If cycling history is your thing then you’ll understand why at BCC Towers we got very excited seeing the names of WJ Pett, HW Bartleet and JCP Tacagni in a recently obtained 1932 Club Handbook. All three were major players in cycling at the turn of the 20th century and all three are listed as club vice-presidents. Continue reading MEMORABILIA: 1932 Handbook reveals Balham CC’s all-star supporting cast
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
The 1904 World Track Championships are worthy of these pages thanks to two Balham greats. Continue reading BACKPEDAL: Balham CC and the 1904 UCI Track World Championships
The 1949 Club Handbook, part of the John Simcock collection, gives an insight into the club rides, members and the records they chased. A list of honorary life members also gives us a glimpse of Balham CC in its formative years. Continue reading MEMORABILIA: 1949 Balham Cycling Club Handbook
Our hunt to piece together the story of the Balham CC Club Championships has led us to our oldest and most intriguing find yet. Continue reading BACKPEDAL: 1899 Club Championship re-run at Crystal Palace after dispute
The discovery of four newspaper race reports gives us new insight into the early days of Balham CC including the revelation that Olympian W Lower was a member of the club. Continue reading BACKPEDAL: Record holder and Olympian race for top Balham honours in 1900s
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
An extract from the memoirs of former Balham CC secretary and Gazette club magazine editor Ken Smith, covering 1936-1939. With little editing, it gives an insight into the lives of a group of young men from the Balham and South London cycling community having fun before the second world war would change their lives forever. Continue reading KEN SMITH MEMOIRS: Cycling offers a great escape from 1930’s South London
Balham Cycling Club member Basil Bragg only took up cycling seriously in 1919, but within a year he had made the Great Britain road race squads for the 1920 Olympics and World Championships. A former Balham Club champion and honorary life member we’ve pieced together what we know about Basil, one of the most phenomenal talents of his generation. Continue reading Balham’s Bragg bursts onto cycling scene to make 1920 World and Olympic squads
An extract from the memoirs of former Balham CC secretary and Gazette club magazine editor Ken Smith, covering the World War Two years. They give an insight into the lives of a group of young men from the Balham and South London cycling community – some of whom never came back from war to ride again. Continue reading KEN SMITH MEMOIRS: Pedallers keep wheels turning in Asia during WW2
