MEMORABILIA: 25 miles Standard medal made by the Purley Ping Pong guy
We’ve got our hands on a Standard medal from 1957 Continue reading MEMORABILIA: 25 miles Standard medal made by the Purley Ping Pong guy
Category: 1950s
A Day at the Races: Balham CC and the Epsom Run for Cyclists
In the winter of 1920, with daylight hours short and weather miserable, a band of Balham CC members thought it would be wise to go on a shorter ride but include a running race in the day’s proceedings. By the 1930s this winter novelty had turned into a national event, attracting cycling clubs from all over the country. Continue reading A Day at the Races: Balham CC and the Epsom Run for Cyclists
MEMORABILIA: Programme reveals stellar roll of honour for Balham CC promoted London championship
A newly acquired programme for the 1952 London Centre 25 mile tandem-paced championship reveals a stellar cast of previous winners. Continue reading MEMORABILIA: Programme reveals stellar roll of honour for Balham CC promoted London championship
MEMORABILIA: 10 Trophies, Club Newsletters, Jersey and Committee Regalia
The quest to tell the story of the club took the largest of leaps recently when members of the old club raided lofts and cupboards to bring some cherished club memorabilia and heir looms to the club heritage night. Continue reading MEMORABILIA: 10 Trophies, Club Newsletters, Jersey and Committee Regalia
MEMORABILIA: Rough Stuff Route Map
In delving into the history of The Balham Rough Stuff we’ve got our hands on medals, race reports, race cards, photos and route descriptions but never a route map. Not until now that is. Continue reading MEMORABILIA: Rough Stuff Route Map
KEN SMITH MEMOIRS: Care free and Car free – The ’40s and ’50s South London cycling club scene
The final extract from the memoirs of former Balham CC secretary and Gazette club magazine editor Ken Smith, covering the post war years. A revealing look into club life and the lives of a group of young men from the Balham and South London cycling community in the 1940 and 1950s. Continue reading KEN SMITH MEMOIRS: Care free and Car free – The ’40s and ’50s South London cycling club scene
Kit inspired by club’s heritage launched for the summer
Four and a half months on from the club heading out on its first ride, the first kit has been ordered and is in production.
The new kit is inspired by the club’s jersey designs of the 1940s and 50s and incorporates the original logo on the family photograph that started this whole project in November 2015. Continue reading Kit inspired by club’s heritage launched for the summer
The Balham 100 – A unique race in British Time Trialling history
In its first 30 years Balham Cycling Club established some of the most iconic races in the Southern England cycling calendar including the Balham Second Class 100 Time Trial. Continue reading The Balham 100 – A unique race in British Time Trialling history
21 years of momentoes, photos and memoirs presented to Club by family of former secretary
Cheryl Button, the daughter of former Balham Cycling Club (BCC) secretary Ken Smith, was in London in November and she had a surprise gift for the soon to be relaunched club. Ken was a member of the BCC between 1936 and 1957 and before his death in 2013, compiled a scrapbook of his most treasured club mementoes and photos. It also included his memoirs spanning 21 years of life as a South London cyclist. Continue reading 21 years of momentoes, photos and memoirs presented to Club by family of former secretary
70-year-old club trophy comes home as ‘The Balham’ gets ready to ride again
A Balham Cycling Club trophy, first awarded 70 years ago, has been reunited with the club 40 years after leaving South London. The Bill Shore Memorial Trophy, presented to the Club champion in 1947 and almost every year until the club closed in 1979, has made the 4,200 mile journey from the USA back to Britain. It will be raced for once again as the club is set to reform on its 120th anniversary. Continue reading 70-year-old club trophy comes home as ‘The Balham’ gets ready to ride again
