The Query Club and the Mid Counties Association of Auto Clubs were all going well with car rallies, the off-road events, social runs and quizzes.

However, looking back it is really quite surprising at how quickly the club and much of MCAAC would all come to an end in a few short years.

The Seventies Peak

The MCAAC had introduced championships for the car rallies and the off-road events and there was much competition between the clubs on these events. 

Off the road events were thriving with up to 100 entries in a range of classes. Basically any old vehicle could be used as seen in the next couple of pictures.

Autocross Ford Pop	Autocross - My old van

Other entries were rather newer with generally more serious drivers as seen below.

Autocross Ford Escort	Autocross Hillman Imp

Although the MCAAC car rallies which were now authorised through the RAC continued to get up to 60 entries, because of the increase in Sunday traffic, the events were now all held over Saturday nights. The longest rally was the Andre Baldet Night Rally (AB used to own garages), which was held over some 200 miles. This was always the car rally to win and I was in the navigator seat on three occasions with in the event different drivers. These are two typical rally pictures.

Hillman Imp	Ford Escort Nick Shirley

Carnival Queen Capture

The Query Club continued to organise the carnival parade each year but the crazy car entries in the parade came to an end.

An unusual carnival caper, and may be an earlier year but well worth seeing (!), when the carnival queen was captured and driven off in a Bentley, only to be buzzed by a low flying aeroplane. Something which has no chance of happening now!

The annual dinner dance continued to be held at the Overstone Solarium. The attendees peaked in 1972 with 260 people and some turned away.

Personal Bit

On the personal front, 1971 was the best year for winning the car rallies. With driver Dennis Mobley and the trusty Ford Cortina we managed to win seven rallies and consequently the driver and navigator championships. However, Dennis was quite a bit older and hung up the driving gloves in the early 70s. I carried on for a few more years with several different drivers until following three unexpected ‘off the road events’ on car rallies, decided that it was time to also retire. The final off road event took place in the ford near Marston Trussell, where the Ford Mexico actually arrived at the wet ford on its side! Fortunately there were spectators watching at this point and after some man handling we were back on four wheels. As I recall we only lost 8 minutes, mainly caused by levering a rear wheel arch off the wheel!

All Down Hill

Many members were now beginning to get much older, family responsibilities were increasing, and the costs of motoring were increasing significantly particularly rally insurance.

Whereas in the ‘old days’ one could hold a car rally on a Sunday afternoon without seeing many other motorists, there were now many more ‘Sunday motorists’ on the roads which made things more dangerous and anti social.

As mentioned the annual dinner in 1972 had 260 attendees but just 3 years later in 1975 the numbers had dropped down to 130 people. This could be blamed on the ticket prices which from 1972 to 1975 had risen in price from £2 to £3.50, as seen in the next picture, but I rather doubt it!

Annual Dinner Tickets

The numbers were now too small and this was the end of the annual dinners at Overstone. Around this time new people took over the running of the Griffin Inn and so the main contact with the club was lost. The club activity no longer justified the Gearbox clubroom at the Griffin and it was subsequently turned into the kitchens, as it is now albeit closed for the time being!

Several other MCAAC clubs were now also struggling and 1978 saw the final annual dinner for MCAAC. It is noticeable on the menu that RDQMC hardly features in the results.

1978 also saw the last time that Query Club car rallies and off-road events were run. This was thus also the last year that trophies of the club could be presented. In fact for several years the number of trophies exceeded the number of events when they could be presented. 

The array of trophies	1976 Ravensmoore Trophy

The Ravensmore trophy was first presented in 1931 and last presented in 1976 to another of my drivers Derek Clarke.

By the end of the 1970s all of the people who were members when I first joined had departed one way or another. The existing members carried on with small social events well into the 80s, but really in name only and not as a motor club.

And so to Oblivion

It was eventually decided that something had to be done with the large number of trophies the club had accumulated. Consequently some could be returned to the original donors and the remainder sold to members with monies donated to charity. I hold several of the trophies and would love to find a home for them!

The Risdene Cup - 1991 Tribute to Dennis Classic Race Andrew Hern, Race Winner, Joanne Mobley Dennis Mobley’s favourite trophy – presented in his memory.

One solid silver trophy, the Risdene Trophy, was the favourite of my main driver Dennis. Sadly Dennis had passed away much too soon and well before the trophies were sold.

However, it was decided that the trophy could be presented to another event in his memory. Dennis had been a steward for motor cycle races to FIA level and officiated at many motor cycle race meetings – including the Motor Cycle Grand Prix at Silverstone when they were sponsored by John Player. His favourite race track was Cadwell Park. The Risdene Trophy was then mounted on a larger plinth and presented to a motor cycle race winner at Cadwell Park.

The Risdene Trophy was presented in 1991 to a race winner at Mallory Park by Dennis’ widow, Joan accompanied by the last RDQMC chairman Andrew Hern.

The Query Cup 1932 A Lapel Badge	Club Badge for a motorcycle	Car Badge Pre WWII
	Lapel Badge made by T A Butler	1960s Car Badge

Richard Lewis 2025