Rider

Rider Notes

Six Day Results

T ANDREWS

of Birmingham

also listed as A Andrews

1st Dublin 1880
3rd Birmingham 1879
4th London 1878
6th London 1879-1
6th London 1880
8th London 1879-2

Gabriel BARAQUIN

of France. Finished 5th in the first Bol d’Or at the Buffalo Velodrome, Paris in 1894. Also “Champion de L’Aisne 1894”

2nd London 1896

John BARRETT

of Wolverhampton

2nd Bristol 1880
3rd Dublin 1880

John BATTENSBY

of Seaton Delaval - brother of Tom ?
because some results only give surnames they may be wrongly assigned.

1st Darlington 1880
3rd York 1880
4th Edinburgh 1880-3

Tom BATTENSBY

of Cramlington / Blyth / Seaton Delaval
b: 1861, Co. Durham and living at
26 Melton Terrace, Seaton Delaval in 1881

1st York 1880
1st Newcastle 1883
1st Middlesbrough 1883
1st Aberdeen 1885-2
1st Aberdeen 1885-3
1st Aberdeen 1886
1st Newcastle 1887
1st Newcastle 1888
2nd Middlesbrough 1881
2nd Newcastle 1881
4th Bishop Auckland 1881
4th Aberdeen 1885

Hal BERTE

aka John Thomas BROWN?

Competed in Sir John Astley’s six day roller skating championship of the world, April 1892, at Central Hall, Holborn and reported as being American. However in the cycle race (at the same place) reported as being from London.
“Frank Delmont, "Champion Roller Skater of Australia," has been twice easily beaten by Hal Berte, at the new Olympia Rink [London]. On the second occasion, however, Delmont was ill, and after falling on the track fainted in his dressing-room.” Star (New Zealand) 19-Jul-1890

4th London 1892
6th Glasgow 1893

A BILLS

of Wolverhampton

4th Wolverhampton 1880

James BIRT

of Northampton
b: abt Apr-1863, Northampton
d: 28-Apr-1914 Northampton (age 51)
living at 39 Herbert Street, Northampton St Sepulchre in 1881

“Northampton Rovers' Bicycle Club ... was founded in 1877. James Birt, a champion safety cyclist at the time appears to be one of the founding members, he also became the publican of the Bird in Hand pub at 4, Regents Square, Northampton, the headquarters for the club.” link

“Bird-in-Hand ... James Birt, a one time safety cycling champion of the world had license from c1889-1900 and started the Northampton Rover Bicycle Club with their HQ here. Once a year they held the High Hat Run - precursor of the Cycle Parade - Carnival Parade.”

DEATH OF FORMER CHAMPION CYCLIST
Western Times Wed 29-Apr-1914
“Mr. James Birt, who in the early eighties was one of the foremost cyclists in the United Kingdom, died at Northampton yesterday. In 1884 he won the six days’ race for the safety Championship of the World.”
Thanks to Calumet

Also results found for T BIRT and E BIRT

1st London 1884
4th Aberdeen 1886-2

William (Bill) CANN

b: Mar qtr 1853, Sheffield
Married Hannah Moorhouse in 1878
d: bef 1914 Melbourne, Victoria

Travelled with his wife and four children to Melbourne, Victoria; leaving London 11-Sep-1891 onboad the Orizaba. According to some Australian press cuttings William’s wife, Hannah, founded Cann’s womens drapers in Swanston Street, Melbourne. At her death in 1935 all four of their children were still alive. It is thought that his son William Lethbridge Cann died in Melbourne in 1958.

1st London 1878
1st Chicago 1879-1
2nd Boston 1879
2nd Edinburgh 1880-1
4th London 1879-2
4th Newcastle 1881
7th Middlesbrough 1881
Edinburgh 1880-2
Hull 1880

R O CARRICK

5th Leeds 1880

Sam CLARK

of Aberdeen
b: 1866 ?

1st Aberdeen 1885
1st Melbourne 1887-1

W CLARK

of Aberdeen ?

2nd Aberdeen 1885

Jeremiah (Jerry) CLEMINSON

of Newcastle / Cramlington
b: 1860 Cramlington, Northumberland?
m: Elizabeth Jane Moore 1890 Newcastle on Tyne?
d: 1932 Newcastle on Tyne ?

1st Aberdeen 1882-1
2nd Newcastle 1881
2nd Bishop Auckland 1881
4th Middlesbrough 1881
4th Aberdeen 1882
6th Edinburgh 1880-3

H DANIELS

of Sheffield

6th Edinburgh 1880-2
7th Leeds 1880

L DAVIES

1st London 1896

A DIRKINDEREN

of Coventry. In 1882 was age 24 and known as the 'Flying Dutchman'

6th Edinburgh 1882

J DUBOIS

of Paris
probably Jules DUBOIS (b: 1862 Paris) who broke the world hour record held by Henri Desgrange with a distance of 38.220 km at the Velodrome Buffalo, Paris, 31-Oct-1894

Photo of Jules Dubois by Jules Beau, Paris, 1898 >

2nd Edinburgh 1887
6th Newcastle 1888
Aberdeen 1888

Herbert Osbaldeston DUNCAN

b: 22-Nov-1862, London
d: 23-Nov-1945, Vésinet, France

1st Aberdeen 1883-1
2nd Aberdeen 1882-2
World Champion 50 miles 1885/6

C E EDLIN

of Leicester
possibly Charles Edward EDLIN
b: 1858, Croxton Kerrial, Leicester
In 1881 - a Shoe Machinery Fitter, living at 28 Ash Street,
Leicester.
Because some results only give surnames they may be wrongly assigned. Also some reports refer to G E Edlin and R W Edlin as well as simply George Edlin so there were at least 2 and possibly 3 Edlins racing at this time.

2nd London 1878
3rd Edinburgh 1880-1

G E EDLIN

of Leicester or Manchester? Another possible George or an typo for C E ?

The latest discoveries of reports in the Leicester Chronicle state that G E Edlin was from Leicester, aged 19 and the rider placed 2nd in London in 1878.

1st Newcastle 1880-1
2nd Birmingham 1879

G J EDLIN

of Leicester; cousin of C E ?
possibly George EDLIN b: 1860, Croxton, Leicester
In 1881 - a Bicycle Mechanic,  living at Queens Road,
Beeston, Nottingham.
Also possibly the EDLIN who was 3rd Boston Six Day 1891

2nd Leeds 1880

G T EDMUNDS

champion of Wales

5th Bristol 1880

Tom ENGLISH

of North Shields

1st Newcastle 1889
1st Aberdeen 1890

Henry John (Harry) ETHERINGTON

b: 1855 Sittingbourne, Kent
d: Sep 1938 Eastbourne, Sussex
Referee, promoter, journalist, author, editor and publisher - connected with The Bicycling Times, Cyclist, Wheel World, Sporting Mirror, Complete Guide to Bicycling, Wheelman’s Yearbook, Almanac and Diary, Velocipaedia, etc

“A Pioneer of Six-Day Racing
from the programme for the 1938 Wembley Six
In Eastbourne, at the age of 82, lives Mr. Harry Etherington, who promoted the first Six-Day Race to be held in this country in November, 1878.
Mr. H. R. L. Etherington, a clerk of the course for this Six-Dav Race, is a son of the pioneer. Mr. Etherington staged his race at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, and twelve riders competed on their own account and not in teams of two as nowadays. Eleven of the riders were Englishmen.
The machines used were, of course, the penny-farthing type, which from reports called for a high standard of courage and stamina to manipulate.
A sturdy Yorkshireman named Billy Cann won the race and first prize of £100 with a total of 1,060 miles. Although Cann won it was necessary for him to cover at least 1,000 miles to qualify for the £100, an arrangement which reveals Mr. Etherington as an astute promoter.
Mr. Etherington next went to Chicago, taking with him Cann and a Frenchman named Terront, and staged the first "six" in America. The weather was bitterly cold and the field so quickly decimated by accidents and weariness that Mr. Etherington took to his own penny-farthing and rode in the race.
Another Six under the promotion of Mr. Etherington was staged in 1879 at Islington, and was won by Waller, of Newcastle, with Terront second.
In addition to finding time to edit a journal called "Wheeling," Mr. Etherington, as well as being prominent in all cycling matters, built the first switchback, at Cardiff, which in a handbill of the day was described as providing "the most acute sense of pleasure ever experienced - Healthy, Invigorating, Sensational and Nice. Double Journey 3d."
Then too there was his Monster Waterfall, "Falling 45 feet, width 45 feet, and running at the rate of no less than 120,000 gallons an hour," in September, 1887, at "The Arcadia - a Veritable Fairyland," at the Agricultural Hall.

Chicago 1879 ?

A EVANS

of Hampshire

7th London 1878

D GARNER

of Bristol

3rd Bristol 1880

Edward (Teddy) HALE

1st New York 1896
3rd London 1892-2
3rd New York 1897

Henry HIGHAM

of Nottingham (b: 1851 Sheffield)

Almost certainly the same Henry W Higham, the “long distance champion of England” who joined the “League of Champions” in Chicago in the early 1880’s. He is listed as racing in Denver, Colorado on 2-Dec-1883 and appears in this clipping from the Daily Alto California, Thursday 31-Jan-1884 -

Web posting - “I am seeking information about my GGGrandfather, Henry W. Higham, born 1851. He shows up in the 1881 census in Nottingham. Census says he was born in York, Sheffield. He came to U.S. between 1883-1885 with wife Harriet Archer, and children. Same census shows her as born in Nottingham abt 1848. Her death record in U.S. shows her to be wife of Henry, but I have no info on their marriage (date, place) in England.”

“He was a world class bicycle racer, winning the Glasgow 6 day race in 1880 and a World Champion 20 mile race in 1883. Belt and medal in Smithsonian Museum archives. He opened a bike shop in Washington DC in the late 1880s. With this notoriety I am wondering why I cannot find more about him back home.”

My sentiments exactly - and that is one reason why this web site was created; to make a small contribution towards the recognition of these past sporting achievements. And the marriage of Henry and Harriet appears in the BMD index as - Marriages Sep Qtr 1874 / Archer Harriett / Higham William Henry / Nottingham 7b 365

1st Birmingham 1879
1st Wolverhampton 1880
1st Glasgow 1880
1st Aberdeen 1881-1
2nd Hull 1880
3rd London 1879-2
3rd Leeds 1880
5th London 1879-1
6th London 1878
8th London 1880

Charles HOMMEY

b: 24-Feb-1859 Nieppe, Nord, France
d: Mar-1907 Paris, 8th Arrondissement (thanks to Calumet for this info)

4th London 1880

Richard HOWELL

of Manchester

Rode with Charles TERRONT and
William M WOODSIDE against the Wild West Cowboys in 1887

Woven silk badge showing Richard Howell >

Edinburgh 1887

Robert JAMES

of Birmingham, champion of Ireland
b: 29-Oct-1859 Curragh, County Kildare, Ireland
see more below

1st Bristol 1880
5th Dublin 1880

Jack KEEN

b: 25-Feb-1849 Broadway, Worcestershire
d: 13-Jan-1902 Finchley, North London
Maker of Eclipse bicycles at Surbiton, S W London (thanks to Calumet for this info)

London 1878

John William LAMB

of Newcastle on Tyne, Northumberland
b: 1860 ?
most likely the William LAMB who was 2nd New York 1892; 3rd New York 1891; 3rd Chicago 1892 and 5th Boston 1891

In 1892 living at 97 Meldon Street, Newcastle on Tyne

1st Carlisle 1880
1st Huddersfield 1881
1st Manchester 1881
1st Middlesbrough 1881
1st Newcastle 1883-1
1st Aberdeen 1885-1
1st London 1892
2nd Edinburgh 1880-3
3rd Aberdeen 1882-2
3rd Middlesbrough 1883
3rd Newcastle 1888
3rd Edinburgh 1892-1
4th Edinburgh 1892-2
5th Edinburgh 1880-1
5th Newcastle 1887

H LEEMING

7th London 1879-2

Frederick James LEES

of Sheffield, Yorkshire
b: 22-Sep-1856, Sheffield
d: 22-Apr-1901, Leicester
probably living at 135 Fawcett Street, Sheffield in 1881
m: abt Aug-1888 Lizzie Meredith Jones (1862-1899)

DEATH OF FAMOUS SHEFFIELD CYCLIST
An Interesting Career
Sheffield Daily Telegraph, Tuesday 23 April 1901
The death took place at Leicester yesterday morning of Fred J Lees, the well-known professional cyclist, and a native of Sheffield. At the time, between 15 and 25 years ago, when professional racing was so popular, he was one of the best known figures on the path, and was a particularly fine rider. Besides being a champion at distances he was one of the best handicap riders in the country, and accomplished many smart performances. He learned his riding in Sheffield, but in 1881 he went to live in Leicester, and later took the Dolphin Inn. In 1888 he went to Beeston, where he was married, returning to Leicester in 1889, where he became the landlord of the Eclipse Hotel, one of the best houses in the town, and he continued to hold that license up to the time of his death. Owing to his straight riding he was exceedingly popular with the Leicester crowds, and his victories were always enthusiastically received. After giving up riding deceased became a great dog fancier, and he has taken prizes at shows up and down the country, but more especially with collies. In November 1898 the deceased lost his wife [1899 according to national death register - Ed], and his health seemed to suffer somewhat after that, and thirteen weeks ago he had to take to his bed, dying at 5.30 yesterday morning. His illness was caused by dropsy and enlargement of the liver.
He was born at Westbar, Sheffield, on September 22, 1856, so that he was in his 45th year, and in his youth he soon showed remarkable capabilities for cycle racing, and in 1873 he won his first race. This was at Bramall Lane, beating such men as De Civry, Terront, Cooper and J. King. It was not, however, until 1877 that he really came to the front and took his place amongst the best men of the day, and in 1878-9 he won handicaps at Wolverhampton, Sheffield, Manchester, and Northampton. In the following year he went in for long-distance racing, and at Leeds, Middlesborough and Sunderland, he won six day contests in two of which he covered over 1,000 miles. It was in these races, perhaps, that Lees showed some of his best riding, for he never seemed to be affected by the tremendous strain. He took no stimulants, and often did not get off his machine during the twelve hours. Lees also won a 100 miles’ race at Birmingham in 6hrs. 6 min. 30 secs. After the defeat of J. Keen and Cooper in the mile championship at Leicester, 1881, by R. Howell, Lees went in for championship racing, but in races from one mile to 25 miles he was never quite good enough for R. Howell and F. Wood, although he was repeatedly within even half a length of them. In the 50 miles championship he was second in 1883 to De Civry, the French champion, and, later in the year he occupied a similar position to F. Wood. In 1884 he was third to Wood, and second to Duncan in 1885. It was in 1882 that Lees achieved his ambition to carry off a championship, winning the 100 miles from F. Wood and J. Mae in 6hrs. 43mins 16 4/5secs, and, in the following year, he repeated the performance at Leicester. This time A. Hawker (Leicester) was second, J. Mae (Birmingham) third, and R. Howell (Birmingham) fourth, while F. Wood also competed. With one exception after that, Lees did nothing particularly noteworthy, and he retired from the track about 1888. During his career, however, he made one record that cannot be taken away from him, for he was the first professional to ride 20 miles within the hour, while in the same race he beat the mile record, which at that time was held by the well-known amateur, Dr. H. L. Cortis. In the 60 minutes, Lees covered 20 miles 905 yards, his time for the 20 miles being 58mins 34 secs., as compared with Cortis’ 59mins 20 1/5sec. From 10 miles, Lees broke all records, and he covered one mile in 2mins 40 4/5secs, beating Cortis’ 2mins 41 3/5sec, and Wood’s time in the mile championship.”
Thanks to Calumet

1st Leeds 1880
1st Middlesborough 1880
1st Newcastle 1881
1st Aberdeen 1883-2
2nd Sunderland 1880
2nd Aberdeen 1886
3rd Aberdeen 1881-1
3rd Edinburgh 1880-3
3rd Huddersfield 1881
3rd Hull 1880
3rd London 1878
3rd London 1879-1
4th Dundee 1880
5th Carlisle 1880
5th Aberdeen 1882-2
6th Birmingham 1879
6th York 1880
7th Edinburgh 1880-1
9th Manchester 1881

Arthur V LINTON

b: 28-Nov-1868, Volunteer Inn, Seavington Saint-Michael, Somerset
d: 23-Jul-1896, Aberaman more...

Note: A birth date in 1872 is widely quoted in cycling sources - but his death entry in the BMD index indicates a birth around 1868. The 1881 census lists an Arthur Linton living at 218 Cardiff Road, Aberdare - age 13 and working as a coal miner. This address and the names of his brothers agree with other records. The birth record is not so obvious but the “Arthur Vincent Lenton” entry in the Dec qtr of 1868 at Chard, Somerset is supported by a baptism entry at Seavington St-Michael also in December. The family seem to have moved from Somerset to South Wales some time around 1872. Arthur’s younger brother Tom was born in Aberamon in 1876 and his birth registration was also shown as “Lenton”. Arthur’s death certificate gives his age as 28 - when it should be 27. But then it also gets his middle name wrong - stating Valentine. The 1899 memorial to Arthur gives his birth date as 14-Feb-1868 - which explains why the death certificate stated 28. So these errors must have started at the time of Arthur’s death - or before. Perhaps giving Arthur’s birthday as St Valentine’s Day was no coincidence?

“The true story of Arthur Linton, Jimmy Michael and their brothers” by Stuart J Stanton is available here...

1st London 1896
1st Bordeaux-Paris 1896
4th Paris-Roubaix 1896

John Dunlop LUMSDEN

b: 7-Mar-1860 Pitsligo, Aberdeen, Scotland; parents - William and Clementina Lumsden (nee Dunlop) [Scotland Births and Baptisms]
m: Margaret Susan Buchan about 1880

”J. D. Lumsden, the Scotch champion, is a native of Aberdeen, Scotland, and is 26 years of age [actually 31 - Ed], standing 5 feet 8 inches and weighing 150 pounds. Lumsden is known to be one of the very best men Scotland has ever produced, and he has placed more than one Wolverhampton handicap to his credit. It is, however, in long distance work that Lumsden shines, and his sensational victory over Dubois at Edinburgh, when he won "Senator" Morgan's six days' forty-eight-hour race, placed him in the front rank as a long-distance rider. Since that time he has won two more six-days' races [one traced] in the same place, and one in Newcastle [not traced], together with several short races. He will be one of the hardest men to beat in the Madison Square race, as Morgan says that Lumsden is one of the toughest men he has ever seen in a race. He says that the canny Scot may not know too much, but he knows how to keep his saddle and dig into his pedals all the time." Sporting Life (USA) 10-Oct-1891

“The estates of JOHN DUNLOP LUMSDEN, Furniture Dealer, Fourteen, Upper Kirkgate, Aberdeen, were sequestrated on the twelfth day of August, nineteen hundred and twenty-two, by the Sheriff of Aberdeen, Kincardine and Banff, at Aberdeen.”

Photograph by Jules Beau of “Lumsden” in 1898 - possibly J D Lumsden.

1st Edinburgh 1887
1st Edinburgh 1889
1st Glasgow 1893
2nd Boston 1891
2nd Worcester, Mass 1891?
3rd Bordeaux-Paris 1894
5th Aberdeen 1885
5th New York 1892
New York 1891

A MARKHAM

of Paddington

London 1878

F J MEDDINGS

probably Francis (Frank) James MEDDINGS (b: 1876, Evesham) who married Miss Rosa BLACKBURN in Islington, London in 1902. Parents of Gladys (b: 1905) and Evelyn Rosa (b: 1907). Rosa also raced in the London Sixes.

1st London Mixed 1897

William J MORGAN

Possibly - Wm J Morgan b: 1855, Wales; living at Oroville, Butte, California in 1880 US Census. If correct then there a couple of possible birth entries - William James Morgan, June qtr 1853, Newport district; William John Morgan, Dec qtr 1856,  Abergavenny district. However there were other William Morgans from Wales living in the USA.
Since his first six day win was in the USA it is likely that he never raced in Britain. However he did promote at least four British Sixes and bring US riders over to Britain to compete.
He was the oldest competitor, at age 60, in the Old-Timers’ race at Newark, NJ (New York Times 7-Oct-1918).

“W. J. Morgan, known as "Senator" Morgan (a title obtained at a Pennsylvania fair through making a Republican speech, although himself a Democrat, in favor of General Beaver in 1884) is a Welsh-Englishman by birth, having been born in the mixed county of Monmouthshire, England. The "Senator" learned to ride the old bone-shaker in 1878, and remembers many mishaps and hard knocks received from the hickory joints and iron-shod old wheel. He tells of a wild ride down a mountain road in 1878, from Blaenavon to Abersychan (that's Welsh), through the breaking of the old thong brake that was manipulated by turning the handlebar, which leather thong or string pressed an iron spoon-brake on the back wheel. This gave way on a very steep grade, and the "Senator" declares that the time made by the old bone-shaker in its mad run with him aboard would put Windle and "Zimmy" to blush. Turning a sharp corner at express speed, he struck a stone curb, which had the effect of shooting his body forward into a beer tavern, his head striking a table at which several coal miners sat drinking ale out of pint mugs. The table, mugs and these gentry thought an earthquake had struck them, but after picking himself up, Morgan volunteered to fill the mugs, and the good landlady having repaired a breach in the "Senator's" pants and helped to wash some coal dust out of a nasty cut in the knee, he proceeded down the Welsh mountain singing softly of "The March of the Men of Harlech."
Morgan's performances have been briefly as follows: Won thirty-six hour race, Coney Island, 1882; second place, Chicago, seventy-two hour race, 1883; second, New York, twenty-six hour race, 1883; first, Milwaukee, eighteen hour race, 1883; first, Memphis, Tenn., forty-eight hour race, 1884; second. Chicago, seventy-two hour race, 1884; first, Minneapolis, forty-eight hour race, 1886; second, Minneapolis, one hundred and forty-two hour race, 1886; second, Omaiia, eighteen hour race, 1889; second, San Francisco, fifty-six hour race, 1889; first, Portland, Ore., eighteen hour race, 1889.
Morgan's short races are innumerable and many wins and defeats could be credited to him. his best mile time being 2:37, made in England with the famous American team at Bridlington Quay in 1888. Morgan originated and successfully carried out the tour of the first American cycle team that crossed
the Atlantic, making a stay of over a year, racing all through Europe and Great Britain, and he also managed the great six-day tournaments of London, Edinburgh, Newcastle and Birmingham. Morgan holds the world's records of two hundred and thirty-six miles without a dismount in a race made in Minneapolis in his race against Schock; the world's forty-eight hour record of seven hundred and forty miles, also, with a partner, all professional tandem records up to two hundred and fifty miles. The "Senator" is quite a newspaper man, writing for many of the cycle papers, and he prides himself on the fact that his contributions are never refused.” Sporting Life (USA) 10-Oct-1891

1st Coney Island 1882
1st Memphis 1885
1st Minneapolis 1886
New York 1891

John NICHOLLS

of Willenhall

2nd Dublin 1880
2nd Edinburgh 1880-2
6th Bristol 1880
8th Birmingham 1879

H PAGIS

of Paris

5th London 1879-2

W PACKER

of Willenhall

4th Birmingham 1879

W PARKS / PARKES

of West Moor (Northumberland?) later “of London”
actually thought to be William PARK since a descendent has a photograph showing him riding for Elswick and reported as setting the 48 hour (6x8) record with 757 miles in Edinburgh.

And another relative, in Canada, has provided this photo from 1889 >

1st Bishop Auckland 1881
1st North Shields 1883
1st Sunderland 1883
1st Edinburgh 1892-2
2nd Middlesbrough 1883
2nd Glasgow 1893
3rd Middlesbrough 1881
5th Edinburgh 1880-3

Robert PATRICK(S)

of Wolverhampton

3rd Wolverhampton 1880
3rd Hull 1879
4th Dublin 1880

R PATTISON

of Newcastle

5th Edinburgh 1880-2

W PERRY

of Wolverhampton

1st Aberdeen 1880
1st Dundee 1880
1st Aberdeen 1883-1
3rd Edinburgh 1880-2

Walter PHILLIPS

of Wolverhampton

1st Edinburgh 1880-2
2nd Wolverhampton 1880
London 1878
Dublin 1880

Albert PIERCE

Possible connection - referring to US baseball players in 1876 - “Albert Pierce played with the Black Stockings of St. Louis ...... Pierce was also a jockey and famed bicyclist: he appeared in tournaments on the east coast, and in England”

5th Sunderland 1883
8th Edinburgh 1882

J PIERCE

of New York
Possibly a typo for Albert above. But either way one of the first African-American professional racers? Certainly well ahead of the famous Marshall (Major) Taylor (1878-1932) who started racing professionally in 1896.

6th Aberdeen 1882-2

John (Jack) PRINCE

of Langley Green, champion of the Midlands
most likely the winner of the Minneapolis Six Day (10-15 May 1886).

“English expatriate John Shillington Prince, a former high-wheel racer turned promoter, made a comfortable living building outdoor board tracks” The Six-Day Bicycle Races by Peter J Nye
“1861 census has John Prince b. 1857 Langley Worcs. living at Langley Green, Staffordshire to parents James and Sarah Prince”
“"Jack" John Shingleton Prince is listed in the 1883 Boston Massachusetts [census] with occupation byciclist ... inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame posthumously in 2003” family history forum postings
The Hall of Fame citation gives his birth as 1859 in Coventry but otherwise generally agrees with the UK records and Peter Nye’s book. It also states that Jack died 7-Oct-1927 at home in Los Angeles.

”John S Prince, who is possibly better known than any other American rider, was born in Birmingham, England, in 1862 [actually 1857 at Langley - Ed], and from his earliest recollection was fond of athletics, being a cricketer at 14 years and a professional bowler at 17. At 18 he won the great Wolverhampton bicycle handicap, and followed it up by winning the next given, and improved so rapidly that in 1880 he was scratch man with Keen and Cooper, and ran the latter a dead heat for the English championship, which he won in the run-off. His career in America is well known from the time he appeared at the Higham, Mass.. Fair in 1881. when under the name of John Shillington he captured the first money, creating panic among Rollinson, Wilson, Harrison and others, they supposing Prince to be Keen, of England.
Prince created a perfect furore in Boston by his riding, and brought out such men as Dean, Ahl, Norton, Heudee, Underwood, Burnham, Fry and other fast men of the day. Prince was the undisputed American champion until 1885, when Woodside and Neilson began crowding him. He disposed of the latter; but Woodside was at times better than Prince, although Prince was by the far the best all-round rider. Prince is good for one mile or 1000, and his mile in 2:39 in 1885 the best in the world up to that date, outside of Sellers' Hartford performance shows what speed Jack possesses. He is now full of go, and his world's record in 1886 of 1041 for seventy-two hours was a grand piece of riding, which netted Prince $2000 from Schock's backers.” Sporting Life (USA) 10-Oct-1891

1st Minneapolis 1886
4th Bristol 1880
7th Birmingham 1879

M RIGAUT

of Paris

6th Aberdeen 1883-1

A A ROBB

of Birmingham?
most likely BMD index entries - b: Albert Arnold ROBB, March qtr 1870, Ashton, Warwickshire; d: Dec qtr 1920, Birmingham, aged 50

A H ROBB

of Birmingham
b: 1868 /1870 ?
most likely BMD index entries - b: Arthur Harry ROBB, Dec 1867, Ashton, Warwickshire; d: March qtr 1958, Coventry, aged 90

1st Edinburgh 1892-1

R ROBERTS

1st Edinburgh 1880-3
4th Edinburgh 1880-1
4th Leeds 1880
5th Hull 1880

Jack ROLFE

b: abt 1852, Birmingham
No British results found before his move to Australia in 1879. It was claimed that he started racing at 14 (abt 1866) and was the “oldest racing cyclist in the world” when he won on the Bendigo track in 1897. Thought to be the John ROLFE (age 19) who was living with his parents (William and Ellen) and 8 brothers / sisters at 65 Cato Street North, Ashton, Birmingham in 1871.

1st Melbourne 1881
1st Adelaide 1882
1st Sydney 1882
2nd Melbourne 1882

W SHAKESPEAR

of Romford

5th London 1880

J SPEENE / SKEENE

of Seaton Delaval

3rd Bishop Auckland 1881
5th Middlesbrough 1881

Wallace STAGE

of Cullen, Scotland

2nd Edinburgh 1892-1
2nd Edinburgh 1892-2
2nd London 1892
2nd Omaha 1892
4th Worcester, Mass 1891
New York 1891

David STANTON

of Hornsey “late long distance champion of England”
b: 11-Jul-1844 Bull Inn, Builth, Brecknockshire, Wales
in 1881 living at 64 Corbyn Street, Islington, London with wife and four children

4th London 1879-1
4th Edinburgh 1880-2
London 1878
Solo Ride 1876

Charles TERRONT

b: 25-Apr-1857 St Ouen,  France
d: 31-Oct-1932 Sainte-Marguerite les Marseille

1st Boston 1879
1st Chicago 1879-2
1st Edinburgh 1880-1
1st Hull 1880
1st London 1880
1st Paris-Brest-Paris 1891
2nd London 1879-1
2nd London 1879-2
3rd Newcastle 1883
3rd Newcastle 1887
4th Carlisle 1880
4th Newcastle 1888
5th London 1878

Jules TERRONT

b: 30-Oct-1859 Saint-Ouen (Seine-Saint-Denis)
d: before 1932 (thanks to Calumet for this info)
brother of Charles, who rode various British Sixes but mainly as trick cycling entertainment.

7th London 1880
York 1880

? THOMAS

of South Bauk

6th Middlesbrough 1881

H THRESHER

6th London 1879-2

Camille THUILLET

of Paris
b: 1-Jun-1851 Wassigny, Département de l'Aisne, France
d: after 1901 (thanks to Calumet for this info)

Solo Ride 1876

J TUNNARD

of Sheffield

3rd Newcastle 1881

W TYRE

of Byker (like someone out of Charles Dickens!)
b: 1861 ?
probably William TYRE born 1861, Blaydon and living at
87 Thornborough Street, Byker in 1881.

1st Aberdeen 1884
1st Aberdeen 1886
4th Newcastle 1883
10th Manchester 1881
Newcastle 1881

Frank WALLER

b: 7-Oct-1859 Munich?
d: 14-May-1937 New York

Note: These results are not from original sources - and the two Internet sources used for Frank Waller’s palmares disagree on dates and results in almost all cases. New press reports indicate that he did race in Britain at least once - being fourth in the 1896 London Six Day. Also believed to be the Waller that rode the 1894 Bordeaux-Paris. For US six day results see our international web site ...

1st Pittsburgh 1894
1st Washington 1894
1st Washington 1896
1st Pittsburgh 1897
1st Washington 1897
1st New York 1899
2nd Minneapolis 1893
2nd New York 1893
2nd Boston 1897
2nd Detroit 1897
2nd New York 1898
2nd San Francisco 1899
4th London 1896
5th New York 1897

George William WALLER

1st Hull 1879
1st London 1879-1
1st London 1879-2
1st Aberdeen 1881-2
1st Newcastle 1881
1st Aberdeen 1882-2
2nd Aberdeen 1883-2

Tom WALLER

b: 1850 Newcastle upon Tyne
brother of George
In 1881 living at 2 Ridley Terrace,  Newcastle
with wife, Emma, and 5 children.
In 1901 and 1911 Census - Emma and children only listed.

4th Hull 1880
8th Leeds 1880

H WEST

of Middlesbro’

4th Middlesbrough 1883
4th North Shields 1883

Frank WHITE

of Wolverhampton

8th London 1879-1
London 1878
Solo Ride 1876

T WILLS

of Bridgwater, champion - West of England

Bristol 1880

Fred WOOD

b: 1-Mar-1861 Rushden, Northamptonshire

1st Melbourne 1887-2
7th Edinburgh 1880-3

William WOOD

"Willie" Wood, as the North Shields rider is called by the North country people, is 24 years old, and stands 5ft. 9in. high, weighing 164 pounds in racing condition. Wood is a believer (or was), in "going all the way," and won several sensational races from men who only trained for the last quarter. He took ''Senator" Morgan into camp, when the latter put up one hundred pounds against Wood's backers' seventy-five, and matched W. A.Rowe, the then supposed fastest American, against Wood for a five mile race at Jarrow in 1888, Wood winning by a yard after shaking Rowe up by a continuous fusilade of sprints. This was after Howell had beaten Rowe. Wood was unbeaten as an amateur, and rode in grand form in 1886, the year of his debut, but the NCU suspended "Willie" for standing in with a "booky," and he would not face the music of a trial but sent his accusers his respects and joined the professionals, and won the 15 mile professional English championship at Leicester, following it up by capturing the world's 20 miles championship the following week, defeating Howell and all comers.

Three days later Wood captured the mile championship and a month later the twenty-mile belt again, which made him Howell's most formidable opponent. In a match race for $250 a side Wood defeated R. H. English, "Bob" being a fellow-townsman. He then defeated Tom Battensby for $300 a side, beat R. Howell and Fred Wood, and once more defeated English. Wood was defeated by Ralph Temple in a ten-mile race for $250 a side, and by Howell for $400 a side. Rowe was again matched against the plucky North-country rider, fifteen miles for $250 a side, and this time Rowe just managed to beat Wood by six inches, and fell, breaking his collarbone at the finish. Wood is one of the most plucky and desperate riders England has ever produced.” Sporting Life (USA) 10-Oct-1891

Update 3-Sep-2013
Photograph of Willie Wood as a young man standing by his penny farthing provided by a relative who also adds - He was born on 14 September 1866, the second of 11 children of Septimus Wood. Although he married and had step children, it is not thought that he had any children of his own.  After he retired from competitive cycling, he opened a cycle shop in North Shields where he lived and worked until his death on 26 November 1938. [Thanks Simon]

1st Worcester, Mass 1891
1st Omaha 1892
New York 1891

William M WOODSIDE

b: 1860 Philadelphia
d: 18-May-1890 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Edinburgh 1887

J B WRIGHT

of Newcastle

6th Hull 1880
6th Leeds 1880
7th Edinburgh 1880-1

J YOUNG

of Glasgow

1st Aberdeen 1886-4
2nd Newcastle 1887
2nd Newcastle 1888