Uncle Ron inspired us to go cycling from an early age, his tales of his cycling adventures in the Towy Valley and elsewhere made us want to do the same. So, every year we set forth for this wild area of Mid-Wales and check out the places he has told us about. Ron was the driving force behind the runs section of the Pontypool Cycling Club for many years, before and after the war, and he wrote about their Sunday runs in the Pontypool Free Press every week, one of our favourite entries is below.

Click here to read Ron's articles from the Free Press.

My Rival the Towy Valley
An ode to Ron by Joan Stephens

One of our favourite 'Uncle Ron' entries in the Pontypool Free Press.

Ron's first bike was a Raleigh Record Ace which he had in 1936, aged 14. This scan was taken from the 1937 Raleigh brochure. Click the picture to see larger version.

Standing left to right....Bert Wilson (Club sec.) - Jack Jones - Unknown lady - Unknown - Roy Walsh - Johnny Jones - Frank Wilson - Peter Hughes - Ron Jeffries (Runs sec. & pre-war member).

Sitting left to right....Joe Cook (pre-war member) - Charlie Dingle - Unknown - Dennis Thomas - Unknown Lady (from London).

Click image to see larger version
Ron, aged 6, on a visit to Paignton in 1928. With Ron are family friends, Mr & Mrs Greedy, (far left and middle) Grandma Bowers and Auntie Mable (far right).