Marrickville Bicycle Club Historical Information

[TonyMax]

Hi All,

I have read around the traps that Marrickville was swallowed up by Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club, but are there any history buffs who have information on MBC from the 1920s and 1930s?

My grandfather used to race for them, and I am doing some digging about old championships, the old trophies and any other information anyone might be holding regarding Pa or his contemporaries.

[bigfriendlyvegan]

Can't help you directly, butthis article has some tips on doing historical research. It's been useful in researching the history of my club.

BTW, once you have found info, it's your responsibility to collate it and upload it to this thread, so others can find it in the future. Just thought I'd let you know what you've gotten yourself into.

[Saro28]

hi Tony
both Marc2131 and Johnj are on here and both have some knowledge of DHBC history. A PM to them might get some info

[Tinker]

If you give me his name I can check if he appears in any race records I can access on a historic site I use.

Seems it was formed in 1897.

[TonyMax]

Thanks Tinker, his name was James Lay (J. L.) "Jerry" Gould.

Regarded at least in our family as Australia's greatest ever amateur cyclist.

[Tinker]

Thanks Tinker, his name was James Lay (J. L.) "Jerry" Gould.

Regarded at least in our family as Australia's greatest ever amateur cyclist.

His name pops up in a lot of written reports of club race events etc. Depends what you'd like to do with the information available be just read it or create some kind of site for it etc.

A few things I found in a quick search.

[marc2131]

Hi Tony
Did a quick look through the official history of the Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club book, 'Dulwich Hill Cycling Days' (1988). Could not see any reference to a Gould.
What sort of info are you looking for?
We do have lots of photos, if you could show me what he looks like, might be able to find some old photos of him in action (fingers crossed). With regards to his exploits, local newspapers would have covered that sort of news. Check out the National Library of Australia 'Trove' search engine. It is essentially a search engine for almost all the newspapers in the country from around 1810 to the early 1980s. Type in his name and see what comes up: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper?q=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Regards
Marc R.
DHBC

[TonyMax]

Thanks Marc, I don't think he was ever a member of Dulwich Hill BC.

Thanks also Tinker, I've had a look around Trove before and found some stuff, I even have some of his old trophies at home, very cool stuff which is almost 100 years old these days.

[TonyMax]

I found this article on Trove:

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16323530" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

CYCLING

PICTON TO ENFIELD

GOULD'S BRILLIANT RECORD

In the Picton to Enfield open road race, promoted by Marrickville Amateur Club, on Saturday afternoon, 79 riders competed. J. L. Gould performed one of the finest feats on record in a race of this length by covering the 45 miles in 1 hour 49 minutes 39 3-5 seconds. He averaged 25 miles an hour.

The race was run under favourable conditions this year, as improvements have been effected which provide almost perfect roads for about 40 out of the 45 miles. Gould and N. Gillroy, holder of the individual amateur road championship of Now South Wales, who started from scratch, were allowing up to 28 minutes in starts, but, although they failed to finish amongst the placed men, easily did the fastest and second fastest times.

Under 1h50m for 45 miles on a 1920s spec. bicycle on 1920s spec. roads.

Anyone here got a Strava link to a 70km bike ride where they averaged more than 39km/h?

[Strawburger]

Yep, but it wasn't on a 1920's road bike!

[marc2131]

Thanks Marc, I don't think he was ever a member of Dulwich Hill BC.

Notice your grandad's heyday seems to be in the late 20s. Do you know if he competed much into the 30s, 40s and 50s?
Average of 39kmph to Enfield. That is impressive; and with no deraileurs. Mr Campagnolo hadn't invented them yet.

[TonyMax]

The latest trophy I have in the office here is dated 1932, my mum was born in 1939 and she's the eldest of their children.

Information provided by my mum (I think, judging by the handwriting) states he started at 18 with Campsie club in 1924. Won road and track championship of that club. Moved to Marrickville Bicycle Club in 1925. I have more information from mum but am also keen to see what else is around.

[TonyMax]

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112206136" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is one of the trophies I have at home, they don't make them like this any more (I don't think they do anyway)...

[Clydesdale Scot]

That is impressive; and with no deraileurs. Mr Campagnolo hadn't invented them yet.

can't let that one go unchallenged, particularly in a thread about historical information.
Tullio was a modifier not the inventor.

[Lots of steel bikes]

Would the kangaroo on the jersey indicate that Mr McWhirter represented Australia?

[Johnj]

Interesting so far, the trophy is a beauty. I haven't found much to add except for the photo below from the State Library. This is the amateur scratch bunch from the 1926 Goulburn-Sydney. A nice shot of (l-r) Jerry Gould, Norm Gilroy, Fatty (Richard) Lamb and Fred Kerz. Gould had a pile of punctures in 1925 so he'd reinforced his tyres with the tread cut from another pair of tyres. This apparently worked well until he got dropped on the Razorback....

Lamb won this race from scratch for the second year in a row.

[find_bruce]

Would the kangaroo on the jersey indicate that Mr McWhirter represented Australia?

Good question - but represented Australia where ? It doesn't appear that Bruce McWhirter represented Australia in the 1928 Olympics - On 25 February 1928 the SMH reported that "Regarding the selection of cyclists, tho New South Wales Cyclists' Union recommended that J. L. Gould and B. McWhirter be sent as road riders. The Victorian and Queensland unions had voted that no road riders should be sent to the games, and upon tho motion of Mr. Abbott the names of Gould and McWhirter were deleted from tho list."

[Imwit]

Ripper photo John. Anyone work out what bike jerry is riding? BSA chainring?

[TonyMax]

That's a corker I haven't seen that one before, there's an awesome photo that's been framed on the wall of mum's house of the scratch markers in another Goulburn - Sydney. Pa never won one of these he used to have bad luck with punctures.

I love the car in the background of that shot above. And the two different headgears.

[TonyMax]

I haven't found much to add except for the photo below from the State Library.

Where and what did you search to find this picture please?

[Clydesdale Scot]

Cyclists lined up at the start of a bicycle race at the first Canterbury Velodrome, Charles Street, Canterbury. Left to right: 3. Jerry Gould; 6. Bill Leathan ? (New Zealand).
Source
I would have thought Jerry was 4th from left.

[Johnj]

Where and what did you search to find this picture please?

The State Library pictures and manuscripts catalogue is here.

The combination of search terms that yields the best results is "Dunlop road race". But you can also use cycling and race, Goulburn Sydney etc etc. which bring up slightly different results. Gould didn't bring anything up in a search. I found the photo in the Goulburn Sydney book by Hepher and Drummond where it was fully captioned. The State Library online version of the photo doesn't have any useful caption info.

You can also look at the Marrickville Library catalogue. I've done a pre-formatted search here.

[Shaydenw]

Hi marc2131 , I know this was posted many years ago and I’m hoping you or someone can help me out . My great grandfather was a part of the MBC I believe in the 1930s he was born in 1915 his name is Wilfred Albert James wadley he won many trophies over the years however the his children use to play with them so sadly they broke . I’m trying to find more information on his bicycle history I have searched newspapers found a few things about him but am trying to locate a photo of him with his bike or with a group shot I have a photo I can share of him if that would help . He also did a state tour of NSW tandum can’t remember who he rode with was mentioned in the newspaper article.

Anyway any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Regards
Shayden

[foo on patrol]

Shayden, if you're on FB, there's a page called NSW Cycling Scrapbook that would be worth joining and asking the question. There are many old riders around with knowledge from back in the early to mid last century.

The links below for you and also for the national page.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/134140536945853

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1395214740743083

Foo