1908
Hull Thursday Road Club founded at a meeting at the Grosvenor Hotel, Hull, August, as the cycling section of the Hull Tradesmen Athletic Association.
1909
The Club officially to be known as the “Speed Section of the Hull Tradesmen’s Athletic Association.” First Open Track Meet held at the Boulevard.
1910
Club promotes its first road event, the Greig 50. Harry Taylor fastest in 2.43.15 with J. H. Burt taking the first handicap to become the first member to win a club trophy.
1911
New member Jack Kirk causes big impression by winning the Greig 50 in 2.30.56 with more than 16 minutes in hand over the second man.
1912
Club has the unique honour with two members in the Olympic Games Road Race in Sweden, Jack Kirk for England and John Wilson for Scotland.
1913
Membership booms to over 40, with Jack Kirk riding a 50 in 2.23.30 and becoming one of Yorkshire’s top racing men with his 1.10.50 in a Club 25.
1914
Sensation in the Thompson 100 as John Wilson wins in 4.59.00 being the first man inside ‘evens’ for the distance on Yorkshire roads. Hull Tradesmen’s Athletic Association folds, only Hull Thursday survives and carries on as an independent club.
1915
With 60 per cent of members in the Armed Forces, a meeting on April 5th decides to suspend Club activities until peace comes.
1916-1918
John Bell and John Wilson keep the club alive with the odd few too young for service.
1919
The boys are back.
1920
Back in action, Arthur Rowe wins all the Club events and shines in grass track events. Membership 23.
1921
Andy Wilson, son of Olympic rider John Wilson arrives, one of Great Britain’s greatest ever racing cyclists, winning Club 25 in 1.9.52 beating scratch man Rowe by over 4 minutes.
1922
Andy Wilson wins North Road Memorial 50 in 2.18.10, the 12 best 50-milers in the country competing, and batters course records all over the country.
1923
Youth from Driffield joins the Club. Tim King was to enjoy life membership for his services to the club.
1924
Most of the old originals disappear from the scene, but a youngster, Reg Ayres joins us and stays for the rest of his life.
1925
Jack Kirk, secretary, membership climbs to 43. Club promotes first Open 25, entry of 45 with Club member A. Darneley winning in 1.11.54.
1926
New star, Laurie Crawforth, adds interest to Club events and his late season form promises well for the next few years.
1927
Crawforth starts winning important opens, racing booms within the Club, and for the first time a really powerful team is formed.
1928
The club is national cycling news, Crawforth with members Tom Ransome, Jack Carter, Frank Taylor and Reg Ayres win 14 out of 15 important time trials team races, losing only the Anfield 100 and this by only 6 seconds. They travel to the South, the Midlands and the North. Crawforth chosen to ride the North Road Memorial 50, finishing with 2.15.25.
1929
Membership over 60. Crawforth continues to dominate in the North and team races become Hull Thursday 1st for most of the season.
1930
The great team begins to break up but two newcomers, Bob Threlfall and Albert Speak, carry on the Club’s winning traditions.
1931
Bob Threlfall takes over the star billing from Crawforth and along with Tim King and new member Ben Smith they start where the old boys left off. A youngster struggles round in a northern open 50 late in the season and finishes last in 2.34.58. His name, George Ely. We would hear more from him.
1932
George Ely, the Club’s fast man in 25s but Crawforth makes comeback and puts up a best ever 50 by a Club member with 2.13.20 in the Rotherham Wheelers 50. Membership opened to females.
1933
George Ely gets off to a great start, winning nine open 25s in succession. Membership booms to over the century. Another young man makes his debut, later to be one of the club’s greats, Bob Hudson.
1934
Membership continues to climb and Hudson begins to win big opens and puts up new best-evers at all distances.
1935
Another great team, Hudson, Ely and Dixon, with Hudson becoming one of Britain’s fastest racing men.
1936
Bob Hudson 4th in British Best All Rounder competition. Almost unbeatable all over the country.
1937
Hudson again makes the Albert Hall and membership 186, the highest ever. Big fields in club events and club runs of fifty and sixty commonplace.
1938
Another fast youth, Jack Martin, challenges Hudson’s supremacy but Bob continues his winning ways.
1939
Track events boom with club members prominent. War comes on September 3rd whilst over 100 members enjoy the Newport Gymkhana.
1940-44
Harold Sykes takes over for the duration and it is due to him that there is a club to come back to at all.
1945
Reunion Dinner with 120 present, almost 75 per cent in uniform. This we hope will never be seen again – the uniforms we mean!
1946
The club booms again. Ray Kendall the star. The polo team wins the Sporting Record Trophy and the track boys reach the last four in the National 4,000 metres Pursuit.
1947
Membership hits 160. Don Wilson the racing star with Dennis Foster rapidly making a name.
1948
Record field for club events. Dick, John and Joe Bailey, three very fast brothers, make their mark.
1949
78 entries for a club 25. 58 entries for a club 50. 49 entries for a club 100. 23 entries for a club 12 hour.
1950
The club reaches its second highest total, 168 members. Yet another star arrives, Bob Slater.
1951
So much talent, Alec McColl proves to be a great 25-miler, in spite of so many good racing men.
1952
Bob Slater’s season. First club member to get inside 60 minutes.
1953
Newcomer Bill Holmes dominates, records fall weekly, great teams of Holmes, Underwood, Peacock, McColl, Slater and Norris have 33 team wins. Holmes wins 16 Opens and puts up a new 25 Club record of 57.27. Sheila McNally, Millie Hawksworth and June Rose wins the Women’s National Championship 25 Team award.
1954
The dominance continues. 23 team wins with Holmes again winning 16 opens.
1955
Holmes becomes the fastest 25 miler ever with competition record in 55.49. Men 10 team wins, women 8 team wins. Holmes wins 14 opens and the Isle of Man Viking Road Race.
1956
Bill Holmes Olympic silver medallist at Melbourne still finds time to win 10 opens and a B.B.A.R. place. 21 team wins. New stars Barry Trotter, Pete Dean, Steve Potts and Jack Voase prominent.
1957
Road racing boom in the Club with Brian Constable prominent in this sphere. 13 team wins in time trials with Don Westgate and Ron Nozedar helping Holmes to win them. Holmes wins eight opens including a 25, a 30, a 50, a 100, a 12 hour and a hill climb, also taking the 50 miles competition record with 1.55.14. Ladies team of Micky Holmes, Barbara McColl and June Rose wins all over the North.
1958
Our Golden Jubilee with a challenger to Holmes’ dominance coming from new member Norman Hall. 10 open wins and 14 team wins. Two members in Empire Games Road Race, Bill Holmes for England and Arthur Higham for Canada.
1959
New members John Daddy and Karl Dalton shine in road races. Holmes now an established International but has time to win eight opens and leads the Club to eleven team wins in road races, time trials and hill climbs.
1960
John Cain, Alan Creaser and Sheila Holmes the big names. Bill Holmes Olympic choice for Rome.
1961
Tour of Britain win for Bill Holmes. Norman Hall, Dick Moate, Bruce Goodens and Barry Trotter gain road race and time trial team wins all over England.
1962
Alan Creaser gets down to 57 minutes in open 25’s and is the big name for the year, promising to take over from King William. Club dinner and Christmas dinner sold out weeks beforehand.
1963
For the first time in the Club’s history riders score more road race team wins than time trial with Bruce Goodens, Alan Gay and Vic Smith shining.
1964
Alan Creaser’s year with a string of solo and team successes. Vic Smith wins first open time trial. Dick Moate Division Senior Road Race Champion. Ann Bailey Yorkshire Ladies Junior B.A.R. 1965 Creaser, Smith and Wilf Dearness the club’s big names in time trialling. Dearness 1.59.15 in his first ever 50.
1966
Road racing makes a comeback to the club. Alan Creaser Division Senior and Paul Allen Division Schoolboy Champions. Creaser, Alan Gay, Barry Trotter and Alan Lamswood have fine wins. Club has Road Race Championship competitions for the first time.
1967
Paul Allen continues to show successes. Alan Creaser repeats Division Championship win together with many wins and placings at all distances in time trials. ‘Scene’ first published.
1968
Diamond Jubilee Year. 14 team wins and 74 individual placings in open events of all classes. Paul Allen Division Junior Champion as well as 12 other road wins and 9 second placings. Jack McGlone retires after being secretary since 1946.
1969
Creaser again Division Senior Road Race Champion. Mike Green Schoolboy Division Road Race Champion and first Hull schoolboy to beat the hour with 57.49. Dave Bettison joins Creaser and Smith as a name to contend with in the time trialling world.
1970
Smith Division Senior Champion, wins 18 time trials. Mike Green Junior Division Champion. Ann Bailey 8th in Ladies World Road Championship. Time trialling still dominates Club activities with 29 team wins and 42 individual wins. Creaser National 100 mile Champion.
1971
Mike Green, Mike Barratt, Jeff Hirst 1-2-3 in Division Junior Road Championship. Ann Bailey National Championship placings on road and track. Smith 1st Yorkshire B.A.R., 6th National B.A.R.
1972
Ann Bailey again an International selection. Roy Irwin Division Junior Champion, 2nd in National Championship, 15 other road wins. Smith again Division Senior Champion. Club has 45 1st placings, 36 2nds, 35 3rds and 56 other placings in first 6 in opens.
1973
Irwin retains Division Junior title but Green appears to be the club’s rising road star. Road racing again the club scene with Gay and Smith concentrating on the bunch game.
1974
Although Irwin, Green and Gay 1-2-3 in Division Senior Championship, this is the year of the time trial. Vic Smith 18 wins and 31 team wins with Gay and Bettison. Ray Robson first veteran in club to beat the hour with 58.58. Gay beats the club’s 24-year-old London – Hull record.
1975
Smith Division Senior Road Champion yet again with John Hunt taking the Junior title. Mark Robinson Humberside Champion leading Hull Thursday to team win in the County Team Championship.
1976
That man Smith again. 1st in Yorkshire B.A.R., 2nd in National B.A.R. Smith, Bettison, Archbutt and veteran Brian Stow formidable in time trials.
1977
Thursday again win Humberside Team Championship. Brian Stow shines as veteran of the year whilst Alan Gay impresses as the season’s outstanding senior.
1978
Temporary decline in the racing ranks of the seniors, but club honour upheld by the vets and the under 18’s. Barry Trotter and Brian Stow become Club’s first vets to beat two hours for the 50. The A.G.M. finally relinquishes the dark blue and light blue and votes for new road colours in red, white and blue.
1979
Bettison and Archbutt show the old magic is still there with wins in Club events but time trialling now dominated by the vets, whilst the schoolboy and junior element concentrate on road racing.
1980
Andy Cawley Division Junior Road Race Champion and starts to show potential as time triallist. Gil Foston and Barry Trotter uphold the honour of the vets with some fast rides.
1981
Andy Cawley continues to shine as the club’s outstanding prospect but Gil Foston does not let him have it all his own way. Membership very strong with schoolboys and veterans in particular racing at all levels both in time trial and races.
1982
Sponsorship by Falcon Cycles brings a new and brighter image to the Club. Julian Pearcy is the rising star taking the Division Schoolboy Road Race Championship and as a Junior the Club’s Bentley Grand Prix. New member Neil Murphy makes big impact as outstanding time triallist of the year. Annual Dinner voted the best in living memory.
1983
Reigning World Champion Mandy Jones joins the club and wins National road race and 10 and 25 mile time trial championships as Falcon supported Club women’s team dominate racing countrywide. Professional circuit race promoted in Hull’s Old Town to celebrate the club’s 75th year.
1984
Andy Cawley sets new place-to-place record for London to Hull of 7 hours 17 mins 5l secs. Membership at all-time high of 250. C1ub subs raised from £3 to £5.
1985
Club looks abroad for its major successes, Cayn Theakston wins Tour of Trinidad and Alan Creaser has a good season of vets’ racing in Germany. A quiet season on the time trial front.
1986
A routine year, no particular highlights.
1987
Club teams up with BP Exploration to organise Holderness 100 professional road race, and also organises the National Hill-Climb Championship on Rosedale Chimney.
1988
Club celebrates its 80th year. A routine year on the racing scene.
1989
Falcon Cycles terminates sponsorship after 8 years. Club promotes National professional road race championship under BP sponsorship. Juniors dominate Division road race championship taking top three places.
1990
Keith Carter Ceramics become new club sponsors. New rapidly-growing sport of mountain biking embraced into activities. A development squad of young riders formed.
1991
Budding star Joel Wainman emerges taking club junior time trial championship and Divisional road race championship. Club subs increased to £7.50.
1992
Junior Wainman smashes club’s senior 10 and 15 mile records. Bill Clark takes 4th in National veterans mountain-bike championships. Mountain-bike racing Club championships introduced to supplement those for road and time-trials. Neil Cleminshaw knocks 7mins 14secs off Bill Holmes’ 1957 50 mile place to place record, with a time of 1:49:45.
1993
Olympic Gold Medallist and future top professional Chris Boardman, with Pete Longbottom, wins Berriman 2-up 25 with record time of 50-03. Christmas dinner venue moved to Eastburn Lodge, Driffield after more than 30 years at Mayphil Cafe, Howden.
1994
Top TV commentator Phil Liggett guest at the club’s Annual Dinner. Joel Wainman smashes all club short-distance time trial records.
1995
Land Food Products replace Skelton’s Bakery as sponsors of club’s long-established 2-day event. Race becomes Lands Classic. Club subs raised to £8.
1996
Joel Wainman becomes first club member to break 20 minutes in a 10 mile time-trial. Two-day race becomes one of Britain’s top events on the Premier Calendar.
1997
Damian Evington wins Cliff Pratt road race league. Nathan Chester sets new record in Spout hill-climb breaking 36 year-old record by 2 seconds. Two-day race gets new sponsor and becomes Procam Classic.
1998
The club’s 90th year, the final year of sponsorship by Keith Carter Ceramics. A full programme of time-trial, road racing and social events held. Just 10 years to the club’s Centenary.
1999
Fairly quiet season on the racing front. Club loses its esteemed former Tour de France rider Vic Sutton, who dies tragically whilst competing in the local Road Race League. New Sponsor: A deal is struck with John Fredericks Plastics Limited to sponsor the club for the next three seasons.
2000
New club time trial series established taking events off main roads and onto circuits. Proves popular with 40 entries received. Two-up TT record around the 24 mile hard-riders circuit broken by Neil Cleminshaw and James Frith 52-55.
2001
Youngster Claire Spencer shines in both time trials and triathlons winning the Women’s Junior British best All rounder competition as well as the Yorkshire BAR. Vanessa Frith wins the BCF National Women’s Road Race series Damian Evington wins Manchester 2-day RR, and supported by Clemishaw and Dave Shackleton and Nathan Chester take wins and team prizes around the country.
2002
Claire Spencer again wins the British and Yorkshire junior women’s BAR titles, and takes the junior women’s National 25 mile TT and the National junior women’s circuit TT Championships. Steve Macklin wins the Northern Area veteran’s mountain bike championship, and Nathan Wilson is 2nd in the Northern Area MTB Championship. After 47 years of continuous promotion the club’s 2-day road race was not held due to there being no willing organiser.
2003
East Riding of Yorkshire Council returns as main sponsors of now single day race The East Yorkshire Classic. Again Premier Calendar Event. Fewer riders competing in open competition, but very strong club racing programme under Star Bikes’ sponsorship.
2004
Chris Whitelam again dominates club time trials, but challenged by Steve Macklin and Andy Barnes.
2006
East Yorkshire Classic promoted as British National Road Race Championship for men. Women’s championship also promoted. Friday evening Elite Circuit Race around Beverley town centre introduced. Again Whitelam dominated the time trial series.
2007
East Yorkshire Classic and Beverley Town Centre Circuit Race cancelled at last minute due to extensive floods covering the region. Andy Barnes won Scunthorpe R.C 25 also won the Yorkshire over 50 10 miles Championship broke 2 hours for his first ever 50 in 1.59.52 followed later in the year with a 1.54.47 in the Ferryhill Whs 1st Vet over 50.
2008
The club’s Centenary Year. East Yorkshire Classic back on the programme, with Beverley Circuit race being promoted as the National Circuit Race Championship. ‘Big G’ sportive introduced to join the new popular non-competitive line in cycling. Special Dinner organised to celebrate Centenary Year. Distinctive design of Road Vest Jersey introduced to celebrate the Centenary.
2009
The club secures the National Circuit Champs, to take place during the Elite race of the Beverley town centre races for a second year in a row. Whilst on the racing front, it’s a tale of two Steves, Macklin and Guymer, who fight for honours in the Club Time Trial Series. Macklin also taking a fine solo win in the LVRC East Coast Road race at Burton Fleming.
2010
Neil Cleminshaw sets a new Vets 10 mile record, beating the mark set by Andy Barnes in 2007 by 24 seconds, whilst Steven Guymer continues to dominate the Time trial series. The Beverley Town centre Elite race is again for the National Championship, with Ed Clancy the winner. The supporting Keith Jordan Memorial race is won by former club member Mike Moss.
2011
The success of the Big Beverley weekend continues, Graham Briggs wins the National Circuit Champs in front of massive crowds, whilst Sky Pro Cycling’s Jeremy Hunt wins the Premier calendar East Yorkshire classic. Nearly 600 people take part in the Big G sportive. Rob Stones is the stand out racer, a win in Barton Wheelers Vets’ race is followed by an age-related Silver medal at the LVRC National Champs, narrowly missing out on Gold.
2012
London Olympic year. Jim’s early season training rides attract record numbers. The Big G sells out all 600 places in just 25 days, showing the popularity of cycling at all levels. Neil Cleminshaw breaks two club Vet records, setting new records for 10 and 25 miles, nearly taking a minute off the 25 time which had stood for 18 years. Neal Dean follows in the footsteps of Rob Stones winning the overall classification at Barton wheels Vets race. After holding the National Circuit Champs for 4 years, the Elite Beverley town centre race forms part of the Elite circuit series, whilst the Premier calendar, East Yorkshire Classic is dropped from the weekend.
2013
Keith Carter, the club’s former sponsor, sadly passes away. Racing is suspended in the local area for a few months and several events cancelled, due to a tragic death of a Brough CC rider in an open time trial. Jim Trevor takes a series of time trial wins in Scotland, where he is working, along with breaking Joel Wainman’s 19-year-old 15 mile time trial record.
2014
The Big G goes from strength to strength. A change of start location to Bishop Burton college gives even more riders the opportunity take part in this popular event. Jim Trevor breaks his own 15 mile time trial record for a second year in a row, whilst Steven Guymer dominates the club time trial series. The Hull Thursday Racing Team is created within the club to promote a core of road racers. Ron Nozedar steps down as the Scene magazine editor after two stints in the role lasting a total of 29 years.
2015
Jim Trevor continues his record-breaking run, setting new club time trial records for 50 and 100 miles. Danny Posnett is the club’s outstanding roadman, taking several placings in open events, and a win in the East Yorkshire Road Race League. He is well-supported by Hull Thursday Racing Team team members who have a change of kit to white, black and red. The club time trial series is again well supported and more competitive, as no one rider dominates.
The years 1908-1962 reported by Jack McGlone. The years 1963-1982 reported by Laurie Chesney. The years 1983-1999 reported by Barry Trotter. The years 2009-2015 reported by Rich Bielby.
Many thanks to all who spent time keeping this valuable record up-to-date.
