LONDON CLARION CYCLE CLUB HISTORY
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The London Clarion Cycle Club was first mentioned in the Clarion newspaper on 11th May 1895 by W H Crisp, who was looking for members to join the club. W H Crisp resided at 45 Wirtemberg Street in Clapham SW4, which was later renamed Stonhouse Street. The inaugural ride of the London Clarion Cycle Club took place on 25th May 1895 from Sydenham Station to Farnborough.
On 4th July 1896, the Clarion reported the formation of a North London Clarion Cycling Club, with a ride to Hatfield. By July 1898, the HQ for the North London club had moved to the North London Socialist Club on 30 Durham Road, Finsbury Park. Later that year, a Bohemian Concert was organized by South London members at the Albion Hotel, Ludgate Circus. In 1899, a club ride from Balham to Banstead Corner for an annual picnic at Otford was held on 18th June.
Tom Oldershaw
Tom Oldershaw died in Spain fighting in the International Brigades. His death was reported in the London and Southern Counties Union magazine Boots in October 1938, he was just 24 years old. Tom Oldershaw was a keen cyclist and cycled with the Clapham part of London Clarion Cycle Club. Over 2000 people attended his funeral in Battersea.