Picture this

One man, his bike and a natty line in cycle wear

Balham CC cycling jersey, pin badge and pocket watch

One photo. That’s all we’ve got to go on.

One photo plucked from a plethora of family photos and mementoes found in a battered old suitcase.

It’s Great Uncle Harry Darby resplendant in his cycling garb.

Look hard enough and you can just make out the name of a club. The badge stitched into the jersey and the pin badge on the jacket both say Balham Cycling Club.

Normally, a quick google will quench a thirst for facts and stats but type in ‘Balham CC’ and you get very little. I mean virtually nothing.

So, what was this club, when did it run and who was in it? What was the cycling scene like in South London? What was Balham like in this period? Actually, what period is this?

Well come on then, I’m not doing this all by myself…