Foreward By Brian Town (Founder Member)
On Wednesday, September 25th 1972, at 7.30pm a group of people, who shared a common interest in camping and caravanning, met to discuss the possibility of forming a caravan & camping section of the Jaguar-Daimler-Climax Social Club. A plan was agreed and an application was submitted to the Social Club, which was approved and thus was born theJaguar-Daimler-Climax Caravan & Camping Club. This was the Jaguar Club’s original name as these companies made up the Jaguar Cars Ltd group.
A committee of eight were chosen, with “Digger” Kimberley as the first Chairman. Rules and constitution were formulated and the necessary signage and equipment procured. Additional monies were raised for Club funds by members selling blackouts at 5p a time. Bernard Buswell designed the first flag but it only incorporated the Leaping Jaguar and the initials JDC, as there was not enough room to put the other companies’ emblems on.
At a general meeting of members, it was decided to have the Jaguar in gold, the background blue with the JDC in black, keeping it neutral to the three companies. It was also agreed by 34 votes to 7 votes that the Club flag should hang and not fly, the only such one in BL Association. To keep costs down, materials were purchased and the flag made in Jaguar Trim Shop.
The original flag lasted for 10 years before it needed replacing with the current one designed By Brian Town, for the 10th Birthday Rally. This was because the Social Club dropped the Daimler-Climax from its title and became just Jaguar Social Club; hence, the Club flag and name reflected this change.
The rally was held at High Close Farm, Snitterfield with 54 units attending. Membership for the first rally season was 131, and the inaugural rally held at Ashton-Under-Hill in March 1973. The fee for the weekend was 80p, which covered the rally, social,food etc. The original membership fee was 50p, and the general rally fees 15p to 25p per night. On joining the BL Association, the fee increased to 75p to cover the costs of Association membership at 5p per member and the cost of the rally book at 20p each.
In the Club’s halcyon days, the membership reached 368 members, with eighteen rallies
held per year that attracted a minimum of 40 vans per rally, 95% being Jaguar members. In
addition, each year more people applied to join the committee than places available
resulting in voting at the AGM’s.
The Club went on to organise three Association rallies with all it entailed, one of them at Princthorpe College being the largest with 637 units. On these rallies, the Club entered
teams in all the inter club sporting events, winning many of the competitions.
Many things have changed since then, and we cannot look back. The original group laid
solid foundations for the Club; did they ever foresee the Club celebrating its 50th birthday? It
would be nice to think they could look back with satisfaction that through their efforts and
those who came later and picked up the baton, the Club still exists today.
Here’s to the next 50 years!