Vol 5, No 25
Articles in this issue
- Standing note that the latest hour for reception of copy for the Gazette is 6.30 p.m. on Tuesdays.
- Unheaded leader marking the departure from England of Herbert Liddell Cortis of the Wanderers Bicycle Club, holder of three championships in 1880, four in 1879 and twenty-four standing records. It praises his geniality, generosity to opponents and straightforwardness, and hopes to see him home again.
- District Captains' arrangements for the last General Meet of the season, at Halliford on 2nd September: N.E. from Lea Bridge Road at 3.0 to join the N.W. at "Jack Straw's" at 4.0, the W. from the "Coach and Horses," Kew at 5.0, the S.W. from Kingston Station at 5.30, and the S.E. Blackheath Division from Lewisham Church joining the Croydon Division. Signed for the D.Cs. by T. E. Scrutton.
- Minutes of the Executive meeting of 15th August 1882 at 17 Ironmonger Lane: the Syndale Park Sports case re-opened and Mr. Harvey of Truro's penalty remitted, Mills, Shadwick and Sidwell suspended pending the Brinklow Sports charges, a Tricycle Championship agreed in principle, and a petition to the Duke of Cambridge to open Richmond Park to bicyclists and tricyclists.
- Progress of the Club tournament through the completed second round and the third-round draw, with Reynolds beating Naylor after a famously hard-hitting second set and then beating Beck, who was handicapped by a strained arm. Rumour that the final tie may be played at a General Meet provided both men ride there and back.
- The Company's cup, thrown open to individual riders this year over fifteen miles on 17th August, drew eighteen entries of whom sixteen beat the fifty-minute bronze-medal standard. C. D. Vesey (Surrey B.C.) led into the last lap and beat H. R. Reynolds (London B.C.) by ten yards in 46 min. 22.5 sec.
- List of race meetings the Captain sanctions members riding at under Rule 40, from the Penzance Athletic Sports on 25th August through the Surrey B.C. Autumn Meeting at the Oval and the Brighton B.C. Annual Meeting to the L.A.C. fixtures at Stamford Bridge in October and November.
- Tabulated meets for the six districts, including the picnic runs to Shepperton Lock, N.E. to Havering and N.W. to Shenley, and the all-district run to Halliford on 2nd September.
- District reports for 19th August, including two rival accounts of the South-Eastern "invasion" of the N.E. district at Chigwell, where only four men mustered and tea was pigeon pie at the "King's Head" to the accompaniment of an obnoxious bugler. The N.W. rode 40 miles via Wembley Park and Greenford to West Drayton, and the S.W. blamed the holiday exodus for a muster of two Sherriffs and one dog.
- A special reporter's account of the Wanderers' farewell dinner to H. L. Cortis at the Holborn Restaurant on 17th August, with Cornell in the chair and the L.B.C. represented by the President, the Captain, M. D. Rucker and others. The Captain proposed "The Path," Hampton Roberts replied for "The Road" with a comic disquisition on rustic remarks to cyclists, and Cortis spoke simply in thanks, paying tribute to Keith-Falconer's early performances.
- H. S. Jackson rides into Malton and finds the town given over to "the Gala", a combined flower, dog and bird show with a country ball in a tent obstructed by a row of posts, fireworks spelling "Success to Floriculture," and rustics dancing a marriage-ring song. He hints the Committee might copy it to mend the Club's finances.
- "Rambler" reports the President's plan to attack records at the Crystal Palace on 26th August after the Rye B.C. meeting, a French rustic riding with wine, loaf and reaping hook, a billsticker who works from a tricycle, and the N.E. v. S.E. tea-drinking match at Chigwell. Also Cortis taking a wife, three bicycles and a "Sociable" tricycle to Australia, and the Irish Union's preference for Home Rule.
- Report from the Cyclist of the Cuckfield hearing in which the Bicycle Union prosecuted the driver and guard of the London and Brighton coach for driving bicyclists off the road and for striking at a rider's hat with a stick. The defendants pleaded guilty, were fined 1s. in each case with £5 costs, and the Pall Mall Gazette's comment on the road rights established is reprinted.
- Gerard B. Coss continues his Bâle-to-Olten notes from Thun, with detailed road directions past Liestal, Sissach and the corkscrew descent of the Hauenstein hill, advice on brakes and back-pedalling, and praise for the Swiss system of forwarding luggage by rail. He recommends Langenthal as the sort of unvisited market village only the bicyclist sees.
- A single line acknowledging a contribution received from H. H. S. with thanks.
- Standing rules for contributions: address to the Editor at 35 Eastcheap, E.C., bear the author's name though not necessarily for insertion, write on one side of the paper only, and reach the office by Tuesday 5.30 p.m.