CLWB SEICLO CAERGYBI - HOLYHEAD CYCLING CLUB

 

 

HANES Y CLWB - CLUB HISTORY

Previous cycling clubs existed in Holyhead on two occasions. The first club was from 1937 to 1941 and was known as the Holyhead Cycling and Social Club. Meetings were regular with a clubroom near the town Cenotaph and clubruns were held regularly also in midweek and on Sundays with a highlight in the special 'cyclists teas' at remote farmhouses. A feature of the club was the number of 'tea dances' that were held and the time that was allocated to table tennis on club nights

Sadly on the outbrake of the war the club folded. The club minute book is now in the Anglesey Archives at Llangefni. There too is a most interesting photo album of excellent black and white photographs of the first London - Holyhead Road Race held in 1951. This album was presented to the late R.V.Thomas, a member of the original pre war club who by 1951 ran a cycle shop in the town and who organised the section of the race from Llangollen to Holyhead. The record for the twenty five mile trial to Bangor and the fifty mile Bangor and back trial set by R.V.Thomas still stands. Result sheets of events held in May and September 1939 are still in existence and indicate an active involvment by Holyhead riders.

Probably as a result of increased interest in cycling following the 1951 race, a cycling club was formed in the town and was active again with regular clubruns and time trials. The fact that the London - Holyhead Road Race was held annually may have contirbuted to its continued existence until it came to an end in 1957. Glyn Lloyd recalls meeting Percy Stallard, the "father of British Road Racing" at the Cenotaph after the latter had ridden a large part of the route from London to Holyhead prior to the 1951 race. There were many club activities including a freewheeling competition, quizzes and social evenings in a cafè in Stanley Street and nine members went on a ten day tour of Ireland. The club rule book, membership cards and certificates provide evidence of a well run, efficient club under the guidance of its secretary J.O.Hughes. Certificates awarded to members for their participation in time trials are evidence also of an active club

 

Above- The London to Holyhead road race crosses onto Anglesey

Above - The finale of the London to Holyhead comes down to a sprint finish on the Newry promenade Holyhead.

The present club was formed in May 1982 following an advert in the free local broadsheet 'Adweek' which stated that a meeting would be held in the Coastguard Station for those interested in forming a cycling club. Following that first meeting, a number of individuals met weekly for evening clubruns and the following autumn the club affiliated with the Welsh Cycling Union and the Road Time Trial Council to enable members to take part in club time trials and open events with R.T.T.C. and the W.C.U. Road Races. The small group that started the club elected Eric Hughes as chairman, Peter Edwards as secretary and Len Thomas as treasurer. The club included three member who had done a great deal of cycling, mainly touring, in the sixties.

Above - Club founding members including Reynold Thomas,Eric Hughes,Len Thomas

 

    CLUB PHOTO 1985

 CLUB PHOTO 1992

                          CLUB  PHOTO 1985                                                          

The club has always been close knit as the number of members has not exceeded thirty and all have been involved in a great variety of cycling activities - time trialling, road racing and leisure challenge rides. Like many cycling clubs though, the mainstay has been the weekly club time trial ranging from ten mile trials to a hilly 23 mile event on the Valley road (A5025) and a 'sporting' 25 mile event which is held on the Rhosneigr - Aberffraw - Newborough road (A4080). Clubruns are popular in the close season for socialising and training while in the season the weekends are for open events on the R.T.T.C. and W.C.U. calendar, though T.L.I. events have been popular in recent years. Recently too 'challenge rides' by the C.T.C. and Audax have attracted a number of riders from the club. Many riders from the club have gone onto repersent the Ynys Mon at the Island games with club member David Williams competing and repersenting the county at an amzaing 11 games. The annual club road race, first held in 1988 on a course finishing on Holyhead's Newry Beach, was later held on a circuit in Central Anglesey with race H.Q. at Amlwch. The event was always a great success due to the hard working efforts of various club members in particular Keith Thompson who was the organiser of the road race for nearly 20 years. The club will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2007/08 season.

Today the club still maintains a small dedicated band of members. Many members participate in Audax events up and down the country, whereas other members have been successful on the Time Trialling scene. Club members can still be seen today in there recognisable Red and Yellow strip all over the roads of Ynys Mon and North Wales.

 

            

                                          

Arthur Thomas                      Gareth Blackshaw                    Medwyn Williams

  PICTURES COURTESY OF WILL & WENDY OWEN - LINK                          

R E Hughes

Updated - G W Blackshaw 2007