they wanted it to be.

In 2005, his contribution to the motorcycling community was recognised by the presentation of a Royal Enfield Bullet 500 from Watsonian Squire which he rode into his late 70s until ill health over took him and he was recently featured in Cafe Racer TV show. Father Graham died in hospital following surgical complications caused by intestinal problems.