Obituary: Peter Jacobs

Regrettably Peter Jacobs, of the Archer RC, died on 14 January, aged 77, after a six-month illness. This was in a hospice near the Southampton home of his daughter Karen where he and his wife Audrey had returned from their home in France in December.

Peter was one of the founder organisers of the classic Archer GP in 1956 in which he competed, as Audrey was the event secretary. Subsequently he was an important member of the organisation for most of the next 53 years until retiring to live in France. He rode his bike continuously throughout his life until taken ill, although not competitively after his 30s.

A good class rider, particularly on the tracks in the heydays of Paddington and Herne Hill, he inaugurated track coaching for schools with classes at Paddington track funded by the old London County Council. It is likely this was the first such school coaching scheme in the country with them now held at most cycling facilities. This coaching took place in the afternoons after he had finished working in the family business in the old Covent Garden market where the working ‘day’ started in the middle of the night.

After moving to Winchester to work in Southampton market, Peter regularly helped the coaching team at Calshot track, which only ended after a move to Salisbury. Peter leaves his son Simon, daughters Peta and Karen  as well as a number of grandchildren and one great-grandchild.