The Bristol Wheelers C.C. Gazette, Vol 1898, No 2
Articles in this issue
- Hon. Sec. and Treasurer E. Fawcett White summons members from 6 East Grove, Brook Road, to the Thirty-fourth General Monthly Meeting at the 'Greyhound' Hotel, Broadmead, on Wednesday 2 February 1898, and prints the agenda: minutes of the Third Annual Meeting and Dance Committee, election of new members, Annual Sports, Saturday and Wednesday fixtures, and appointment of a secretary for whist, skittles and football.
- Report of the Bristol Wheelers' Third Annual Meeting at the 'Greyhound' Hotel on 12 January 1898: H. Reginald Wansbrough re-elected President and presented with an enamelled gold Club badge, A. Ricketts elected Captain, and ten delegates appointed to the N.C.U. Centre Committee. Also records new Club rules on fourteen days' notice for rule changes, racing under the Club name, and a fortnight's ultimatum to members owing 1897 subscriptions.
- February 1898 fixture list: the Thirty-fourth General Monthly Meeting at headquarters on the 2nd, and the Sixteenth to Nineteenth Dances at Hannah More Hall on the 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th.
- A column of teasing rhetorical questions about named members — 'Alf' Junr., 'Billy' at the skittle match, 'Dick' leaving the Thirteenth Dance without his overcoat and boots, and the President arriving at the Annual Meeting by brougham rather than by bicycle.
- Continuing instalment of a comic touring narrative in which the writer and 'Jim' visit the Empire music hall, watch an animatograph of the Jubilee Procession break down mid-reel, and endure a boastful commercial traveller in the 'George' hotel's commercial room.
- Comic squib about a member who, having failed to shoot any rabbits and nearly shot his friend, bought one from a dealer — only to be recognised in the bar by the farmer whose land he claimed to have shot it on.
- Full scorecard and report of the eleven-a-side skittle match against the B.B. & T.C. at the Bristol North Unionist Club on 19 January 1898, which the Wheelers won 360 pins to 355, with E. F. White top-scoring on 82.
- Announces the return fixture against the B.B. & T.C. at the 'Eglington' Arms, Maudlin Street, on Wednesday 9 February, with W. R. Britton asking for twenty a side.
- Notes that the County Ground directors have agreed to let the Club hold its Annual Sports on Whit-Tuesday instead of Whit-Monday.
- The editor's own column, headed by the note that the Gazette is posted gratis to all members. Under the side-heading 'New Club' he attacks the circular promoting a rival Bristol club, naming five Wheelers already approached; under 'Club Matters' he stresses the importance of the newly elected Committee and N.C.U. Centre delegates.
- A comic set of five dialect renderings of 'Mary had a little lamb' — English, French, Chinese, Dutch and Irish.
- The writer renews his prediction that acetylene lamps will supersede petroleum ones by the end of the 1898 riding season, citing a large factory cutting guinea petroleum lamps to 10s 6d and an American maker opening a London depot, and rebutting the notion that acetylene is dangerous.
- Signed 'C. H. W.', a sceptical assessment of press claims that 1898 will be a phenomenal season for English cycle makers, suspecting the optimism is planted by advertisers to protect share prices, and warning that manufacturers who treated their foreign agents badly will suffer in the export trade.
- Tabulated return of prizes won by present members during 1897 — 201 prizes worth £960, probably over £1,000 in all — listing each member's firsts, seconds, thirds and fourths, with J. Chamberlain (25 prizes, £359) and H. Appleton the leading scorers, and seven members marked 'Not replied'.
- By Mrs. C. H. W.: announces Club-run attendance prizes presented by W. J. Robinson to Miss F. Ridler, Miss E. C. Shepherd and Mrs. E. F. White, warns lady members against the 'veritable trash' sold through sale-rooms and drapers' windows, and criticises long-distance women's racing at the Royal Aquarium for requiring a hospital nurse in attendance.
- Notice that the Bristol B. & T.C. is likely to promote a trip to Birmingham on Saturday 12 February, to which Captain W. R. Britton has cordially invited all Wheelers.
- Humorous account of the first match against the Richmond Cycling Club for Mr. R. Exell's Five Guinea Prize, from meeting twenty 'strapping' Richmondites at Temple Meads to the full team list — W. B. Hale at back, A. B. Ricketts at half — with J. Usher as referee and songs from both clubs afterwards.
- Records with regret the death of Mr. T. J. Rees, for many years Secretary of the B.B. & T.C., remembered by Wheelers who saw him at the last Charity Sports.
- Acknowledges 87 sixpences already received plus fresh donations from H. E. Harris, W. J. Holder and A. E. Stock, with the Secretary regretting that members are not supporting the fund as they should.
- The Treasurer's list of 1898 entrance fees and subscriptions received — from A. E. Elmes, J. H. Crawley, A. Ricketts, Miss A. L. Holloway and others — together with donations towards the expenses of the Gazette.