History of MRM

INAUGURATION OF THE CLUB IN 1948:

This is a brief history of the club compiled by Les Boyd who is not only the longest standing member of the club but is also one of the founder members, and a Life Member. The club known originally as Maidenhead Aeromodellers Club was founded in 1948, and became Maidenhead Modellers Club and subsequently Maidenhead Radio Modellers.

At an inaugural meeting of six, it was decided to form MAC, to meet each week in someone's front room. The committee was E. Jones, Les Boyd, and one other. Gordon Road School workshop was obtained, but this lasted only one season because the Headmaster decreed that there would be no juniors after 9.00 pm.

In 1949, Furze Platt Memorial Hall was obtained at a rent of £1 per night, to be met by the committee until the Bank Balance reached 3 figures. All subs which were two shillings and six pence (12 1/2p) for Seniors and 6d (2 1/2p) for Juniors were to be banked. The secretary was J Glennister, and Les Boyd was the Treasurer. Flying was temporarily at Cookham Dean and the membership stood at 40.

1950 to 1960:

White Waltham airfield granted permission to fly, with a jeep for retrieval on the centre of the airfield, on Sunday afternoons. £5 was charged for control-line demonstrations at local fetes. Use of the airfield was lost due to mushrooming out on the main runway. Membership was now limited to 150. Harry James was the Secretary, Les Boyd remaining as Treasurer. Harry James won the Open American Services Free Flight Championship.

1960 to 1980:

The club moved to St Marks Nursery School, where nightly rent was £6. John Chamberlain won the Junior Nationals. Flying was now at Maidenhead Thicket, Hutts Farm, and Widbrook. The Club decided to build its own Clubhouse and a site was obtained at Holmanleaze (now the site of the Ivy Leaf club). Tony Clements, working for a local builder, acquired some half-dozen huts in sections, these being arranged to create one hut 70 feet by 15 feet, with light, water, etc, after a lot of work by (most of) the members. Later on the Council requisitioned the site for the Ivy Leaf Club, but built new huts at the rear, one of which the club rented - another move! There was a highly active Car membership at the time, and John Chamberlain became a works team driver.

1980 to 1990:

Although there was plenty of flying activity, (the Car section had split off, and eventually disappeared), use of the Clubhouse dropped off until as few as three people were turning up at the weekly meetings, and a further rent increase prompted the club to decide to discontinue the lease. Ray Hester and Les Boyd won a trophy at Old Warden Scale Day. Membership settled at 80 from a low of 36 in 1984.

Les Boyd 1990

Part 2

1990 to 2000:

During the 90's the Club flying sites have been at Hyde Farm (year round), and at Widbrook Common from mid October to mid May. The use of Hyde Farm was secured in 1997 with Planning Permission from the local council for model aircraft flying, following negotiations managed largely by Mike Keay. The planning permission was contested by a few local residents who complained of the noise, and the Club agreed to relocate the Take Off and flying areas, and to limit the number of aircraft in the air at any time. All models are required in any case to meet a test in compliance with the BMFA guidelines on noise level.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Nick Papillon was the Treasurer, and Martin Sutton was Chairman for most of the 1990s. There were few occasions indeed when a visitor to Hyde Farm would not have been greeted by Ted Mapstone, for many years the Chief Training Officer for the club, and now also a Life Member. The membership is restricted by the planning application to 75 members, including Seniors and Juniors, and this number has been maintained in general.
The Club's 50th Anniversary was held in 1998.


TODAY - MAY, 2001:

Club membership is 65, including 2 Life Members, 5 Pensioners, and 7 Juniors.
The Club Chairman is David Day, Secretary Alan Smith and Treasurer John Harper - Clive Goodhall and David Lee also serve on the committee.

The Club is affiliated to the BMFA and membership of the club requires that every member must also be a member of the BMFA. The Club's insurance is via the BMFA.
The Club rules and conditions of insurance are described in the Club Handbook, and members are free to request detailed information or explanation from any committee member.

The flying sites are Hyde Farm, and Widbrook Common in the winter months, but Widbrook has been closed from January, 2001, due to the Foot and Mouth epidemic.
The club continues to focus on powered radio controlled flight, with both fixed wing (including electric flight), and helicopters. Nick Papillon is most willing to assist any model helicopter training with his great experience of both models and the real thing.

Club meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month at Cookham Social Club, when there is generally a speaker on subjects of interest to aeromodellers, presentations and demonstrations of designing, building and finishing techniques, quiz nights, and of course the Concours d'Elegance where members display their latest pride and joy.

The club also supports the RAF Benevolent Society by being represented at the annual Halton exhibition of modelling.