In 1994, the anti - restrictive motorcycle legislation “Euro Demo” was to be held in Paris. I was riding down on my own as riding with some other people drove me daft. Looking round the bikes waiting for the ferry at Southampton, I met a chap from near Liverpool

who was riding down on his own as riding with some other people drove him daft. We got down to the main campsite at FountainBlue around lunchtime – 10,000 bikers, 6 toilets and two taps. We were putting our tents up and Graham (a biggish lad) who I’d ridden down with said ”That woman there,” (three tents up) “ works in one of our offices.” Bit later, tents up, we went across and got talking. Her gentleman friend was also called Graham and he really was a big lad !
And that was the start of it all really. Any excuse to ride a bike somewhere, meet up, camp and drink beer. Two more ‘Euro Demos’, rallies in Lancashire, Shropshire, down ours to Dorset and several times to Sluis in Holland. I don’t think Big Graham was ever happier than when he was ‘holding court’ in front of his tent, surrounded by bikes and bikers.
Career wise, he started with an apprenticeship at Lucas’s and then it all became an ‘occupational kaleidoscope’. When we first met he was a night club doorman in Liverpool town centre and a roadie for ‘Connie Lush and the Blues Shouters’. An awesome band !
He loved his home town of Liverpool and was always keen to show you the quirkier side of the place, like the Williamson Tunnels museum. A Victorian gentleman who kept people occupied by getting them to dig tunnels everywhere under Liverpool ?
Graham had been to a few Indian gatherings but it was at the rally in Norfolk when he saw the ‘Chout’ that Tony Carabine had built when he felt the need to really own one. As his illness got worse, gatherings gave him targets to aim for. He really was made up to get to the International at Cheltenham and to see his Chout go up the hill.
A big man with an equally big heart, he will be sadly missed.

 

Brian Rose