Honours-laden Sammy Miller, MBE, has another accolade to his name – Honorary Freeman of New Milton, Hampshire.
Miller (90), regarded as one of the world’s greatest trials rider, established a motorcycle museum in New Milton 41 years ago and moved it to Bashley Manor, Hampshire, in 2009. It quickly established a world-class reputation for the sporting motorcycles on display, many of them restored on-site.
“The honour is recognition of a job well done,” New Milton town council clerk Graham Flexman said. “Sammy Miller said he would accept the honour so long as he could have some influence in trying to improve the condition and safety of local roads, especially those leading to his museum.
“He was presented with an illuminated scroll by David Hawkins, chairman of New Forest District Council, on 25 September at New Milton council offices, followed by a reception at the museum. Among those attending was New Forest MP, Sir Desmond Swayne.
“Sammy Miller deserves the recognition,” added Flexman, who rode a Lambretta in his youth and was delighted to see an example of ‘his’ bike had recently been added to the museum collection.
Sammy Miller is the fourth person to be made a New Milton Honorary Freeman. The previous three were councillors recognised for civil achievements.
The award carries no privileges, but elevates the Miller Museum’s status and officially recognises its importance as a major New Forest tourist attraction with 21,000 visitors a year and more than 400 machines on display.
Said Sammy Miller: “The museum has put New Milton on the world map. We are very lucky that journalist Alan Cathcart has written about machines in the museum for 39 international magazines. This has resulted in even more visitors from all parts of the world. New Milton would be just another town in the New Forest without us.
“I appreciate the award. It’s good for motorcycling. And hopefully the council will get switched on to making the roads safer. At present, it’s a patchwork quilt of potholes and poor repairs. Quite unacceptable for motorcyclists visiting the museum.”
Last year, New Milton (population 26,000) granted planning permission for a new separate restaurant at the museum. The development will allow the current tea rooms to be converted to motorcycle displays, bringing the potential machine display numbers up to 500. Work started in early September for a target opening in the New Year.
Recent additions to the museum include five machines bought from the HJ Pugh auction of speedway machines (all lots sold – see BDN July p36).
Ulsterman Sammy Miller moved from Ariel Motorcycles, Birmingham, where he was a works trials rider, to New Milton in 1964 to join Bultaco importer Rickman Motorcycles to help develop new Bultaco trials models.
Eleven times British and double European trials champion, Miller developed his own range of trials accessories retailed as Sammy Miller Equipment. He began collecting classic competition machines, first showing them to the public in 1980. In 1983, the late seven-time world road race champion (1956-60) John Surtees officially opened the museum.
Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum
01425 620777
www.sammymiller.co.uk