In 1993 Maggie’s aunt -and guardian – Yvonne, died, leaving her quite a lot of money. She wanted to buy me the bike of my dreams so, despite having the Kawasaki in the garage, we set off for Three Cross Motorcycles to look at a Ducati. I can’t remember whether it was an 851 or an 888 but it was the bee’s knees at the time and a lot of money – £11,500, I think.
But I couldn’t do it. The Kawasaki was already under-used and to have all this money sitting there doing nothing and probably starting to corrode … no. It was a lovely thought but neither practical nor sensible. And with hindsight would have swiftly depreciated because the following year the 916 arrived – surely the most beautiful machine of modern times although too small for me, as usual!
However on the way home we passed Rob Willsher’s shop in Bursledon and purchased this machine which was quite different and of which I had read good things. It cost £3,300 new and apart from being a little tall did just about everything really well.
It turned out that I was not very gifted at off-roading and certainly not up to Enduro riding – even from the angle of basic fitness! It did handle extremely well and over muddy ruts you could just keep the hands very lightly on the bars and bike sorted itself out – amazing. But it was good on the road too, happily cruising at 80 on the motorway with me sitting bolt upright.
Unfortunately I gave it to Karl and it was stolen from outside his digs and recovered (at enormous expense!) in a much degraded state. Another sad end.
Peter Robert Turnill, third and youngest son of Joan, b 1/5/1947, m 19/10/1971
Little more than a shed! The picture shows it in 1982 shortly before we demolished it. The house to the left was built by Joan and occupies half the plot they bought in 1952. They had about 2/3 of an acre of ground.
Margaret Ianthe ? ? Hanson, first child of Derwent & Margaret, b ??/??/1942, m ????? d ??/??/2008? Ellen holds Ianthe – taken 1/3/43
Richard Brian Turnill, first child of Joan & Victor, b 23/10/1942, d 12/1/1961. Douglas must have got lost somewhere.
They certainly did …
Derwent George Cooper Hanson was their 3rd child, born 8/9/1918, and thus just 21 at the start of the war. Died ??/??/??
Margaret Williams, born ??????,
