The Postcard
A Jarrold's Series postcard that was posted in Somerleyton in Suffolk on Saturday the 14th. March 1908 to:
Miss Drake,
Aston Lodge,
Surrey Street,
Lowestoft.
The message on the divided back of the card was as follows:
"Dearest E.,
I don't believe I shall be
able to see you tonight
as I have got to go to
Sutton Broad some time
tonight.
What a shame, and I have
got another nasty cold -
I caught it off you.
I hope it will be fine Sunday
morning, if it is at all wet I
shall not come down in the
morning, but if it is clear I
will come down and have
a look at you in the evening.
If I am not down by eleven
don't wait about too long.
Love from Arthur".
Those were the days, when you could post a card in the morning knowing that it would reach a local address the same day.
I trust that Arthur wasn't courting Miss Drake - if he was, he isn't projecting ardent enthusiasm in his message.
Fritton Lake
Fritton Lake or Fritton Decoy is a lake in Norfolk. It is a private member's club near Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft on the Norfolk–Suffolk border close to windmills of The Broads National Park.
Past Uses of Fritton Lake
The lake is probably pre-medieval, but it was largely dug in medieval times to extract peat for burning.
It came into use as a duck decoy, and was used to hunt waterfowl on a large scale.
Water channels covered with net-tunnels were constructed around the lake. Ducks would be encouraged to swim down the channels using dogs or food, and they would be trapped on reaching the end. At one point, 21 such channels were in operation around the lake, and four were still in operation in 1918.
The waterline was raised in 1954 by the building up of a weir.
Military Use of Fritton Lake
During World War 2, a secret training facility was located at Fritton Lake. Its purpose was to train tank crews of DD tanks – amphibious versions of British Valentine Tanks and American-made Sherman tanks.
Between April 1943 and May 1944 British, American, and Canadian units came to Fritton Lake to be trained in the use of these tanks.
One tank that sank during training remains in the lake.
The site remained in military use into the early 1950's as part of the Specialised Armoured Development Establishment, during which further amphibious experiments and trials were undertaken.
Current Uses and Amenities of Fritton Lake
Adjoining are (2021) a range of attractions:
-- The Fritton Arms, a large pub with outdoor areas
-- Fritton Lake Outdoor Centre
-- Lakeside Riding Stables for horse and pony riding
-- Fritton Lake Woodland Lodges.
A range of activities are available and charged at the Outdoor Centre, principally:
boat and canoe hire
rope walks and zipwires
bike hire
golf.
Swimming in Fritton Lake
Fritton Lake Triathlon includes an open-water swim in the lake.
Unseen reeds in parts of the lake mean that unsupervised swimming has been flagged by the owners as dangerous, and is forbidden.
Phil Vincent
So what else happened on the day that Arthur posted the card?
Well, the 14th. March 1908 marked the birth in Fulham, London of Phil Vincent.
Philip Conrad Vincent was a British motorcycle designer and manufacturer. Founder of Vincent Motorcycles, his designs influenced the development of motorcycles around the world.
Phil Vincent - The Early Years
Philip Conrad Vincent was born in Wilbraham Gardens, Fulham. His mother, Ada Vincent, travelled back from Argentina to have her children in order to secure British citizenship. The family owned a cattle ranch in the province of Córdoba, Argentina.
Phil's education began at St. George's, a British Preparatory School in Quilmes, a suburb of Buenos Aires. He was sent back to England to live with his uncle, John Vincent, who was a veterinary surgeon and lived at High House, Horndon-on-the-Hill, Essex.
Phil's education was continued there together with his two sisters, Gwendoline & Marjorie, a cousin and four other local children. He spent a year at Downsend Preparatory School, Leatherhead.
Phil He was then accepted at Harrow School where, in the school sanatorium during a three-week period of minor-illness in the company of another patient, an enthusiast, he was introduced to motorcycles.
Philip bought his first motorcycle, a second-hand 350cc BSA from Gamages in Holborn at Christmas 1924 which vibrated badly and was replaced by an ABC.
Phil designed his first bike in 1925. In October 1926 he went up to read Mechanical Sciences at King's College, Cambridge. His father agreed that he could have a break from university to develop his first "Vincent Special", with a 350 cc MAG engine, in 1927.
In 1928 he registered a patent for his design of cantilever rear suspension and left Cambridge before graduating. The prototype used his own design of a diamond-shaped frame constructed from short-tubes having 'lug' ends consistent with the technology of the time. This was combined with his twin-spring, friction-damped cantilever rear suspension. Other main components added were proprietary – Webb front forks, Royal Enfield brakes, Moss gearbox and a McEvoy fuel tank.
Motorcycle Manufacturing
Howard R Davies, founder of the HRD marque and winner of the 1924 Senior Isle of Man TT was in financial difficulties, and in 1928, with backing from his family and their cattle ranching business, Philip was able to acquire the trademark, goodwill and remaining HRD spares for £450.
The company was promptly named Vincent HRD Co. Ltd., and the logo appeared with The Vincent added in very small letters over the top of the large HRD. Vincent designed a brand new motorcycle with his own spring frame and marketed it as Vincent HRD, with a choice of either JAP or Rudge engines.
In 1928, the first Vincent-HRD motorcycle used a JAP single-cylinder engine in a Vincent-designed cantilever frame. The earliest known example is in Canberra, Australia.
Some early bikes used Rudge-Python engines, but after a disastrous 1934 Isle of Man TT, with engine problems and all three entries failing to finish, Phil Vincent (with Phil Irving, who had joined the business in 1931) decided to build their own engines.
In 1935 the first Vincent-powered motorcycle, the 499 cc Comet model was launched. It was quickly followed by the 998 cc Series A Rapide in 1936.
During the war when motorcycle production ceased, with production switched to armaments, Phil Vincent and Phil Irving designed the Series B twin-cylinder engine with integral gearbox which powered the Series B Rapide.
Produced from the cessation of hostilities, it was further developed to power the legendary Vincent Black Shadow and Black Lightning models. In 1949 the HRD logo was dropped to prevent confusion with the "HD" of Harley Davidson in the important American Market.
Phil Vincent also experimented with three-wheeled vehicles, amphibious vehicles, and automobiles. In 1932 the first 3-wheeler, "The Vincent Bantam" appeared, powered by a 293 cc SV JAP or 250 cc Villiers engine. It was a 2.5 cwt delivery van with a car seat and a steering wheel. The Bantam cost £57-10-0, and the windscreen and hood option cost £5-10-0. Production ceased in 1936.
Writing
During the 1960's Vincent contributed to motorcycling journals, writing technical articles as a freelancer.
He used his full title of Phil Vincent C. Eng, AMI Mech. E., AMIPE in 'Motor Cycle', and - in accordance with the established 'house style' - under the simple abbreviation "P.C.V." in Motorcycle Sport.
Phil Vincent - The Later Years
After the commercial failure of Vincent Motorcycles in 1955, Philip worked on production of small industrial engines, leaving his Stevenage factory for the last time in 1960.
He then worked as a car dealer and writer whilst continuing his lifelong technical devotion by working on a rotary-engine concept, which took most of his money.
The Death and Legacy of Phil Vincent
Phil collaborated with writer Roy Harper on several books during the early 1970's including his autobiography entitled PCV, before suffering strokes and heart problems.
Philip Conrad Vincent died at the age of 71 on the 27th. March 1979 at Ashford Hospital in Middlesex following a long illness. His ashes are interred in the family plot at St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Horndon-on-the-Hill, Essex.
Examples of Vincent's published works include:
-- Phil Vincent on oils (1964)
-- Spring frame design (1966)
-- Three Cylinder engines for roadsters? (1966)
-- Vincent suggests a 32-cylinder racer (1967
-- Modern lubrication problems (1969)
-- A visit to Castrol (1969)
-- PCV on horsepower (1969).
