MELBOURNE (VIC): Last Saturday, a commemorative ride was held to recognise the 113th anniversary of the first ever womens road race in Melbourne reports Amy McCann and Matilda Vaughan.
The idea for the ride stemmed from a sighting by Matilda Vaughan of an old newspaper advertisement for the original race in a research paper by Fiona Kinsey, a leading researcher in Australian women’s cycling in the 1890s.
From Matilda Vaughan
Is it hard to imagine that women’s racing may have had its Australian origin in a prominent Melbourne confectionary manufacturer’s promotion for his chewing gum?
Well, if you were a woman on a bicycle racing up High St, Northcote on Saturday 16th May, in 1896 you may have been greeted with either cheers or jeers, depending on how the spectators felt about bicycles and in particular, women on bicycles.
That particular day is significant in Melbourne’s cycling history, as it was the first time a road race had been staged for women.
The event was sponsored by Melbourne confectioner, Macpherson Robertson (MacRobertson’s) to promote his ‘Pepsin Chewing Gum’ product. Entry was for amateur women only and attracted a ?5 5s first prize. A typical price for a bicycle at that time was between ?20-?30.
The event attracted 21 entries at an entry fee of 5s each, however different post race reports indicate that there were anywhere between eight and thirteen starters on the day.
The hilly, 11 mile route set out from the Clifton Hill post office, up along High Street, Northcote, and through Heidelberg, Ivanhoe, Alphington and Fairfield Park, finishing back in Clifton Hill.
The race was run as a handicap with five minutes separating the limit and scratch riders. The winner, Mrs. Powell, rode the distance in 42 minutes and the fastest time of 39-½ minutes was set by Miss O’Meagher.
Those unmade country roads of long ago have since been overlaid with asphalt, traffic lights and cars and on Saturday May 16, a small group of Hawthorn Cycling Club members and friends commemorated the 113th year anniversary of this historic event with a ride.
They set off at the original race start time of 3pm, and followed the same route through the northern suburbs of Northcote, Heidelberg, Ivanhoe, Alphington and Clifton Hill, that the ladies had raced.
Amongst the riders were vintage cycling enthusiasts, Charlie Farren and Kaye Trainor, who rode along with the bunch on their vintage cycles – Charlie’s was a diamond frame 1896 Humber, Kaye’s was a circa 1900 drop frame Burkhof which featured wooden rims and mudguards.
Do you have more interesting stories regarding Melbourne and/or Victoria’s rich cycling history? Then contact Amy.McCann@cycling.org.au and tell your story. (Don’t forget to send a copy to comecyclingwithme.com as well!)