The Lewis Morris Memorial Trophy is awarded to the junior club member recording the fastest time in a 10 mile time trial during the season.
Lew joined the club in 1947 when he came to Gloucester for his job in local government. Originally from Colwyn Bay, North Wales, where he was a member of Rhos on Sea cycling club in 1933, then over to the Cambridge Town and County C.C.where he broke their 12 hour record. He was a life long member of the Tricycle Association. Lew also took part in the C.T.C. Royal Jubilee ride in 1928 when he was just twelve years old.
Lew was a true clubman. As a racing man he would tackle everything from hill-climbs, (Portway on a trike using a 50 inch fixed) to 24 hour time trials. In 1948 he held the club 24 hour record with 376.1 miles. He took the Three Cities tricycle record in 1949 with 4hrs 37mins 35secs and in 1950 the Worcester and back with 2hrs 55mins, also on a trike.
He held several club offices, auditor, press secretary, newsletter editor, course measurer and timekeeper. In that position he would be out at almost every club event even organising unofficial 10s on club nights. He became a vice president in 1972
He was also a strong competitor in the social competition with map reading skills second to none. Even though he liked to win he would always encourage and teach young members, always pushing them to have a go. Lew put in a tremendous effort with the junior side of the club on all aspects of cycling, touring, racing, youth hostelling, road craft etc. in fact, you name it Lew would do it.
Lew was very strong on the issue of cyclist’s rights. With increasing motor traffic, cyclists were regarded as worse than second class citizens on the roads. He would think nothing of pointing out sections of the Highway Code regarding cycling to over zealous policemen or council officers, especially when the club run was stopped for riding two abreast which happened regularly on main roads.
On one occasion he was issued with a summons for not having a bell on his bike. In court when asked why do you not have a bell on your bike, Lew replied that he only needed to give audible warning of approach.
‘How do you do that Mr. Morris?’
‘I just shout Oi!’
So there was no case to answer!
On Sunday club runs Lew would always be there, sometimes riding a tricycle with a 63 inch fixed gear or his Raleigh bicycle which he won in a competition in 1938 by writing an essay for Cycling under the heading; ‘If. I was a traffic dictator.’ He had a large stable of bikes, one of which, a tandem tricycle, would occasionally be brought out on a Saturday or Sunday with an un-suspecting new member riding stoker!
He would organise the Easter Tour, staying at youth hostels, leaving Gloucester on Good Friday and returning ten days later, Pembrokeshire, East Anglia, Isle of Wight, to name a few.
Outside cycling, Lew and his wife were canal enthusiasts. In 1973 they had a narrow boat built at Saul, hoping to spend the summer months, after they had retired from work, travelling the inland waterways. Due to their work with canal restoration they had an invitation from Buckingham Palace to attend the opening of a restored canal in the midlands. So in May 1974 Lew and his wife set off on their maiden voyage. Four days later while negotiating a flight of locks at Lapworth in Warwickshire Lew had a heart attack; he fell into the canal and drowned. He was 58.
| Year | Winner | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hannah Sidford | 28m 18s |
| 2023 | Not Claimed | |
| 2022 | Not Claimed | |
| 2021 | Not Claimed | |
| 2020 | Not Claimed | - |
| 2019 | Not Claimed | - |
| 2018 | Philip Pearce | 29m 50s |
| 2017 | Not Claimed | - |
| 2015 | Oscar Twinning | 24m17s |
| 2014 | Oliver Hayward | 24m11s |
| 2013 | Adam Beddall | 23m 2s |
| 2012 | Sean Townsend | 21m 2s |
| 2011 | Matt Godden | 20m 48s |
| 2010 | Matt Godden | 22m 8s |
| 2009 | Aaron Preece | 24m 32s |
| 2008 | Rupert Denny | 22m 16s |
| 2007 | Rupert Denny | 24m 28s |
| 2003 | Tom Veale | |
| 2001 | Toby Wooldridge | |
| 1995 | Darren Jewell | |
| 1994 | Darren Jewell | |
| 1993 | Steve Barnes | |
| 1992 | Keir Williams | |
| 1991 | Alister Scott | |
| 1990 | Alister Scott | |
| 1989 | A. McCree | |
| 1988 | A. McCree | |
| 1987 | R. Tedaldi | |
| 1986 | Andy Palmer | |
| 1984 | H. Payne | 26m 25s |
| 1983 | John Barnes | |
| 1981 | K.Trinder | |
| 1979 | A. Davis | |
| 1978 | C. Ransome |