The Bicycling Times and Touring Gazette, Vol 6, No 23
Articles in this issue
- The editor welcomes the Pickwick Bicycle Club's endorsement of the Surrey BC's stance on the Amateur Question, noting that the Pickwick's decisions carry weight throughout the bicycling community and urging other clubs to follow suit.
- Weekly fixture list for Saturday, 24th April 1880, covering rides and destinations for dozens of metropolitan clubs including the Alert, Albion, Belgrave, and Surrey, plus provincial clubs from Bradford to Edinburgh.
- Run reports from over forty London and provincial clubs for the week of April 17th, covering routes, road conditions, tea stops, and club business from clubs including the Arion, City of London, Lewisham (whose 20-mile championship was won by H. H. Stewart at the Crystal Palace), and Dumfries.
- Letters to the editor including Shirley Fussell of the Pickwick BC announcing resolutions to hold their June 5th race under Bicycle Union amateur rules; a query about H. L. Cortis's union membership status; and a note from 'Pruffle' crediting himself and Geo. Gooding with erecting the danger board at Woodcock Hill near Elstree.
- The regular miscellany column by 'Woodcutter' touching on the LAC One-Mile Handicap and its disputed handicapping, comments on anonymous correspondence in cycling journalism, a jibe at a rival bicycling paper's alleged misquotation, and news that Mr. Rucker jun. is about to become a bicycle salesman.
- Brief racing intelligence including 53 entries for the Surrey Spring Meeting open mile (Cortis, Popplewell, and Thorn among them), two bicycle handicaps at the Coventry Druids' Sports on Whit Monday, and an invitation race proposed by the Dark Blue (Oxford) for 18th May.
- General cycling notes reporting that R. R. Mackinnon of the Brighton Club has obtained an Indian Cadetship and will quit the racing path, comment on the Surbiton track's favourable terms for race meetings, and news of the illness of Mr. Tufts, captain of the Westbourne BC.
- Thos. Sorby Goodall writes with two local press extracts showing Derby magistrates actively directing police to summons bicyclists, including a case where Charles Large was fined 5s. for riding after sunset without a lamp, warning readers who may pass through the town.
- 'Nemo' of the Kensington BC responds to a proposal by Mr. Cunningham (Temple BC) for separate second-class races at club meetings, arguing the scheme is impracticable because it would produce near-scratch first-class events and deter slower men from the second-class through pride.
- 'Ivanhon' defends anonymous contributions to cycling papers, arguing that a nom de plume in no way diminishes the merit of a letter and citing the astronomer Proctor as an example of a writer whose anonymous work commanded respect before his identity was known.
- 'Time' of the Brixton Ramblers argues that the Bicycle Union has no authority to redefine amateur status and proposes that a leading club convene a public meeting of bicyclists to settle the definition before the racing season begins.
- Reprints a passage from the 'Seven Sisters and Finsbury Park Journal' praising the Hornsey Local Board for finally permitting the Bicycle Union to erect enamelled-iron danger warning notices on hills within the district.
- Reports on the disastrous Holborn fire that damaged the Duke's Saloon of the Holborn Restaurant (a popular venue for Metropolitan club dinners) and scorched the factory of Messrs. Newton, Wilson & Co., makers of the Acme Bicycle and A.B.C. Bearings, both of which were saved from total destruction.
- The AGM at the Grove Hotel on April 14th, chaired by President W. Lowes Rushton, elected S. McMillin as captain; it was resolved to retain the grey suit and blue polo uniform, adopt the motto 'Labor actus in orbem,' and reduce the annual subscription from 10s. 6d. to 5s.
- Review of the Rovers BC's second performance of Mr. Woodin's cycling burlesque extravaganza 'Velocipedeia, by Jupiter,' staged at the Hackney Theatre, with a full cast list and scene-by-scene account of the three-act comedy in which village maidens resolve to marry only bicyclists.
- A brief tribute to Patrick Fitzgerald of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, killed in a fire at Somers Town, described by the editor as a brave comrade with whom he had worked side by side.
- Results of the four-miles handicap for the University Challenge Cup on the 19th inst.: P. Renouf (Trinity, 840 yards) won from J. C. Isard (Trinity, 840 yards) and W. J. Barclay (Downing, 930 yards) in 12 min. 13 2/5 sec.; scratch man Keith Falconer was put out by a mechanical failure.
- Results of a five-miles handicap at Alexandra Park, Cardiff on April 14th, run in two heats and a final with prizes of £10, £3, and £2; J. Bailey won the final from T. J. P. Sloggett and T. Rate after a double cropper involving Bailey and Harris in the closing laps.
- Results of a five-miles amateur handicap on the new cinder track at the Marble Rink Athletic Club Grounds, 143 Clapham Road on April 17th, run in three heats and a final won by H. Keen (St. Peters, 250 yards) from C. R. Oxx (Surrey, scratch) and C. F. Davis (Lombard, 400 yards).
- Results of a two-miles bicycle handicap at St. Mark's School Grounds, Windsor on April 17th; H. O. Duncan (Uxbridge, 70 yards) won from W. Jarvis (Royal District, 230 yards) and W. Kearly (Royal District, 360 yards), while scratch man P. G. Hebblethwaite was judged grotesquely over-handicapped.
- Two new patent applications: no. 1565, Joseph Goodman of Lambeth for 'Improvements in bicycles' (dated 16 April 1880); and no. 1607, William Soper of Reading for 'Improvements in velocipedes, which improvements are partly applicable to other machines' (dated 19 April 1880).
- Continuation of the serialised touring narrative, covering the author's ride south from Manchester through Stockport and into Cheshire, noting poor roads gave way to fine highway through Macclesfield and on to Leek (52 miles that day, over twenty of them walked), where a local club member guided him to comfortable lodgings.