john kemp starley

Who invented the penny-farthing and when?

Who invented the penny-farthing and when?

In 1870 by James Starley, JKS's uncle.

What was the first female aimed bike?

The leven-driven ladies tricycle which allowed for long skirts.

What was a 'boneshaker'?

Built by James Starley it was similar to a penny-farthing and was very popular in France.

Who did the penny-farthing appeal to?

Young, athletic, well-off men eager to race; which was often met with disapproval. Could not be rode by women due to high seats and so came to represent masculine strength.

How did the royal family make early cycling more acceptable?

They purchased tandem tricycles.

Who was JKS's business partner?

William Sutton, he helped raise capital for new ventures.

Describe the Rover (safety bike) ...

First unveiled to the public in 1885, the Rover had a seat positioned lower between the two wheels making it safer.

How did athletic cyclists feel about the Rover?

They didn't like it calling it the 'crawler' or 'beatle'.

What was Starley's aim in creating the safety bicycle?

He wanted to place the weight evenly between the handle bars and closer to the ground. 'To produce a machine which should be the true Evolution of the Cycle'. - popular and practical.

The competition to prove Starley's bicycle ...

in 1885 there was a race from London to Brighton (100 miles) (kept secret until race) against the record set by William Hillman's 'Kangaroo'. The record was broken and sales of the Rover rose sharply.

What adaptions were made to the safety bike?

In 1887 pneumatic tyres were adapted replacing rubber ones. The diamond shaped frame first came into use in 1904; the straight lengths increased the ease of manufacturing.

How did cycling become more accessible for the masses?

-In 1880 bicycles cost around £30 (£3,000 today) the safety swift No.2 cost £16 in 1888 (still expensive for unskilled workers).

• Hire purchase schemes.

• William Starley started a scheme were bikes cost a guinea followed by regular payments and if that person brought a new customer they received a guinea 'finders fee'.

• Second hand market extended ownership.

The workforce ...

1,000 employed in the industry in 1881 to 8,500 by 1890; 4,000 of which worked in Coventry.

When was the peak in bicycle production and purchasing?

In 1897 40,000 bikes were produced in Coventry alone. Before WW1 Britain had dominance of the global cycling industry.

What improved the speed of manufacturing?

Parts became increasingly standardised.

The 1898 bust ...

Many companies speculated and invested heavily but JKS was restrained. In 1898 the boom turned to a bust and many companies collapsed but JKS survived as he had no debts.

The bikes impact on society ...

• Cheep transport that could take you anywhere.

• The gene pool grew as people had more freedom to move around.

• Allowed leisure industries to grow

• Birth of the commute.

• Allowed greater communication.

What was leisure time in the late 1800's?

Enjoyable time spent not working. In the 1890's restrictions on outlet open times and the TU 8 hour day campaign increased the amount of free time people had.The demand for entertainment was reflected by the expansion of music halls in the 1880's.

Early cycling clubs ...

• The first cycling club formed in 1870.

• By 1899 the Cyclist Touring Club (mc) had 60,000 members; including 200 MP's.

• By 1900 there were around 2,000 cycling clubs.

Cycling magazines ...

'Cycling weekly' was reaching 41,000 by 1900.

Growing cycling clubs ...

Clubs began to be formed for all different groups such as church's, workers associations (Bourneville cycling club) and political groups.

Why was there opposition to the pneumatic tyre?

Cyclists could approach very quietly, intensified by the reckless driving focused on by the press; in 1896 an MP was injured in a collision on Dublin St.

The Clarions Cycling Club ...

A socialist group supporting the clarions newspaper, the clarions van traveled round distributing socialist propaganda. Membership of the club was over 8,000 in 1900.

The Clarions socialist connection to cycling ...

The Clarions thought socialism was about going beyond material possessions and escaping to nature as well as distributing wealth. The founder Tom Groom thought that the escapism of cycling helped people question the political system and incited change.

Was the clarions club popular?

In 1899 400 attended the Skipton 'meet' and organiser's man out of beds.

The Clarions Scouts ...

Formed in 1894 they traveled around distributing socialist leaflets and holding meetings.

Were the clarion scouts particularly welcomed?

They were often met with hostility leading to a large police presence at a meeting in Cheshire.

Splits in the clarions cycling clubs ...

Divided on how radical the action should be with one group aiming to create a socialist society and the other wanting to increase the vote. over the war the less radical group split off however the clarions remained strong.

Cycling literature ...

In the 1890's 'The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropist' used cycling as a symbol of modernity. In 1900 'Three man and a boat' was about the adventures of of a camping holiday in Germany; indicating a growing popularity of cycling holidays.

Why was Victorian society worried by cycling literature?

They were concerned about courtship, the song 'Daisy Bell' went 'you'll look sweet on the seat of a bicycle built for two' romanticising cycling. Cycling led to more inter-parish marriages.

How did cycling allow women to enter previously male spheres?

It had previously been an only male pass-time. Women could access places previously reserved for men such as tea rooms and roadside hotels, forcing them to bend to female tastes.

Evidence women were heavily involved in cycling ...

• By 1890, 1/3 of mc Cyclist Tout Club members were women.

• In 1893 1 in 50 bicycles were ordered by women, in 1896 this was 1 in 3.

What did advertising aimed at women focus on?

Freedom and mobility.

Who was the 'New women' of the 1890's?

Well educated, politically aware and physically active outside the home; this disturbed some in Victorian society. Cycling reduced geographical and spacial restrictions and allowed greater freedoms from the confines of the domestic world -> questioning of societal norms.

The growth of the 'radical women' ...

Women had more freedom to travel, meet others and spread propaganda, the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies organised female cycling outings and for old bicycles to be donated to wc women. Cycling helped women gain more experience of the world.

What was 'rational dress'?

Bloomers tucked into socks underneath of a split skirt with functional footwear. - Was simple, functional and seen as masculine.

How popular was 'rational dress'?

It was only worn by the minority. In 1898 Lady Harberton was refused entry to the Hautby Hotel coffee room for wearing bloomers, the hotel was later removed from the Cyclists Club recommended itineraries.

Opposition to female cyclists ...

• In her 1885 essay Eliza Linton wrote 'Though men laugh with her they do not respect her ... she is not the kind of women they want'.

• Often shouted at in the street; about their gender and femininity.

• Hostility -> the decline of 'rational dress' (was also too expensive for most women).