After the Great War, unsurprisingly, our club didn’t immediately start up again. The below details our rebirth:
THE RETURN OF THE PARAGON
1920
When Fred Lee began his research into the club he attempted to contact all the known
members of that era. He was also especially interested in how and why
this club re-formed as many clubs did not. He received quite a detailed letter from
George Moffat, one of our founder members.
George Moffat wrote: “After the War I came back to Croydon. I used to wonder
where the old members had got to. I hadn’t a bike, so didn’t get out on the road,
until one day coming home from work on a train I met Bill Kite and learned from
him the fate of the Club. He, George Colget and Bill Hitchmough had joined the
Catford CC and they were riding in a ‘25’ the next morning. Bill invited me to
come out to the start on a tandem with his brother George. I did and met George
Colget and Bill Hitchmough again. After the event we chatted about old times
and prospects of reforming the old Club. We eventually went over to Penge and
there met Norman Upton, Ernie Sheppard and Jim Fox. We decided to pay ‘Pa’
Green a visit and obtain from him the address book and see if we could rake up
the old members to reform the Club. I had it in mind that Norman Upton would
again be the Hon. Secretary but he definitely declined. There was nothing for it
but do the job myself. So, with their help, I set about it.
It was late in the season that I sent a circular letter to the old members asking
them to turn out on an impromptu run to the “Old Man’s” at Coulsdon on a certain
Sunday morning. To my delight about 30 turned up and it was good to meet old
friends again. I had a Runs Card printed and so we carried on through the
winter.”
Thus the story begins again. While the Norwood Paragon was well known locally
we were just another South London Club, stronger and more active than many
but not a force to be recognised in any sphere of the racing side of the sport.
The next decade was to change all of that!