OFF THE WIRE
Bikers on their way to a funeral of one of their memberts at Grenoside
A POPULAR motorcyclist was joined on his final journey by hundreds of fellow bikers who formed a cavalcade to accompany his coffin to a South Yorkshire crematorium for his funeral, writes Claire Lewis.
George Palmer, aged 58, and known as ‘Geordie’, was a long-standing member of the Druids North Motorcycle Club.
Hundreds of friends from the club and fellow bikers gathered at the club’s headquarters on Walker Street in Sheffield to travel together to Kiveton Park, where Geordie was brought up.
They then joined his funeral procession and rode in convoy to Grenoside Crematorium in Sheffield.
The spectacle stopped traffic as motorists gave way to allow the hearse and accompanying bikers through.
Tributes flooded biker forums on the internet where fellow motorcyclists spoke of their sadness at Geordie’s death.
One pal said: “You will be missed by all who knew you. Our condolences to the family and the club. He will always be in our thoughts.
“Hope we meet again on the other side. Ride free, long time friend.”
Geordie was born in Newcastle, where his father was a miner. His family moved to Kiveton Park where Geordie grew up and followed in his father’s footsteps and also worked down the mines.
He had lived with his partner, Pam, in Killamarsh for 14 years.
Geordie’s sister Lynn said although he did not have any children of his own he adored Pam’s daughter’s son, Khi, who called him ‘grandad’.
She said he had been a devoted biker for years but had been unable to ride for the last two years after developing lung cancer.
Lynn said: “He had always been a biker and a member of the Druids for years, so we think it’s fantastic what his friends did to organise the cavalcade for him – he loved bikes and his own trike. It was sad that in the last couple of years he could not ride because of his health. We will all remember him as a gentle giant who everyone loved.”
http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/hundreds_of_bikers_form_funeral_cavalcade_for_geordie_1_3986778
“Hope we meet again on the other side. Ride free, long time friend.”
Geordie was born in Newcastle, where his father was a miner. His family moved to Kiveton Park where Geordie grew up and followed in his father’s footsteps and also worked down the mines.
He had lived with his partner, Pam, in Killamarsh for 14 years.
Geordie’s sister Lynn said although he did not have any children of his own he adored Pam’s daughter’s son, Khi, who called him ‘grandad’.
She said he had been a devoted biker for years but had been unable to ride for the last two years after developing lung cancer.
Lynn said: “He had always been a biker and a member of the Druids for years, so we think it’s fantastic what his friends did to organise the cavalcade for him – he loved bikes and his own trike. It was sad that in the last couple of years he could not ride because of his health. We will all remember him as a gentle giant who everyone loved.”
http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/hundreds_of_bikers_form_funeral_cavalcade_for_geordie_1_3986778