Those magnificent men and their cycling machines
The Tour de France bicycle race began in 1903. In Maitland, bicycle racing started even earlier.
The ‘modern’ bicycle arrived in Australia in the 1860s. Cycling became a recreational activity for men, but it was also taken up for the purpose of travelling to and from work. Inevitably bike riding was conducive to racing and before long cyclists began to compete amongst each other in sporting events. Cycling clubs were formed to organise them.
The Maitland Club and its first race
In 1885 a group of bicycle enthusiasts formed a club in Maitland. Its first road race was held in March 1886 with twelve cyclists entered. Seven were given time handicaps. Trophies were donated by High St merchants James Wolfe and Isaac Gorrick, bookseller Robert Blair and S Fitzgerald. Such merchants often provided prizes in the sporting domain.
The race attracted over 200 spectators and each cyclist had a crowd of supporters. The event was reported in the Maitland Mercury of 27 March 1886:
The course was from nearly opposite the residence of John Gillies jun. to the Victoria Bridge, thence round the Trappaud Road into the Louth Park Road, up that thoroughfare into Rose Street; then up the Cattle Track to South Maitland, into Regent Street, where a flag was posted to turn; thence back the same route into the Cattle Track, finishing opposite the High Street Railway Station. The course was 6¾ miles as measured by Mr J M White, surveyor . . . Each rider was dressed in very neat and appropriate costume.
P.S.Deane was the first to be set going by the starter, Mr Brierly, and he got so far away in his 180 seconds that it was thought he would never be caught . . .
When turning into Louth Park Road, Deane came into violent collision with a cart in the roadway, and came a tremendous cropper, cutting his hands greatly, and otherwise bruising himself. He, however, pluckily remounted, but as his ‘byke’ was out of gear he got another fall. He was in front at the time and going well. Y. Bonthorne also came down but escaped almost scatheless.
Only four finished.
Other clubs, other races
In 1892 the Maitland Bicycle Club was joined by the Belmore Bicycle Club. Newcastle, Singleton and Muswellbrook also formed clubs, and they frequently competed against each other in both track and road races.
In 1899 the Maitland club had 78 members, including men from many of the city’s leading families including the Gillies, Dimmock, Cohen and Cracknell clans who were well known for their involvement in local business circles and in government. Track racing at the sportsground was hugely popular with cyclists and spectators: a 1901 race day had 173 entries, many of them from Sydney.
The Maitland road race courses included Lorn to Woodville and return, Maitland to Kurri Kurri and back, East Maitland to Belmore Bridge via Largs, Campbell’s Hill to Black Hill and back, and twice around Campbell’s Hill to the Old Toll Bar. Races frequently attracted 25 or more cyclists.
A race was held in 1899 from the Belmore Hotel through Lochinvar up Harpers Hill and then back to Lochinvar. Perhaps the competitors knew of the poem ‘A New Lochinvar’ printed in the Sydney Evening News on 16 May 1896:
Oh, young Lochinvar has come out of the West
Of all patent bicycles, his was the best
His envious rivals would have to look far
To find a bike-rider like young Lochinvar
“They follow, of course, but they’ll follow afar,
For I’ve punctured their tyres,” said young Lochinvar.
References
Maitland Mercury
Sydney Evening News
Thomas, Allan, ‘Our past: magnificent men and their cycling machines’, Maitland Mercury, 7 July 2023.
