The Romance of the Cyclists Touring Club 1928

By James T. Lightwood192826 chapters33 images

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Contents

• Preface (opens in a new tab)

  James T. Lightwood explains that the History was commissioned by the C.T.C. Council at Leeds in February 1926, drawn from the Club's own records and contemporary journals, and thanks S. J. A. Cotterell, a Founder and the Club's first Secretary.
• Chapter I: The Coming of the Velocipede (opens in a new tab)

  Traces the uncertain origins of the bicycle from the earliest velocipedes, ranging from antiquity to the machine's first appearance in Britain.
• Chapter II: The Development of the Bicycle (opens in a new tab)

  The improvement of the early two-wheeler by inventors such as James Starley of the Coventry Company, who realised the possibilities of the new machine.
• Chapter III: The Birth of the B.T.C. (opens in a new tab)

  How touring cyclists, longing to escape the towns but frustrated by bad roads, poor maps and misleading sign-posts, came together to found the Bicycle Touring Club in 1878.
• Chapter IV: A Change of Name (opens in a new tab)

  The B.T.C.'s rapid growth after 1879 (proclaimed 'the largest Bicycle Club in the world'), the proposed 'Roll of Honour', and the change of name to the Cyclists' Touring Club, covering 1879–1900.
• Chapter V: In Deep Waters (opens in a new tab)

  The lean years of 1900–1909: the end of the cycling boom, the slump in machine sales and falling membership, set against wins for cyclists such as relief from bridge tolls.
• Chapter VI: The Revival (opens in a new tab)

  The Club's recovery from 1910, when the Council left Victoria Street and fixed on new headquarters at 280 Euston Road.
• Chapter VII: The Council (opens in a new tab)

  The constitution of the Club's governing body, a President, Vice-Presidents, Honorary Secretary and Treasurer and sixteen Chief Consuls, and its revision from 1878 onward.
• Chapter VIII: The 'Gazette' (opens in a new tab)

  Cotterell's founding 1st Monthly Circular of October 1878, reproduced as effectively No. 1 of the present Club magazine, and the growth of the C.T.C. Gazette.
• Chapter IX: In and Out of the Law Courts (opens in a new tab)

  The Club's original 'Object' pledging legal help and protection to members wronged on the road, and the important system of legal defence it grew into.
• Chapter X: The District Associations (opens in a new tab)

  The formation and work of the C.T.C.'s District Associations across the country as local arms of the Club.
• Chapter XI: Hotels: Danger Boards (opens in a new tab)

  The appointment of official B.T.C./C.T.C. headquarters hotels, from Cotterell's negotiations with proprietors, and the Club's erection of danger boards warning riders of dangerous hills.
• Chapter XII: Lady Members (opens in a new tab)

  Women in the Club: after an all-male first year of 'Seven Hundred and Eighteen Men', the first lady candidate was Mrs Welford, wife of the Secretary.
• Chapter XIII: Badges: Uniforms (opens in a new tab)

  The Club's badges, from the early red cardboard members' ticket signed by Cotterell, and the official cycling uniform of the B.T.C. and C.T.C.
• Chapter XIV: The C.T.C. and the Railways (opens in a new tab)

  The Club's long dealings with the railway companies over the carriage of cycles, from Rowley Turner landing his velocipede at Dover onward.
• Chapter XV: Friends and Relations (opens in a new tab)

  The C.T.C.'s alliances with kindred bodies, notably the Roads Improvement Association formed with the N.C.U. in 1886 and the first British Roads Conference at Gloucester.
• Chapter XVI: The C.T.C. Abroad (opens in a new tab)

  The Club's activities in Europe, America and further afield, opening with the 1877 foreign tour of Louis Meldon of Dublin and C. W. Fagan of London.
• Chapter XVII: Minor Activities (opens in a new tab)

  Military cycling, ambulance classes and camping, including the 1882 Volunteer Cyclist Battalion and a Cyclists' Branch of the Intelligence Corps and Signallers.
• Appendix I: Bibliography of Cycling Literature (opens in a new tab)

  A bibliography of books on cycling compiled for the History.
• Appendix II: Bibliography of Cycling Journals (opens in a new tab)

  A bibliography of cycling periodicals and journals.
• Appendix III: The 'Sir Alfred Bird' Prize (opens in a new tab)

  A note on the Sir Alfred Bird Prize.
• Appendix IV: Presidents and Chairmen of the Council (opens in a new tab)

  A list of the Club's Presidents and Chairmen of the Council.
• Appendix V: The Council, 1928 (opens in a new tab)

  The membership of the C.T.C. Council in 1928.
• Appendix VI: Annual Number of Members (opens in a new tab)

  A year-by-year table of the Club's membership numbers.
• Appendix VII: Annual Profit and Loss Statement (opens in a new tab)

  A year-by-year statement of the Club's profit and loss.
• Appendix VIII: Club Publications (opens in a new tab)

  A list of the Club's own publications.