Alan sent in these photos of a friend's board and asked if I knew about this label. The board was bought at a surf shop in Bude in the very late 60s, was surfed at Woolacombe , and hasn't been in the water for nearly 15 years. I would say the Bude connection is a big clue. Paul 'Ju' Jury was one of the hot up and coming Bude local surfers in the late 60s and I'd imagine this must be one of his first results from the shaping room, and a rare board I'm sure. Very typical of a late 60s transitional diamond tail, similar to boards being produced by Bilbo and H&H , but lacking their more professional finish. Paul turned into a very professional shaper though in the 70s, working in Hawaii ,and Australia under Phil Byrne , then returning to Bude for the 80s and making General surfboards. Ju very sadly died during a surf in powerful waves at a reef in the Philippines.
Anyone else know about these early Ju boards ?
1987ps - if you missed the recent Big Chill exhibition about surfing history in Kent, or like me lived too far away to get to it, here's a BBC report about it - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-14185702
Hi I grew up in Bude and JU Paul Jury made all my early boards and when I was very young about 7 he always was very willing to lend me his boards to surf, a great guy and a great loss, he used to work for a guy by the name of Dick Willouby the owner of the "Surf spot" that was in Lansdown road Bude his board factory was on the side of bude canal, Yes JU boards were a big part in my growing up paul shaped some really radical boards in those 70s days God I wish I was younger again I am still surfing but I am on the Rhino chaser now 9`10" bring back those endless summers. Best wishes Barry Walker.
ReplyDeleteI've some old 70s pictures of Barry doing handstands on a board in Bude. I too still surf although in N Devon.
DeleteThat'll be Al Brown lol
Deletehi Barry good to hear your memories, thanks
ReplyDeleteMy dad Roger Tout worked with him on the boards and was one of his good friends.
ReplyDeleteHi, I have one of this surfboard :-)
ReplyDeleteSomeone could be interested?
My Dad Roger Adams worked with Ju and Touty from an attic in Bude on these boards. I believe my Dad designed the Generals logo and also Sick Pig surfboards. There was also a Ju's Generals cricket team in Bude until dad passed, now its Rogers Generals. They wear the same logo as the Generals boards on their shirts. We still have some boards I think in mums garage. I can ask mum any questions you may have about them, Roger Tout still lives a few doors down from mum so ample opportunity to ask away - claire.themadamsagency@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteHi, I have my dad's JU surfboard, he bought it from Paul from the shop in Bude in 1970 , will post pictures if anyone is interested .
ReplyDeleteHi there. I would love to see some pictures of your dads old Ju board. I live at widemouth and have a couple, ones an old General and the other is a very old Ju. If your ever interested in parting with it give me a shout? toby.robbo@googlemail.com
DeleteAah PJ. I used to get all my boards from JU. "General Surfboards" as it was in the 80's. I sadly left my 5'10" quad fin at a girlfriends house in Middx. Never saw the board again...
ReplyDeleteJ.P. Cracky
I also still have a General thruster surfboard about 6'8 shaped by Paul Jury in beautiful condition. I bought it off him in the late eighties and hardly rode it.
ReplyDeleteSteve Jenkins South Wales.
Any one know anything about somebody called "Rabbit" who shaped for general surfboards?
ReplyDeleteI was partners in crime with Paul when we took on the shop at Widemouth bay to sell fruit vegetables pasties surfboards wetsuits and dried seaweed for Dr Ash. The first General surfboards were shaped and glassed in my garage up at Inches Cross and later at Ivyleaf hill. Had many incredible times with Paul early including surftrips to Irelands west coast. After zI moved to Australi I introduced Paul to Murray Bourton at Pipedreams and then his boards moved into a new era. PS Sill have one of Roger Adams creations with an Ivyleaf Logo no other id marks, surfed it for years. Currently in Bude at 70 years old and still getting a couple most days on my 9.6 mal.
ReplyDeleteJohny Cutts (JC)
How strange. I was thinking about Ju today and I get J.C's post in my inbox.
ReplyDeleteI've just recently come accross an 8ft General Phazer surfboard in really tidy condition in a container lot I purchased. It states shaped by Redge on it, not sure of its age. Anyone know more about these boards?
ReplyDeleteYEah. That would be "Reg (Mark) Pennington. One of PJ's shapers. His dad was a Bude copper. P.C Pennington.
ReplyDeleteSadly Toby from Widemouth who commented above was a great friend of mine and was a passionate collector of old boards with a few of Ju's boards in his collection died while out surfing at Widemouth in 2019. RIP Tobes
ReplyDelete