The Brighton Road

oddly with the early sporting events undertaken on the spur of the moment and recorded only in meagre, unillu

ointed out that neither on his outward journey (3 hrs. 56 mins.), nor on the return (3 hrs. 54 mins.), did he quite equal the

great drive gained him. He died, only forty-four years of a

it. The dwarf rear-driving "safety" bicycle, the "Rover," which, introduced in 1885, set the existing pattern, w

CYCL

, C. W. Schafer, and S. Walker, members of the Polytechnic Cycling Club-did that distance in 7 hrs. 36 mins. 19? secs.; or 13 mins. 40? secs. less; and even then the feat was accomplished only by the four cycli

mins., being himself beaten on July 23rd by S. F. Edge, riding a cushion-tyred safety. Edge put the time at 7 hrs. 2 mins. 50 secs., and, in addition, first beat Selby's outward journey, the times being-coach, 3 hrs. 36 mins.; cycle, 3 hrs. 18 mi

ecord-breaker's flagging energies, much of this success was at first due; b

parture for record-making, and "Hatchett's" has thus somewhat confused t

hett's and the "Greyhound," Croydon. Paxton, a figure of Brobdingnagian proportions, 6 ft. 4 in. in height, and scaling 17 stone, received a time allowance of 23 minutes. Both aspirants went into three weeks' severe training, and elaborate arrangements were made for attendance, timing, and refreshment on the road. Paxton, urged to renewed efforts in the ultimate yards by the strains of a more or less German band, which seeing the competitors approach, played "See the Conquering Hero Comes

ut only by the fractional margin of 1 min. 3 secs., and only held that advantage for three months, Edward Dance, in the last of three separate attempts, succeeding on September 6th in lowering Edge's time, but

recaptured this keenly-contested prize, this time by the respectable margin of 35 mins. 13 secs., only to have it snatched away on September 17th by A. E. Knight, who knocked off 3 mins. 19 secs. Again, in another couple of days, the figures were revised, C. A. Smith, on one of the few occasions on which he deserted the tricycle for the two-wheeler, accomplishing the double journey in 6 hrs. 6 mins. 46 secs. On the 22nd of the same bu

2th lowering that for the bicycle. This year was also remarkable for the appearance of women speed cyclists, setting up records of their own, Mrs. Noble cycling to Bri

n hour; but it was notable for an almost incredible eccentricity, that of cycling backwards to Brighton. This feat was accomplished by J. H. Herbert in November, as an advertising sensation on behalf of

n this year W. Franks, a professional pedestrian in his forty-fifth year, beat all earlier walks to Brighton, eclipsing McIntosh's walk of 1886 by 18 mins. 18 secs. But, far above all other considerations, 1896 was notable for the legalising of motor-cars

eet, but time was taken separately, from that point and from Westminster Clock Tower. There were thirty-seven starters. E. Knott, of the

record by 20 mins. 37 secs., while on the following day Richard Palmer made a better run than Neason's by 9 mins. 45 secs. Neason, however, got his own aga

e arbitrary selection of the starting-points, by which a record run to Brighton and back might be begun at Purley, run to Brighton, then back to Purley, and thence to London and back again, with any variation that might suit the day and the rider. It was evident, too, that the gr

cycling record of 6 hrs. 23 mins. 55 secs.; and on the same day the new unpaced tricycl

de from Big Ben soon after seven o'clock in the morning, when fourteen aspirants, all clad in the regulation running costumes and sweaters, went forth to win the modern equivalent of the victor's laurelled crown in the ancient Olympian games. F. D. Randall, who won, got away from his most dangerous opponent on the

ugust 12th, 1902, reduced his own record by 20 mins. 1 sec. Meanwhile, Harry Vowles, a blind musician of Brighton, who had for some years made an annual walk from Brighton to London,

on March 14th the following year in 8 hrs. 43 mins. 16 secs. For fair heel-and-toe walking, that was considered at the time the ultimate achievement; but it was beaten on April 9th, 1904,

EXCHAN

rtments, and brokers, jobbers, principals, and clerks alike were so heartily tired of going to "business" day after day when there was no business-and when there calculating how much longer they could afford annual subscriptions and office rent-that any relief was eagerly accepted. In three days twenty-five competitors had entered for the proposed walk to Brighton, and the House found itself not so poverty-stricken but that prize-money to the extent of ￡35, for three silver cups, was subscribed. And

d London talked of little else. April 13th had been at first spoken of for the event, but many of the competi

rs had published particulars of the race, together with final weather prognostications; hawkers sold official programmes; an immense crowd assembled; a host of amateur ph

motor-cars and the cyclists who followed the competitors down the road the merits of Somebody's Whi

the road, with here and there an "unattached" walker, such as Mr. Pringle, who, fulfilling the conditions of a wager, walked down in immaculate silk hat, black coat, and spats-"immaculate," that is to say, at the start: as a chronicler adds, "things were rather different later." They were: for thirteen hour

ight finished within the thirteen hours' limit qualifying them for the commemorative medal. G. D. Nicholas, the favourite, heavily back

and the candlestick-makers as well, and the proprietors of baked-potato cans and the roadmen, and indeed the Lord alone knows who not. Of the sixty butchers, who ha

rney pushing a perambulator containing his wife and six-year-old daughter; and on June 16th an American, a Miss Florence, an eighteen-year-old music-hall equilibrist, started to "walk" the distance on a globe. She used for the purpose two globes, each made of wood covered with shee

NGE WALK: E. F.

ances; and, while the craze lasted, not only did the "midinettes" of Paris take the walkin

EDESTR

only ninety actually faced the starter at 5 o'clock a.m. They were a very miscellaneous concourse of professional and amateur "peds"; some with training and others with no discoverable athletic qualifications at all; some mere boys, many middle-aged, one in his fifty-second year, and even one

still wearily plodding on, twenty miles from Brighton, six hours after the winner, Len Hurst, had reached the Aquarium in the record time-26 mins. 18 secs. better than Randall's best of May 6th, 1899-of 6 hrs. 32 mi

2th, 1897, and cycled to Brighton and back, on this occasion, with

R, PACED BY M

NG CO

RIAN R

won by H. W. Horton, in 20 hrs. 31 mins. 53 secs., disposing of Butl

ter-club walk to Brighton of April 9th. But that was indeed a memorable event, for T. E. Hammond then abolished Butler's

before. What the future may have in store none may be so hardy as to prophesy. Finality has a way of ever receding into the infinite, and when the unpaced cyclist shall have beaten the paced record of 5 hrs. 6 mins. 42 secs. made by Neason in 1897, other new fields will arise to be conquered.

23 mins. 27 secs. On June 22nd, 1907, Hammond performed the double journey, London to Brighton and back, in 18 hrs. 13 mins. 37 secs. And on May 1st, 1909, he regained t

N ROAD

Cycling, Runnin

e.

m

of Wales rode horsebac

on House, London,

g 4

ning

Wales drove ph?ton,

House to "Pav

ebster of the 10th

ighton to Westmin

"Red Rover" coach,

p.m., reached Bri

Hancock's steam-

distance betwe

ton 8

hours on r

me, 5 hrs.

erion" coach, Londo

min B. Trench walked

back (100 m

yall, jun., rode a vel

ighton in "a

H. J. Chinnery walk

o Bright

rode a velocipede Lon

ur Bicycle Club's rac

e, riding a 44-

embers of the Surrey

. rode to Bri

Kennington O

in of the Surr

on, in 4 hrs. 51

cycle. W. Wood

0 mile

Howard cycled Brigh

t walked from West

um, Brigh

Malley walked fro

uarium, Bri

. McIntosh walked fr

uarium, Bri

e "Ginger" trotted

es Selby drove "Ol

ccadilly, to "Ol

ack 7

g 3

ning

four cyclists-E. J. W

S. Walker-divi

cycled from

d Ship," Brighton,

team-J. F. Shute, T.

fin-reduced fi

. 19? sec

team-E. R. and W.

nd J. Bla

and cycled from "H

k ("Geared Fa

ic tyre

e cycled from "Hatc

y bicycle, cush

h cycled from "Hatch

pneumatic tyres

se cycled (tricycle

d Ship

Cuthbertson walked fr

" 10

ster Clock T

dge cycled from "Hatc

ack 6

e cycled to Brigh

cycled (high bicyc

7 4

. Edge cycled to Bri

E. Knight

A. Smit

F. Edge

ance""

Robertson (tr

11. W. R. T

C. G. Wridg

s cycled to Bright

cycled to Brighto

A. Chase, Brighto

Parsley (tric

t cycled backwards

Smith and C. A. Green

ked from south si

o Bright

C. G. Wrid

een and W. Nelso

Day." A 6 h.p. Boll

e, London, at

hton at 2.25

technic Harriers' wa

ighton. E.

on cycled to Brigh

Foster cycled from

and bac

er cycled to Brigh

ason cycled from Lo

k 5

ock and G. J. Fulf

d G. Franks (tan

. Steel cycled Londo

ced)

mme, London to

, unpaced

ondon Harriers' "go-

ster Clock Tow

D. Randa

cycled from London

ced)

reen cycled from Lo

d back (unp

alking Club's matc

on and back. J.

ler walked from Westm

ton 8

ange Walk, won by

Match, Westminst

ton. Won by Le

ster cycled to B

-paced

Walking Club's m

ghton and back. H.

d G. Fulford (tand

and H. L. Dixon

ed) 5

eath and Ranelagh Har

ock Tower to B

nd 8

rley, Polytechnic C.C

npaced)

Parsley (tri

e (tricycle, u

. Butler walked t

and M. R. Mott

ed) 5

safety cycle,

hirley""

(tricycle, u

Daymond"

Hammond walked to Bri

ards (tandem-safet

d E. Ward (tandem-sa

riault (tricycle

. Hammond walked

H. L. Ross

led Brighton and ba

ke and G. H. Spenc

ed) 5

. Grubb cycled (paced)

lbert (tandem tricy

Cook (tricycle,

. B. & S. C. R. tra

n Bridge, reaches

0 p.m