Category: The South London Diaries

1880s, Balham & London, Local History, Social History, The South London Diaries

Arab Springs and Rational Jackets: South London cycling in 1884 (Part 1)


This month, we explore the South London Diaries series for the first time since the blog on June 2016.

What are they all about? Well, a 19th century South London cyclist has set a 21st century Strava challenge. He didn’t know it at the time, but when our Victorian trailblazer was writing about rides and times in his diaries for 1884 and 1885, he was chronicling some of the earliest ‘personal bests’ in London on record. Continue reading Arab Springs and Rational Jackets: South London cycling in 1884 (Part 1)

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1880s, Balham & London, Local History, Social History, The South London Diaries

Cycle in South London like it’s 1885: the rides and times of a Victorian trailblazer (Part 1)


A 19th century South London cyclist has set a 21st century Strava challenge. He didn’t know it at the time, but when our Victorian trailblazer was writing about rides and times in his diary, he was chronicling some of the earliest ‘personal bests’ in London on record. 131 years on that means times to beat! Continue reading Cycle in South London like it’s 1885: the rides and times of a Victorian trailblazer (Part 1)

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