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Pat Wood

It is with great sadness that I write to inform you of the passing in December 2003 of Pat Wood of Papatoetoe, New Zealand at the age of 87.  Pat had a lifetime interest in motor cycles in general with a particular love for the smallest examples.  He had been collecting from long before they were vintage or collectable and had them just because he loved riding them just as much as he loved riding his 1,000cc Excelsior and sidecar.  An example of his enthusiasm was the purchase, at the age of 84, of an Ordinary (Penny Farthing) bike just because it took his fancy and he wondered what it would be like to learn to ride one.  Sadly his health did not allow him to do so but he enjoyed watching the rest of us fall off it!  I also recall with affection his enthusiasm on the day we first fired up his newly restored Smith Motorwheel.  Although he was not able to pedal it on this occasion the grin on his face as I rode back up his street after the first start will never be forgotten and I am pleased that he did get to ride it and to send a photo of it to Buzzing.  Pat was always available to offer help and advice to anyone restoring anything and I am sure that many vintage motor cyclists in this country would have given up in frustration if it was not for the kind words or helping hand with parts from this true gentleman.

Some months prior to his passing he wrote to me to say that he had to face the fact that he would not be able to ride again and asked that I help dispose of his power cycle collection.  At this time he still had a Wall, a Smith, a Vincent Firefly, a Trojan Mini-Motor, a Cyclemaster, a Cyclaid, a Mosquito and a Victoria two-speed, not to mention his Puch, grocery bike and a lifetime worth of parts.  I am pleased that I was in a position to purchase the Wall and the Smith for myself and will continue to display and rally these as a tribute to Pat's workmanship.

Ian Verrall

Pat Wood and his Wall Auto Wheel at a NZCSC rally
Pat Wood


First published, February 2004

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