1908: Dulwich Hill Bicycle ... I mean .... Football Club

[marc2131]

I believe this is the first few events run by the DHBC in 1908. Found them in archival copies of the Sydney Morning Herald.

The first DHBC event was held on the 25 May and didn’t have anything to do with bicycles – it was a football match with Campsie Bicycle Club. We won 20-6.
Our first club ride was to Windsor and held that weekend.

Sydney Morning Herald, Monday 25 MAY 1908
The first road race will be held on June 13, on a course to be decided, the prizes for which have been given by local business people. In a football match with the Campsie Club recently the Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club defeated their opponents by 26 points to 6.
Next Sunday’s outing is an all-day run to Windsor.


DHBC's first real race was held on the 19 June 1908.

Sydney Morning Herald 19 June 1908
Handicaps for Dulwich Hill club’s five-mile road race to be run over the Parramatta road course on Saturday, starting at the Plow Inn:
JA Irvin, AR Rennie, H Beach, PJ Fitzgibbons, 10s; JC Paris, C Anderson, 20s; C Landsdowne, W Beard, W Turner, 30s; D Sharpe, W Maynard 40s; W Petty, F Schollbach, 50s; W Dakin, G Coleman60s; R Makin, S Petty, 1m 20s; J Brennan, 1m30s.

Another was held a month later and started off at the old 'Plough Inn' (aka Speed the Plough Inn) at the corner of Liverpool and Parramatta Roads, Ashfield. The Plough Inn was demolished around 1910. The recently abandoned Wedderburn Scale factory now sits at this location.

Sydney Morning Herald, 25 July 1908
Dulwich Hill Club
The following are the handicaps of the Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club’s 8 mile road race, to be decided over the Plough Inn course today:
J. Irvin, P Fitzgibbons, scr; W Waynard, C Landsdowne, 20s; C Paris, C Anderson, 30s; H Morris, W Beard, H Williams, 50s; P Cole, F Schollbach. 1m 10s; W Dakin, D Sharpe, 1m 20s; W Petty, L Coleman, 1m 30s; W Campbell, J Brennan, 1m 50s; S Petty, 2m 10s.

[Stuart]

Yes, but what type of football? Union or League? or was it actually 'soccer'? surely not with that scoreline.

[Lizanne]

i recon with the high standard we like to keep in the club, there is a strong history of gentlemen and ladies acting accordingly. there would have been no league, and only the true gentlemans game of rugby union

[Johnj]

i recon with the high standard we like to keep in the club, there is a strong history of gentlemen and ladies acting accordingly. there would have been no league, and only the true gentlemans game of rugby union

The first NSW season of Rugby Leage commenced 20th April 1908, only a month before the game in question. Given that the area hosted three of the original league teams (Glebe, Newtown and South Sydney), I'd bet that the forward-looking lads of Sydney's newest cycling club would have been trying out the new football code of the working man.

[marc2131]

Taking into account the DHBC is the oldest surviving bicycle club in NSW (or Australia?) maybe we ought to flout this point a bit and do a series of events to commemorate the fact:

Approx 31 May 2012:
The 103rd anniversary of DHBC’s first club ride (to Windsor) on 31 May 1908.

Approx 19 June 2012:
A commemoration of the DHBC’s first race – a 5-mile race run over ‘the Parramatta road course’ on Saturday 19 June 1908. However Parramatta Road is a bit more busy than it was back in 1908, so any other place would be great.

Approx 25 May 2012:
A rematch of the ‘football’ match with the Campsie Bicycle Club held on the 25 May 1908. Only problem is that the pressure will be on DHBC to maintain the 26-6 victory. On second thoughts, maybe not such a good idea

[Johnj]

Taking into account the DHBC is the oldest surviving bicycle club in NSW (or Australia?) maybe we ought to flaunt this point a bit and do a series of events to commemorate the fact:

Approx 31 May 2012:
The 103rd anniversary of DHBC’s first club ride (to Windsor) on 31 May 1908.

Approx 19 June 2012:
A commemoration of the DHBC’s first race – a 5-mile race run over ‘the Parramatta road course’ on Saturday 19 June 1908. However Parramatta Road is a bit more busy than it was back in 1908, so any other place would be great.

Approx 25 May 2012:
A rematch of the ‘football’ match with the Campsie Bicycle Club held on the 25 May 1908. Only problem is that the pressure will be on DHBC to maintain the 26-6 victory. On second thoughts, maybe not such a good idea

I'd be careful with a claim about "the oldest surviving bicycle club in NSW". Bathurst (1884) and Randwick Botany (1903) both claim to be older.

May ride to Windsor sounds good, anyone know a low-traffic route?

Not so sure about the football match.