A lot has changed in London over the past 125 years but it's good to see Cycling continues to be as popular now as it was back in 1895. The Clarion socialist newspaper which was largely responsible for the creation of the Clarion Cycling Clubs today gives us a great insight into the formation of the London Clarion Cycling club.

On Saturday 25th May 1895 the Clarion newspaper declares that 'the South London "Clarion" Cycling Club is now an accomplished fact, and has commenced operations'. A Clarion Call was made to "All Cycling Socialists from Erith to Clapham and from Blackheath to Croydon should send in names to F.E.Green'. 

In the same Clarion newspaper on 25th May, it revealed that the new South London Clarion Cycling Club met on Saturdays at 4.15pm outside the Greyhound in Sydenham Station for a short run to Farnboro'. It's interesting to note the late start time in comparison to when most club rides start these days. The links between the Independent Labour Party ILP and the Clarion Cycling Club are evident in the comments later in the article "And on Sunday Clarion Cyclists are urgently needed at Basted Green... to help in formation of I.L.P branch there'

Mont Blong described the events of Easter `Sunday, 14th April 1895, in the following week's Clarion [newspaper] .... we marched two-hundred strong to Dove Dale. Preceded by the (Potteries) Clarion bugler, the Clarion Scouts took the open road in fine style and as they passed the market-place raised a Clarion whoop, which so alarmed the Yeomanry who were preparing for a church-parade, that one or two dropped off their perches.'

The first Annual Conference of Clarion Cycling Clubs started about 1pm on the lawn just outside the Izaak Walton Hotel in Dovedale. Dangle was in the chair, "which office he carried out, to the satisfaction of everyone, lying down on the flat of his front elevation". To start off, Tom Groom gave a short account of Birmingham Clarion CC's first year and then went on to talk about a national organisation. It was, he thought, Leonard Hall of Manchester Independent Labour Party who first suggested a National Clarion Cycling Club during a visit to Birmingham.

And so 125 years ago the National Clarion Cycling Club was first established, a year after Birmingham Clarion CC had formed. One month later in May 1895 the Clarion Socialist newspaper announced the formation of a London Clarion Cycling Club.