Here we have it, the long and exciting history of Mini Clubs In Jersey
A Request - If you have any interesting stories or photos of the club from the 80s-90s please email them to - miniclubjersey@live.co.uk or alternatively ring me (lewis) on - 07797728502
1985 - the Beggining
Jersey's first Mini club was formed in 1985 by 2 young mini enthusiasts by the names of Gary Buesnel & Emanuel Rodrigues. There first mini meeting was one sun filled Sunday morning at the top floor of Pier road car park. On that day, the first of many meets over 10 minis turned up; from this initial meeting Jersey Mini Owners Club was born. They continued to meet on the 3rd Sunday of every month at Le Braye car park in St Ouen.
The Mini Ritz was also released this year
The Mini Ritz was also released this year
1987 - The first party
Two years flew by and in 1987 JMOC had their first big event, a party to celebrate the Mini's 28th Birthday at Miards auction field in St Lawrence, the first of many birthday celebrations in our glorious Island
The following year...
The following year Gary Medder & Joe Manning formed another club called Jersey Mini Cooper Register. This club catered for owners of the Mini Cooper and Cooper S models, a highly loved model of mini made famous by f1 driver John cooper.
1989 - The mini was 30!
1989 came a-knocking and both clubs travelled to Silverstone in England. Like a flash the mini had become 30 years old and this gave Jersey Mini lovers a great excuse to celebrate. For 3 days mini owners from all over the world rejoiced in the making of such a wondrous vehicle. However when everyone returned to Jersey some members of JMOC had split over certain differences of opinion. From this a 3rd Club was formed, it was called Mini Club Jersey.
Over a year passed and in late 1990 JMCR and MCJ joined forces and became Jersey Mini and Cooper Club. This still left 2 local clubs, choices choices
1990-1994 - club grows in strength before mini 35
Over just a few years JM&CC began to grow in size and when 1994 arrived it was another Mini birthday, this time the mini was 35 and the club travelled to Silverstone to celebrate what was known in the U.K as the best mini show to visit.
In 1995 the club resumed its normal service. The highlight of the year was a visit to the Longbridge to witness the mini production line in Birmingham
1996-1997
In March of 1996 there was to be more changes afoot. 2 former club members formed another club but with an old name, this was called Mini Club Jersey.
Within a small period of time it became the largest of the clubs, however this left 3 clubs on the scene! If you have kept on track to this point, then well done, don’t stop! There’s more...
Within a small period of time it became the largest of the clubs, however this left 3 clubs on the scene! If you have kept on track to this point, then well done, don’t stop! There’s more...
1998-1999 - then there was two, and the mini was 40 too!
It was 1998, JM&CC had folded and joined up with MCJ, this left just two Clubs. The mini was just two short years away from ceasing production, everyone knew that mini 40 was to be a big event
In no time at all 1999 had arrived and MCJ travelled to Mini40, a show that many a mini owner still talks about to this day
In no time at all 1999 had arrived and MCJ travelled to Mini40, a show that many a mini owner still talks about to this day
1999-2004 - in a blink of an eye, its 45
2004, 5 years had already been and gone, already the mini was 45 and like a homage Local Mini owners as part of MCJ took the same exciting trip to the minis 45th anniversary
Over the next few years the club carried on with various meets, shows and meals, everything was great and the club enjoyed many a sociable time with one another, everyone knew the Minis biggest birthday was yet to come...
Over the next few years the club carried on with various meets, shows and meals, everything was great and the club enjoyed many a sociable time with one another, everyone knew the Minis biggest birthday was yet to come...
2009
In August of 2009 MCJ travelled to England, this time it was to Longbridge itself to celebrate the IMM (international mini meeting) & the Mini's 50th birthday. Mini club Jersey had 6 Mini's on display for what was a huge event, even Bmw Turned up for the event paying their own respects for the iconic little car!
The icing on the big mini cake was September of 2009. Pallots steam thrashing fare was to be a big event for mini owners in Jersey. A lot of hard work was put into ensuring 50+ minis to the event. Over 69 Minis turned up to the day, mini owners of all ages rejoiced, minis of all types showed up, pictures can be found here
The icing on the big mini cake was September of 2009. Pallots steam thrashing fare was to be a big event for mini owners in Jersey. A lot of hard work was put into ensuring 50+ minis to the event. Over 69 Minis turned up to the day, mini owners of all ages rejoiced, minis of all types showed up, pictures can be found here
2010
2010 contained some wonderful moments, many of which we never realised would be our last with a great friend of ours. there was our usual meets until June arrived and a small group of us visited Beaulieu motor Museum for the mini cooper day. Stunning weather and amazing Minis filled the event. We stayed in the beautiful town of Lyndhurst near a ferrari/maserati garage of all places! We hope to make this trip again someday so keep your eyes peeled. The usual club events followed after and were nice and busy, the overflow of excitement from the minis 50th Birthday lingered around. Lewis had agreed to take over the role of Newsletter editor and Steve to take over as the club treasurer. It was all normal workings when sadly on 6th November after losing his short battle with cancer we said goodbye to the wonderful, charismatic person that was Terry Batho. A convoy of club minis joined him on his funeral and it was a great way of saying goodbye, an undoubtedly hard one. The place was packed which showed how much he was loved. It was decided that he will live on within the club, as you are about to find out in 2011. The cold weather was soon approaching and as we soldiered on it seemed to stop our fun. The Christmas meal was all ready to rock on December 19th, everything was prepared when... snow arrived. The intensity was too dangerous even for those with (proper offroad) 4x4's. 23 People were left at home watching holiday telly, or working on your mini if you have a warm garage! The meal was to be picked up in January 2011, but more on that later. Overall 2010 proved to be full of many surprising moments, some heartfelt and some happy, it was a year we cannot forget
What are we up to now you may be asking? Well, Mini Club Jersey attends and puts on a display of club cars at several car shows and fete's, we meet every third Sunday of the month, 9.30am at Albert Quay Harbour terminal (at the cafe) then we do our normal drive up to Portelet Inn in St Brelades for 11am. We have a Bi Monthly newsletter and when Christmas comes round out comes the minis and Christmas hats for a club meal!
Our History has been a long and exciting one full of great Moments, if you have a mini and have yet to join us then please don’t hesitate to become part of the club and be part of its next chapter
Mini Club Jersey Team
