In every obit' you'll read of Chas Messenger, they all?major on his work on the TOB / Milk Race, as a member of the BLRC etc., etc.,?However most racing cyclists of a 'certain age' from the Thames Valley / West London area of the UK will remember Chas more fondly for different reasons.
The Milk Race and lots of high-profile stuff like that of course yes - but in the 1970s Chas was?more improtantly?to us a prolific organiser of what we called "Chippers"*.
* Chippers - is a contraction of "Fish & Chippers", a bikers' jokey reference to races of about 40 - 60 miles with small prize lists?where the 1st prize could quite literally be a voucher for a meal at the local Fish & Chip Shop...
Many racers have good cause to be grateful to him for the huge amount?of work he did running these races (it seemed like every weekend), for no reward and?quite simply so that people with, let's say, "less talent", got to race in a peloton regularly.
The great thing about them was that rarely did Chippers attract big names / pot hunters - which was exactly the point. I rode many, many of Chas's "3/J/L" (Third Category, Junior and Ladies) and / or Handicap road races over the years - never won a thing - though came a close 4th once in a four up sprint (!) and loved every minute of them.
Chas was a cheery but very business-like individual and I think one of the very few organisers / commissaires who enjoyed absolutely universal respect from?his riders. No-one argued with Chas - woe betide... and I have clear memories of the ferocious on-the-move,?bollocking?I got from him once (Chas hanging out the window of a car)?for crossing a white line in my anxiety to move up the line in a split.
This wasn't delivered for petty reasons of officialdom - more because he had developed a really good relationship with the Police forces he dealt with to?organise races, was protective of that relationship and thus his races. They were watching?- and he wasn't going to let some little oik damage that by riding headlong into oncoming traffic...
IMHO it is for his unstinting work on the 'grass-roots' element of British road racing Mr Chas Messenger should?really be remembered.
Happy trails Chas.
Ian Briggs
LUTON, Bedfordshire, UK.