Brighton & Hove Clarion Cycling Club  
 

 

History

Contributed by Michael Walker of Unison.

The National Clarion Cycling and Athletic Association 1950

The National Clarion Cycling Club is in a sense designed to cater for the social and touring sides of cycling. Many cyclists who started their riding as tourists pure and simple, find that in time their interest is aroused by the competitive side of cycling. Clarion members are no exception to this general rule, and it was early on that the Clarion, whilst still retaining its original form as a touring club, took steps to provide a suitable organization to cater for the growing numbers of its members who wished to race on road and track. The organisation formed was the National Clarion Cycling and Athletic Association, and it exists in its original form to the present day. To quote the Association's constitution, its objects are "to encourage, control and promote racing on the track and time-trial riding on the road, and to cater for the sporting interests of its members in such other directions as may be thought desirable." To achieve this worthy purpose, the Association is organised in Centres which cover the whole kingdom from Scotland in the North to the English Channel in the South. Membership of the local Centre (the Clarion Cycling and Athletic Club) is open to any member of the National Clarion Cycling Club, and the member thus has at his disposal not only the benefits of the Clarion Cycling Club but also the facilities for racing and competitive side of the sport that only a Club devoted exclusively to this end can provide.

The Association is responsible for the promotion of the Annual 25-miles Time Trial at the Easter Meet, and when the Team Trophy is the very fine Kenneth Humphries Memorial Trophy, presented by Alderman H. Humphries to perpetuate the memory of his son. In recent years the ladies have their sporting interests catered for at the Easter Meet by the promotion of a 10 miles Time Trial. Both these Easter events are confined to members of the Centres of the Association.

A further highlight of the Easter Meet is the presentation of the various trophies to the Association champions of the previous year. The premier award, the Men's Best All-Rounder, is calculated over distances of 25, 50, 100 miles and 12 hours. The champion holds the Vaughton Trophy for one year, in addition to receiving a Clarion medal. The standard of competition for this trophy is very high and notable winners have included J. S. Taylor (West Scotland Clarion C. & A.C.), W. Fowler (Tees-side Clarion C. & A.C.), W. Shewan (West Scotland Clarion C. & A.C.), and K. Jones (London Clarion C. & A.C.). The record average speed over the four distances was established in 1950 by W. Fowler, and stands at the high level of 23.629 m.p.h. The team award for Centres is the Jones Cup and this is competed for over the same distances as the Best All-Rounder-three members of one Centre forming a team. Notable winners- have been West Scotland Clarion C. & A.C. (four times), London Clarion C. & A.C. (five times). East Midlands Clarion C. & A.C. (twice). North Lancs. Clarion C. & A.C. (twice), and in 1950 for the first time, Tees-side Clarion C & AC

The Dove Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the trackman scoring the highest number of points in open track events-three points for a win, two for a second and one for a third place. In recent years, this trophy has been almost the monopoly of the East Midlands Clarion C. & A.C., for only once since 1940 has the Dove Trophy been won by a member of another Centre. With his win in 1950, W. G. Duffin, of the East Midlands, brought his personal score of Track Championship wins up to three.

The Ladies and the Novices are not neglected through-out the season or at the Easter Meet Prize Presentation. The ladies have their own B.A.R. Competition over 25 and10 miles and the Novice Championship is awarded for the best average speed over three 25-mile events.

In addition to the trophies awarded for season long championships there is the Team Pursuit Competition, between Centres, for the Czechoslovakia Trophy. This Trophy, which takes the form of a carved figure some three feet high, was presented to the Clarion by the people of Prague, in 1923, when a Clarion team took part in the Workers' Olympiad, held in that City. To Clarion members it is a treasured Trophy, for it is symbolic of the way in which, even in the war-scaTred twentieth century, sport can reach across the frontiers and bring together the peoples of the world. The present holders are the East Midlands Clarion C. and A.C.

The Association also has the task of maintaining the record of the best performances of its members in competition on the road. To each record breaker a certificate is awarded. The following are the records at each distance as they stood at the end of the 1950 season:

CLARION CYCLING & ATHLETIC CLUB RECORDS AT 30th NOVEMBER, 1950.

MEN'S SINGLE.
25 C. Cartwright Manchester Clarion 1944 0.59.18
30 C. Cartwright Manchester Clarion 1945 1.12.51
50 W. Fowler Tees-side Clarion 1950 2. 0.16
100 W. Fowler Tees-side Clarion 1950 4.18.36
12-Hour W. Fowler Tees-side Clarion 1950 256miles 46yds
24-Hour T. W. Read East Midlands Clarion 1949 429.35 miles

MEN'S TANDEM.
30 R. H. Herbert East Midlands Clarion 1950 1.5.20
A. G. Laxton
50 R. H. Herbert East Midlands Clarion 1950 1.51.53
A. G. Laxton
100 R. A. Cleveland London Clarion 1945 4.18.40
E. E. Cleveland

LADIES' SINGLE.
10 W. Maddock East Midlands Clarion 1950 0.26.27
25 J. Greenhalgh North Lancs Clarion 1949 1.8.25
50 J. Greenhalgh North Lancs Clarion 1949 2.22.45
100 W. Maddock East Midlands Clarion 1950 4.59.1
12-Hour W. Maddock East Midlands Clarion 1950 211.1 miles

Donald Lever writes:
I've just spoken to Peter Roscoe who tells me that the National Clarion C & A A was formed in 1937 and members of sections could affiliate for 3d. They could only affiliate because they were already members of the National Clarion CC.

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