Edith Atkins
Encyclopedia
Edith Atkins was a racing cyclist and a prolific breaker of long-distance records in the 1950s. She completed 12 different record-breaking journeys. The records included Land's End
to John o' Groats
; Land's End to London; Holyhead
to London; London to York
, London to Edinburgh
; and London to Great Yarmouth
. On 12 July 1953 she covered 422 miles (679.1 km) in 24 hours, breaking the London to York; 12 hour, and London to Edinburgh records along the way. Two weeks later she also broke Land's End to John o' Groats. She died aged 79 when she was hit by a car while pushing her bicycle across a pedestrian road crossing.
, Staffordshire
, England, was less than 5 feet (1.5 m) tall. Her light build led her to take up gymnastics
as a child and she excelled to champion level. Her first bicycle was one won by her mother in a whist drive. She took up cycling seriously when Roland (Ron) Atkins lent her a bicycle for a weekend ride and she discovered her ability. She moved from the Coventry Meteor Road Club to join Coventry Road Club in 1938 and the couple married two years later, Ron having acknowledged that she could ride faster than him. World War II ended thoughts of racing. One of their two children, John Atkins
, was an international cyclo-cross
rider and national champion.
. Sheridan was supported as a professional record-breaker by the Hercules bicycle company
but Atkins remained an amateur
, remortgaging her house to pay for her cycling.
In 1952 she broke the Women's Road Records Association
Land's End to London record, completing 287 miles in 17h 13m 31s.
In 1953 Atkins broke several more records including Holyhead to London, 264¼ miles in 13h 31m 57s. In her London to York ride, she broke the 195 miles (313.8 km) record in 9h 56m 20s before continuing north. After 12 hours she had ridden 234¾ miles. She reached Edinburgh in 21h 37m after 285 miles (458.7 km), going on to ride 422 miles (679.1 km) in 24 hours. She took three records in the same ride and was the first woman to go beyond 400 miles (643.7 km) in 24 hours.
Six days later she rode from Edinburgh to Glasgow
and back, 88 miles in 4h 38m 56s.
Atkins set that record, the first established between Land's End and John o' Groats, eight days after her 24-hour record. She beat the professional record by 4h 48m.
Atkins was entered in the Golden Book of Cycling
on 12 August 1953.
1957 saw more records broken.
She died in August 1999, aged 79, while crossing the A45
with her bicycle at Ryton-on-Dunsmore
, near Coventry.
1953
1957
Land's End
Land's End is a headland and small settlement in west Cornwall, England, within the United Kingdom. It is located on the Penwith peninsula approximately eight miles west-southwest of Penzance....
to John o' Groats
John o' Groats
John o' Groats is a village in the Highland council area of Scotland. Part of the county of Caithness, John o' Groats is popular with tourists because it is usually regarded as the most northerly settlement of mainland Great Britain, although this is not a claim made by the inhabitants...
; Land's End to London; Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
to London; London to York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, London to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
; and London to Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
. On 12 July 1953 she covered 422 miles (679.1 km) in 24 hours, breaking the London to York; 12 hour, and London to Edinburgh records along the way. Two weeks later she also broke Land's End to John o' Groats. She died aged 79 when she was hit by a car while pushing her bicycle across a pedestrian road crossing.
Early life
Edie Atkins, born Sharman, in BilstonBilston
Bilston is a town in the English county of West Midlands, situated in the southeastern corner of the City of Wolverhampton. Three wards of Wolverhampton City Council cover the town: Bilston East and Bilston North, which almost entirely comprise parts of the historic Borough of Bilston, and...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England, was less than 5 feet (1.5 m) tall. Her light build led her to take up gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
as a child and she excelled to champion level. Her first bicycle was one won by her mother in a whist drive. She took up cycling seriously when Roland (Ron) Atkins lent her a bicycle for a weekend ride and she discovered her ability. She moved from the Coventry Meteor Road Club to join Coventry Road Club in 1938 and the couple married two years later, Ron having acknowledged that she could ride faster than him. World War II ended thoughts of racing. One of their two children, John Atkins
John Atkins (cyclist)
John Atkins , is a British former racing cyclist specialising in cyclo-cross, and 12 times national cyclo-cross champion. He was a professional cyclist between 1968 and 1979.-Biography:...
, was an international cyclo-cross
Cyclo-cross
Cyclo-cross is a form of bicycle racing. Races typically take place in the autumn and winter , and consists of many laps of a short course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and...
rider and national champion.
Racing career
Atkins began racing in 1946, riding for Coventry Road Club. She competed at many RTTC championship events, helping it win the team prize in the 50 miles (80.5 km) races of 1949 and 1950 as well as the 25 miles (40.2 km) championship in 1950. There was rivalry between her and another rider from the city, Eileen SheridanEileen Sheridan (cyclist)
Eileen Sheridan, née Shaw was an English cyclist specialising in time trialling and road record breaking. She broke all the records of the Women's Road Records Association during the late 1930s and into the second world war. They included Land's End to John o' Groats, set by Marguerite Wilson...
. Sheridan was supported as a professional record-breaker by the Hercules bicycle company
Hercules Cycle and Motor Company
For the German Bicycle and Motorcycle manufacturer see: Hercules Fahrrad GmbH & CoThe Hercules Cycle and Motor Company Limited was a British bicycle manufacturer founded on 9 September 1910 in Aston in England....
but Atkins remained an amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
, remortgaging her house to pay for her cycling.
In 1952 she broke the Women's Road Records Association
Road Records Association
The Road Records Association is a British cycle racing organisation which supervises records on the road but not in conventional races. It is one of the oldest cycle sport organisations in the world, formed in 1888.-Remit:...
Land's End to London record, completing 287 miles in 17h 13m 31s.
In 1953 Atkins broke several more records including Holyhead to London, 264¼ miles in 13h 31m 57s. In her London to York ride, she broke the 195 miles (313.8 km) record in 9h 56m 20s before continuing north. After 12 hours she had ridden 234¾ miles. She reached Edinburgh in 21h 37m after 285 miles (458.7 km), going on to ride 422 miles (679.1 km) in 24 hours. She took three records in the same ride and was the first woman to go beyond 400 miles (643.7 km) in 24 hours.
Six days later she rode from Edinburgh to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and back, 88 miles in 4h 38m 56s.
Atkins set that record, the first established between Land's End and John o' Groats, eight days after her 24-hour record. She beat the professional record by 4h 48m.
Atkins was entered in the Golden Book of Cycling
Golden Book of Cycling
The Golden Book of Cycling was created in 1932 by Cycling, a British cycling magazine,to celebrate "the Sport and Pastime of Cycling by recording the outstanding rides, deeds and accomplishments of cyclists, officials and administrators." There exists only a single copy of this compendium of...
on 12 August 1953.
1957 saw more records broken.
Retirement and death
Atkins remained an enthusiastic cyclist after her record-breaking years. She rode more than 40 races at the age of 76 and rode 100 miles (160.9 km) a week.She died in August 1999, aged 79, while crossing the A45
A45 road
The A45 is a major road in England. It runs east from Birmingham past the National Exhibition Centre and the M42, then bypasses Coventry and Rugby, where it briefly merges with the M45 until it continues to Daventry...
with her bicycle at Ryton-on-Dunsmore
Ryton-on-Dunsmore
Ryton-on-Dunsmore is a village and civil parish in the Rugby district of Warwickshire, and is south-east of Coventry, England. The 2001 census recorded a population of 1,672 in the parish. The A45 dual carriageway passes through the village....
, near Coventry.
Palmarès
1952- 25 September — Land's End to London, 287 miles — 17h.13m.31s.
1953
- 31 May — Holyhead to London, 264 miles — 13h.31m.53s
- 12 July — London to York, 196 miles — 9h.56m.20s
- 12 July — 12 hours* — 234.75 miles
- 13 July — London to Edinburgh, 385 miles — 21h.37m.00s
- 13 July — 24 hours* — 422.00 miles
- 19 July — Edinburgh to Glasgow and back, 88 miles — 4h.38m.56s
- 27–29 July — Land's End to John o' Groats, 871 miles — 2d.18h.4m.
1957
- 14 July — London to Gt Yarmouth, 125 miles — 6h.01m.46s
- 8 August — London to Bath and back, 211 miles — 11h.11m.34s
- 8 September — Liverpool to Edinburgh, 211 miles — 11h.02m.40s
- 13 October — Edinburgh to York, 196 miles — 10h.40m.24s