[CR] Apology to NK

(Example: Humor:John Pergolizzi)

Date: 24 Jul 2004 20:31:38 +0000
From: "Michael Butler" <allondon@rock.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR] Apology to NK


I would like to apologize publicly to Norman Kilgarrif the British expert on lugless and welded frames. It is now obvious that I got all the facts on this fascinating subject hopelessly wrong. Much of this debate was conducted off list so most of you will be unaware of the factual content and details of my letters but what you now all know is the offensive emails I received on this subject. This contained the most abusive remarks and bad language which made even me blush let alone my then fourteen year old daughter who happened to be helping with the typing at the time. I only got touchy and yes probably down right rude after these emails. I wish now that I never got involved.

I deliberately didn't mention the 1936 Holdsworth welded lugless La Quelda as to my knowledge the first models were a failure. According to all the old timers I personally know this was not a sales success to at least 1947 when it became fillet brazed. If you use Hilary Stones and Peter Paine's ebay listings as a guide they seem to have an abundance of Butler welded frames regularly for sale and I can't ever remembering them listing a Holdsworth La Quelda.

Bit like the Comet the first commercial jet airliner which was a first but was prone to spectacular failures. The later American Boeing was the really successful jet passenger plane.

I still maintain that Harry Rensch had a welded frame for sale before Holdsworths in 1935.

Finally I have always tried to help list members on all their cycling questions and enquiries and have had some quite considerable success in identifying unknown makes or models of frames. Have even sent copious amounts of printed material free of charge to these various list members.

This is where I now bow out from actively answering list queries and leave you in the expert hands of the other British experts. Hopefully you will have more success than me. I have two Holdsworth frames that I need identifying and dating and have sent countless emails all ignored and unanswerered. Hope I provided a little bit better service when I was active. At least Mike Lebron got an answer there were no crumbs at the table for me. I wonder if Mr. Lebron knows what a fish supper is let alone a pickled onion? Is this yet another case of British humour being out of plaice!

Mick Butler Huntingdon Great Britain