Ernest Payne
Encyclopedia
Ernest "Ernie" Payne was a British
track cycling racer
. Born in Worcester
, he won a gold medal in the team pursuit
at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London
and went on to play football, including two games as an amateur for Manchester United
.
. T W Badgery of the Worcester St Johns Cycling Club (speaking at a golden jubilee dinner in 1938) said that he borrowed his brother's bicycle "and it was seen at once that he was going to be a champion". Payne joined the St Johns club in 1903.
Payne was stocky, five feet six and a half inches (169 cm) tall and weighing ten stone and seven pounds (67 kg). He was trained by his brother Walter, a successful racing cyclist. Walter's assistant was Arthur Hale, brother of Worcester racing cyclist, Frederick Hale.
Payne's first race was in 1902, on 14 July at Stourbridge
. He crashed and damaged his bicycle but went on to win the half-mile handicap (handicap 75 yards) on a borrowed bike. During his first season he won 13 of 14 track races (coming second in the other). He specialised in half and one-mile races. By the end of June 1903 he was referred to as "the Worcester Wonder" in The Cyclist. The majority of his racing was on grass but he proved at home on permanent velodrome
s.
One of his major trophies was the Challenge Cup. The cup contained 450 ozt (14 kg) of silver and was 4 feet (1.2 m) high. He won it outright at the 1904 Whitsun
meeting in Bath, Somerset. He won more than 150 races including regional, national, British Empire and Olympic championships.
In his first season Payne used a locally-made machine, but in 1903 he rode an Imperial Rover
, having also changed his tyres from Dunlop
Road Racing to Dunlop Sprint tyres.
took place over three laps of the 660-yard track at the White City Stadium
in London's Shepherd's Bush
. Payne, 23, rode with Benjamin Jones
, Clarence Kingsbury
and Leonard Meredith
in the British team.
The team had a walkover in the first round when the Belgian team did not start. In the semi-final they beat Canada (eventual bronze medal winners) with 2:19.6 to the Canada's 2:29.2.
In the final Payne led the team to victory with pace-making over the last two laps of the 1980 yards (1810 m) event. They recorded 2:18.6, beating the silver medal-winning German team by 10 seconds.
, winning his heat but getting knocked out in the semi-final. In the 5000 metres
he did not finish his semi-final. In the Sprint
he won his heat but was defeated in the semi-final.
, and he was in the team that won the Birmingham League in 1912.
Payne played twice as an amateur for Newton Heath
(later to become Manchester United), in 1908–09, when he is recorded as having signed from Worcester City. He made his debut against Nottingham Forest
in a League Division One match on 27 February 1909, standing in when Billy Meredith
was playing for Wales
.
In his last match he scored the goal that held Sunderland
to a 2–2 draw at United's ground. The Manchester Evening News
reported: "Payne could do very little and it was on the left wing that Manchester invariably made progress . . . Payne was inclined to show more vigour but he was a very weak spot indeed.". The paper reported that it was a scrappy game in which each team's defence played a more important part than the forwards. It said Payne redeemed himself when
He left Manchester United in June 1909.
. His gold medal was lost while he was in France during the war. but a replica is held by Worcester City Museum.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
track cycling racer
Track cycling
Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using track bicycles....
. Born in Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
, he won a gold medal in the team pursuit
Cycling at the 1908 Summer Olympics - Men's team pursuit
The men's team pursuit was one of seven track cycling events on the Cycling at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Teams started at opposite sides of the track. Each team raced three laps of the track, comprising 1980 yards...
at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
and went on to play football, including two games as an amateur for Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
.
Background
Payne was born in a cottage at 221 London Road, Worcester. He worked as a carpenter. As his cycling prowess grew his employer gave him time off to compete. Payne gave him a gold watch in thanks.Cycling career
Ernest Payne's cycling talent was spotted at Boughton Park in WorcesterWorcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
. T W Badgery of the Worcester St Johns Cycling Club (speaking at a golden jubilee dinner in 1938) said that he borrowed his brother's bicycle "and it was seen at once that he was going to be a champion". Payne joined the St Johns club in 1903.
Payne was stocky, five feet six and a half inches (169 cm) tall and weighing ten stone and seven pounds (67 kg). He was trained by his brother Walter, a successful racing cyclist. Walter's assistant was Arthur Hale, brother of Worcester racing cyclist, Frederick Hale.
Payne's first race was in 1902, on 14 July at Stourbridge
Stourbridge
Stourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Historically part of Worcestershire, Stourbridge was a centre of glass making, and today includes the suburbs of Amblecote, Lye, Norton, Oldswinford, Pedmore, Wollaston, Wollescote and Wordsley The...
. He crashed and damaged his bicycle but went on to win the half-mile handicap (handicap 75 yards) on a borrowed bike. During his first season he won 13 of 14 track races (coming second in the other). He specialised in half and one-mile races. By the end of June 1903 he was referred to as "the Worcester Wonder" in The Cyclist. The majority of his racing was on grass but he proved at home on permanent velodrome
Velodrome
A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
s.
One of his major trophies was the Challenge Cup. The cup contained 450 ozt (14 kg) of silver and was 4 feet (1.2 m) high. He won it outright at the 1904 Whitsun
Whitsun
Whitsun is the name used in the UK for the Christian festival of Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ's disciples...
meeting in Bath, Somerset. He won more than 150 races including regional, national, British Empire and Olympic championships.
In his first season Payne used a locally-made machine, but in 1903 he rode an Imperial Rover
John Kemp Starley
John Kemp Starley was an English inventor and industrialist who is widely considered the inventor of the modern bicycle, and also originator of the name Rover....
, having also changed his tyres from Dunlop
Dunlop Rubber
Dunlop Rubber was a company based in the United Kingdom which manufactured tyres and other rubber products for most of the 20th century. It was acquired by BTR plc in 1985. Since then, ownership of the Dunlop trade-names has been fragmented.-Early history:...
Road Racing to Dunlop Sprint tyres.
Team pursuit
The Team pursuitCycling at the 1908 Summer Olympics - Men's team pursuit
The men's team pursuit was one of seven track cycling events on the Cycling at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Teams started at opposite sides of the track. Each team raced three laps of the track, comprising 1980 yards...
took place over three laps of the 660-yard track at the White City Stadium
White City Stadium
White City Stadium was built in White City, London, for the 1908 Summer Olympics, often seen as the precursor to the modern seater stadium and noted for hosting the finish of the first modern distance marathon. It also hosted speedway and a match at the 1966 World Cup, before the stadium was...
in London's Shepherd's Bush
Shepherd's Bush
-Commerce:Commercial activity in Shepherd's Bush is now focused on the Westfield shopping centre next to Shepherd's Bush Central line station and on the many small shops which run along the northern side of the Green....
. Payne, 23, rode with Benjamin Jones
Benjamin Jones (cyclist)
Benjamin "Ben" Jones was a British track cycling racer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics....
, Clarence Kingsbury
Clarence Kingsbury
Clarence Brickwood Kingsbury was a British track cyclist who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics. He belonged to the Paddington and North End cycling clubs....
and Leonard Meredith
Leonard Meredith
Leonard "Leon" Lewis Meredith was a British track and road racing cyclist who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics, in the 1912 Summer Olympics, and in the 1920 Summer Olympics...
in the British team.
The team had a walkover in the first round when the Belgian team did not start. In the semi-final they beat Canada (eventual bronze medal winners) with 2:19.6 to the Canada's 2:29.2.
In the final Payne led the team to victory with pace-making over the last two laps of the 1980 yards (1810 m) event. They recorded 2:18.6, beating the silver medal-winning German team by 10 seconds.
Other events
Payne competed in the 660 yards eventCycling at the 1908 Summer Olympics - Men's 660 yards
The men's 660 yards was one of seven track cycling events on the Cycling at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. It was the shortest of the events, comprising a single lap of the track...
, winning his heat but getting knocked out in the semi-final. In the 5000 metres
Cycling at the 1908 Summer Olympics - Men's 5000 metres
The men's 5000 metres was one of seven track cycling events on the Cycling at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Its distance was the median of the individual event distances...
he did not finish his semi-final. In the Sprint
Cycling at the 1908 Summer Olympics - Men's sprint
The men's 1000 metre sprint was one of seven track cycling events on the Cycling at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Its distance was the second shortest of the individual event distances...
he won his heat but was defeated in the semi-final.
Football
Ernest Payne's cycle racing career seems to have finished in 1910, although he had been playing football since at least 1908. In 1910 he played for Worcester Early Closers, before signing for Worcester CityWorcester City F.C.
Worcester City Football Club is an English football club based in Worcester, Worcestershire. The club are currently members of the Conference North and play at St George's Lane.-History:...
, and he was in the team that won the Birmingham League in 1912.
Payne played twice as an amateur for Newton Heath
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
(later to become Manchester United), in 1908–09, when he is recorded as having signed from Worcester City. He made his debut against Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
in a League Division One match on 27 February 1909, standing in when Billy Meredith
Billy Meredith
William Henry "Billy" Meredith was a Welsh footballer. He was considered one of the early superstars of football due to his performances, notably for Manchester City and Manchester United. He won each domestic trophy in the English football league and also gained 48 caps for Wales, for whom he...
was playing for Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
.
In his last match he scored the goal that held Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
to a 2–2 draw at United's ground. The Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
The Manchester Evening News is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. It is published every day except Sunday and is owned by Trinity Mirror plc following its sale by Guardian Media Group in early 2010. It has an average daily circulation of 90,973 copies...
reported: "Payne could do very little and it was on the left wing that Manchester invariably made progress . . . Payne was inclined to show more vigour but he was a very weak spot indeed.". The paper reported that it was a scrappy game in which each team's defence played a more important part than the forwards. It said Payne redeemed himself when
"clever play by Wall forced a corner and from this the ball went over to the right, Payne meeting it and putting it swiftly into the net . . . then in the closing minutes, from a shot by Payne, Turner nearly rushed through the winning goal."
He left Manchester United in June 1909.
War service
Payne was a motorcycle dispatch rider with the Guards' Division in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. His gold medal was lost while he was in France during the war. but a replica is held by Worcester City Museum.