Harworth, North Nottinghamshire

“Helen Hoban, widow of Tom Simpson who died competing in the Tour de France cycle race almost 30 years ago, unveiled a memorial in his honour at a ceremony at his home village of Harworth. The memorial, made from local stone, is a replica of a similar one near the summit of Mount Ventoux in France where Simpson, Britain’s most successful cyclist, died at the age of 29. It took years of effort by his family and former colleagues and fans to raise the necessary money to erect the memorial and finally bring long-due recognition to a man still revered on the Continent but almost forgotten in Britain.” Doncaster Free Press 26-Jun-1997

That’s the report from the local paper when the collection was made public - but clearly there is much more to the story; especially to those cyclists who remember that day in 1967.

Main Museum display on first day - Copyright Brian Townsley

More soon ...