THE LADIES – GOD BLESS ’EM

Submitted by Mary Cook

This was the title of an article which appeared in the North Road Gazette in April 1948.

Dear Reader – you must remember that the Club was an all male bastion and remained so until 1977 when women were finally admitted. This was the result of a long and at times, very bitter battle. I have not quoted the article verbatim, but have merely extracted one or two gems.

It starts by extolling the virtues of the Club and listing various activities in a most immodest fashion. Then follows – “Perhaps it is hardly surprising that the North Road Ladies’ Night was an unqualified success from start to finish. In an essentially all-male organisation like ours, the ladies present a considerable problem. This may, at first glance, seem an anomalous statement, but it is so. We depend upon our sweethearts, wives and mothers for our freedom to pursue the sport we love. It is fitting then that we honour our ladies and it is to be hoped that the Ladies’ Night will find a place in our annual programme.” (Note– it did not, until some years later)

President Harry England proposed a toast to the ladies and explained the reason for remaining an all-male Club. “The majority of females are physically inferior to men and if we were to open our ranks to them, it would inevitably lead to a falling off in the performance of our men. Further, all true sportsmen have something of an old world chivalry towards womenfolk, and we could not afford any such distraction from our purpose of riding further and faster.”

Huh! had the term “Male Chauvinist Pigs” been invented at that time? I think not.

I am not certain whether Harry England was still around when Beryl Burton was World Champion – if so, I hope he remembered these words. However, times have certainly changed. Now we have welcomed two young lady Tri-athletes as our newest members – fighting fit. Hardly a “Considerable problem”. So lads, watch out!

In a later edition a certain Mrs. Taylor (the Secretary’s wife) was organising a Ladies’ Run which “Wives, sweethearts, mothers, sisters, etc.” were invited to attend. (What did they mean by “etc.”?) Then follows – this run of course, has no official connection with the North Road Cycling Club.”