Nottingham Bicycle Club Photographs

This small set is a selection from a late 19th Century Nottingham Bicycle Club Album. They appear to have been taken in and around Bottesford and Belvoir Castle in the Vale of Belvoir. Evidently, in those days Botteford, Belvoir and the Vale in general were places visited during excursions of these enthusiastic cyclists, braving the weather and the country roads. With the tough, determined male riders are several women, equally tough (if not more so) yet wearing long dresses and polite headwear.

This is a very good set of pictures, and we are most grateful to Barrie Whittamore for his contribution, and to Nottingham Museums and Galleries for allowing us to display these pictures. The images are remarkable for the detail of the dress, the social mix and the bicycles they were riding. A provisional date of c.1890 is given for them, but expert advice may well allow us to pin the date down more precisely.

Barrie Whittamore is currently researching the details of the images: where they were taken, makes and types of bicycles; styles of dress, diversity of membership in terms of age, gender and ethnicity?

Please do leave a comment if you can add any information that will help in interpreting their content.