History
The Origins of the Clarion Cycling Club and cycling in the 1890s
25. 'the following' - the Birmingham CC's 'Smoker' and the first Easter Meet begins to take shape
You'll recall that when a correspondent interested in joining the proposed Manchester Clarion CC hoped that they might 'go one better than those Birmingham chaps' Swiftsure, in 'Cycling Notes' on 29 December 1894 responded -
But judging by the following that will be a difficult matter.
Birmingham Clarion C.C. A most successful 'smoker' was held
Saturday night in Nach's hotel. The room was full, the 'Handsome One' presided, the artistes talented, and the entertainment splendiferous! The H O's way of ringing the changes on a few words was very fine – 'We are now to be favoured by a song from ________.', 'The next song will be ________ '' 'The next item on the programme _______'. 'Our next favour will be from _______' and so on. He looked very exhausted at eleven o'clock.The O'Garbutt was responsible for most of the programme, and a good programme it was. Our next function is a big soirée early in January.
THE O'GROOMIE O
It seems to me the go-ahead character of the Birmingham Clarion C.C. will take more than a little to outshine it. The O'Groomie O also expresses to me his pleasure at the further spread of Clarion Cycling Clubs; and further says 'We are going to arrange a big meet of the Clarion C.Cs at Easter, and propose as a meeting place Ashbourne in Derbyshire. The Bradford and Potteries C.Cs have arranged to come and no doubt the others will when they hear about it. We should be glad of your assistance in pushing the matter in your notes. It is of course too early yet and my only reason for writing now is in case any other scheme might be proposed which would clash.
I shall have great pleasure in doing all in my power to make the proposed meet a success, and shall look forward personally to meeting our Birmingham and other cycling comrades in Ashbourne.
Next time. An Australian woman's remarkable feat and news of the Liverpool CCC.