News: Pedal Club Lunch Report (August)

The guest speakers were Jeremy Wilson, who has recently published a Beryl Burton biography, and Denise Burton-Cole, who needs no introduction.

News: Pedal Club Lunch Report (August)

The guest speakers were Jeremy Wilson, who has recently published a Beryl Burton biography, and Denise Burton-Cole, who needs no introduction. Jeremy Wilson is a sports journalist whose main subject as a professional writer has been football, but he is a lifelong club cyclist.

Denise and Jeremy Wilson: Denise is holding the 66 tooth chainring which she and her mother used for tandem record breaking

His theme in introducing his book, which is subtitled ‘Britain’s Greatest Athlete’ was to question why BB’s story is not better known. Yes, everyone in the bike game knows about her, but her life was so remarkable that it should be known to everyone. Full stop. There are aspects to the story which go well beyond a history of sporting achievement and include a struggle against childhood illness, disappointment and hard times, the wonderfully supportive role of her husband and the drive to compete which, in the end, seems to have shortened her life.

These are just some of the features of her career that have fascinated many who had no knowledge or connection with the esoteric world of bike racing. An example of this is Maxine Peake and her play ‘Beryl’. Peake was not a cyclist until, in her thirties, she came across the Beryl Burton story, which inspired her to write the play and take up cycling herself. This is by no means an isolated case, but the wider British public still has not realised what a star they had in their midst. We can only hope that Mr. Wilson’s new book will improve matters.

Carol Benjamin with her copy of the Golden Book page.

Beryl’s daughter Denise’s presence at the meeting gave a vivid insight to the Burton family; it was a way of living which would seem bizarre and dangerous to many modern people. Denise got her own proper bike at the age of ten and with her parents too busy to taxi her around, she was soon off on her own, first to visit her Gran but, once freedom was established, further afield. The bike also carried Denise to the famous rhubarb farm where she worked at packing under conditions which certainly would not be permitted today. Foreign travel, including camping in remote places and world championships, some in Soviet run East European states and all done on a shoe string in a very basic car was, so far as Denise knew, just a normal activity. These experiences have given her plenty of material which make her an entertaining speaker.

In short the Burton lifestyle and Beryl’s career would be hard to repeat today, but the world would be a rather better place if the general public were more aware of the story. The club wishes every success to Jeremy Wilson’s new book. The lunch also included the signing of the Golden Book celebrating the work of the frame builder Cliff Shrubb. Since Cliff himself is no longer with us, the page was signed by his former partner, Carol Benjamin.

The meeting was held at the Parcel Yard pub and was attended by 49 members and guests.

Chris Lovibond.