Looking at those three new photos of Beryl at speed, it's very easy to conclude that she based her classic crouched style on that of "Maitre Jacques" Anquetil.a style that had helped him to more than a handful of victories against both the watch and high level competition. Fortunately, from the on-lookers' point of view Beryl did not copy Jacques' unusual toe-down pedalling style.
The very "closed-leg" style probably resulted from the fashion..or more likely belief..that when the crank was at its bottom dead centre, the rider should be able to stretch the leg downwards, extend the foot even further and then scrape the heel of the shoe on the ground...of course that is with the bike upright and not in a cornering position. Anyhow..that was the way the Huddersfield lads used to do it..and of course the low bracket height, usually 10.25 to 10.5 " made it a little easier. I doubt whether we could manage the manoeuvre these days ..particularly with the arched shoe soles and clipless pedals.
Dating ..or at least seteting a time sequence to the photos isn't too demanding, with Photo 3 being most certainly the earliest..dating from the 60s. The frame is again almost certainly a Jacques Anquetil (you can just make out the silver-foil seat-tube panel), a brand that Ron Kitching distributed in the UK during those years. The brakes are Balilla with the distinctive large hoods covering that odd QR button. A similar photo appears on page 225 of Ron's "Everything Cycling Handbook" for 1970/71, but Beryl is not identified as the cyclist. Bear in mind that Ron had sponsored Beryl with bikes for a long time..and she was invited to open Ron's new HQ in 1963.. During the same period Ron had co-sponsored other Pro riders and teams in the UK with "Anquetil" frames.
Photos 2 and 4 are from later years, no earlier than the mid-70s at a guess. The frame ridden here is Ron Kitching one, painted in Ron's distinctive house colours of mid-green enamel with black and white panels/transfers. The lugs are probably Bocama and the tubing Vitus, with ends supplied by Zeus....all products that Ron distributed...and promoted very effectively. I reckon the frame would have been made by MKM...and used as a vehicle for Ron to promote his new brand. Until the manufacturing link-up with Mason and Metcalfe he had not produced frames with his own name. The workshop was on Skipton Road , Harrogate just a short ride along the road from Ron's warehouse.
It is interesting to note the Weinmann 500 series brakes - the lightest on the market at the time - and even lighter if the already relatively flimsy stirrups were subjected to the "drillium" treatment that became fashionable.. The chainset is TA with a MASSIVE single ring, linked probably to a six-block at the back..gearing would most likely be Zeus. I recall Ron once explaining that although he had been successful in business, he could have done better. His point was that, at one time early in his importing career, he had been offered the Campagnolo franchise. He explained that because at the time he was very much into French equipment thanks to his link with Andre Bertin, and their shared Milremo brand, he had opted to stay with the Huret brand. Much later he was to take on Zeus...but failed in his attempts to place it on the same level, quality and price-wise as Campag.
As has been pointed out, Beryl owed a tremendous amount to her husband Charley - no mean rider himself by all accounts. Although he acted as coach, trainer, chauffeur (when they actually manged to afford a car) mechanic, he was also a training partner.The fact that Beryl could hold down a full-time arduous job with Ned Carline - himself a phenomenal mile-eater- and perform as well as she did. was due in no small part to the fact that everything, going to work, taking holidays etc was done on the bike, as very few cyclists had cars in the 50s and 60s.
Norris Lockley, Settle uK