| HARRY'S BOOTS WERE MADE FOR WALKING
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Harry Briggs closed the doors of Derby's oldest independent sports shop
last year, but he did not hang up his own boots. With a group of fellow
ramblers, the 70-year-old celebrated his retirement by climbing the Welsh
equivalent of the Matterhorn - as Pat Parkin reports.
Lttleover's Harry Briggs should have taken Nancy Sinatra's chart-topper,
These Boots Are Made For Walking, and made it his own signature tune.
For, over the years, he has sold thousands of pairs of walking and
climbing boots to Derby's outdoor types at his family-owned Power Sports
shop in Green Lane, Derby.
A year ago - much to the disappointment of his numerous customers - after
a 100 years of business, the city's oldest independent sports shop closed
its doors for the last time and Harry (70) went into retirement.
But he hasn't hung up his own boots and still laces them most weeks to
join his old friends on regular outdoor sorties. Even ill-health has not
slowed him down, though, for a time, he did take a break when he was
undergoing courses of radiotherapy and chemotherapy for throat cancer.
For more than a century, Power Sports supplied every type of sports
equipment, including cricket bats, tennis racquets and snooker cues, and
was known for its willingness to attempt to repair anything.
When it was first opened in Full Street by Harry's grandmother, it sold
guns. Around the middle of the last century, the shop moved into its
well-known premises in Green Lane, near the corner of St Peter's
Churchyard.
The shop did a roaring trade in second-hand boots, trading new for old,
which were repaired and then offered as "low mileage boots".
It was Harry's way of ensuring that would-be walkers, who could not afford
a new pair, were properly kitted out.
One of the most satisfying tasks of his working life was helping young
people choose the correct equipment for their travels abroad and he had an
enormous collection of postcards from customers from all around the world.
In its heyday, the shop in Green Lane was like a social club and, on
Saturdays, it was sometimes difficult to get through the door as outdoor
enthusiasts dropped in for a chat, checked out new stock or picked up tips
and advice.
Harry's wife, Dorothy, said: "Nothing was ever too much trouble for Harry.
He was always very popular with everyone and believed in old-fashioned
good service. Even now, he can't go into town without spending ages
talking to people. I think that is what he misses most about the shop."
She feels that lack of service and professional advice is what people miss
now that Power Sports has closed. Harry met Dorothy on a cruise ship more
than 40 years ago. They eventually married and had two children - Sarah,
who inherited the cruise bug and landed a job, working for Cunard,
spending several years on the staff of the QEII; and Nicholas, who lives
with his wife and son in Mickleover.
A year ago, Harry accepted an invitation to join a group of old pals from
Derby Nomad Ramblers Club, to climb the mountain known as "The Matterhorn
of Wales".
The aim was to celebrate the golden jubilee of the first ascent of Mount
Everest on May 29, 1953, by climbing Cnicht in Snowdonia. Though only a
10th of the height, it is a difficult and challenging climb and it was
intended as a belated celebration of Harry's retirement.
Cnicht was the only Welsh peak he had not climbed so the day was very
special for him.
It was also important to another of the climbers, Geoff Barker, of
Allestree, for he had climbed it in 1998 to fulfil the dying wish of his
father, Bob Barker, a former chairman of Nomads, to have his ashes
scattered at the top.
So, the two men and three other pals - Brian Reacher, of Elvaston, and
Terry Cope and Ged Greenway, both of Mickleover, decided to pay homage at
the peak's summit ridge to the memory of stalwart Nomad friends and
leaders with whom they had spent many of their formative years.
Former president Terry Cope raised a glass to Keith Hands, who had been a
founder member of Nomads in 1935, and to Horace White, one of the club's
great characters. Among other former honorary life members whose lives
were celebrated were Bob Barker, Joe Palin, a linchpin and intrepid leader
for many years, and Fred Johnson, president during the 1950s and '60s.
Tributes were also paid to the living, including Mavis Burton (87), the
Nomads' current president, who has been a member for more than 65 years.
Brian Reacher, the oldest member of the party, remains an active Nomad and
fell-walker and will soon celebrate his own golden jubilee as a member of
the club.
Nomads members are hoping to preserve the healthy spirit and enthusiasm of
the past and maintain Derby's premier walking club for future generations
by attracting new, younger members. The club has a Sunday programme
throughout the year with walks varying in grade and terrain, normally over
10, 12 or 15 miles in the Peak District and surrounding counties, with
occasional hostelling weekends in other areas. Anyone interested in
striding out with them is invited to call 01773 825344 for more details. |
| RAMBLERS STEP INTO BUS ROW
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BY PAULA FENTIMAN
02 April 2004
The president of a Derby rambling club has slammed- bus timetable changes
which she claims will cut residents off from the Peak District.
Mavis Burton, who has been a member of the Derby Nomad Ramblers for more
than 60 years, said alterations to two services would make it impossible
for some people to enjoy the countryside.
She said walkers would be affected by the summer timetable for the Peak
Bus Network, which came into force on Sunday.
Miss Burton (87), of Osmaston Road, Derby, who is also the vice-president
of the Derbyshire Ramblers' Association, said: "There are a lot of people
like me who don't drive and want to get out to the Peak District.
"It's cut us off completely. I've been doing this for years but now I
won't be able to go at all."
The changes mean that passengers who used to rely on the TM Travel 202
service from Derby, which ran every Sunday at 10am to places including
Ashbourne, Dovedale, Buxton and Castleton, can no longer travel direct.
Instead, they have to catch the 108 D and G service from Derby to
Ashbourne, which leaves Derby at 10am, and from there connect to other
services including the revised TM Travel 202 service across the Peak
District.
Miss Burton believes the problem of finding the right connection will
prove too much for many people.
Paul Harding, operations inspector for TM Travel, said the company
provided the bus and driver for the 202 contract, but it was paid for and
timetabled by Derbyshire County Council.
In addition to this service change, the Trent Barton TransPeak daily
services from Derby to Belper, Matlock, Bakewell and Buxton are now half
an hour later - and an extra trip to Bakewell has been removed from the
timetable.
Instead of services at 7.55am, 8.55am (as far as Bakewell) and 9.55am, the
company now runs a service at 7.55am followed by one at 10.25am and every
two hours after that.
Trent Barton spokesman Melvyn Hopwood said the changes had been made
because of "traffic problems" on the 60-mile TransPeak route.
A county council spokeswoman said: "We've improved the 202 service to
offer a wider range of destinations for more people from a greater number
of places while also providing better connections and less waiting time."
A spokesman for the Peak District National Park Authority said: "We regret
the reduction in any public transport services to the Peak District as
we're keen for people to use bus and train services when travelling to
reduce the impact of traffic on the area." |
