UKC

Do you remember Beryl Burton?

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 Rog Wilko 23 Nov 2012
May not be a familiar name unless you're wrong side of 50, but she was just our greatest ever female cyclist. Not the least of her achievements was her setting of competition record for 12 hour time trial which was better than the men's record. Has that ever happened in any other sport? Anyway, just a heads-up that the afternoon play on Radio 4 next Tuesday is a dramatisation of her life by and starring the excellent Ms Peake(forgotten her firstname temporarily)
 Andy Say 23 Nov 2012
In reply to Rog Wilko:
I remember Beryl Burton. My dad was a keen racing cyclist and raved about her as one of the best he had ever seen.

I love this from her profile on Wikepedia 'While setting the record she caught and passed Mike McNamara who was on his way to setting the men's record at 276.52 miles and winning that year's men's British Best All-Rounder. She is reputed to have given him a liquorice allsort as she passed him. Apparently, McNamara ate the sweet.'
 Andy Say 23 Nov 2012
In reply to Rog Wilko:

Also from Wikepedia - 'On 27 November 2012 a radio play about Burton written by actress Maxine Peake will be broadcast by BBC Radio 4, with Peake playing Burton. It will include interview snippets with Charlie Burton, and his and Burton's cycling champion daughter, Denise Burton Cole'.

Should be good!
 Enty 23 Nov 2012
In reply to Rog Wilko:

Apparently one of the lads on the Morley club run passed her on a climb and just as he passed her he started whistling.
When they re-grouped at the top of the hill Beryl parked her bike against a wall, casually walked over to the whistler and knocked him out.

(hope it's a true story)

E
andyathome 23 Nov 2012
In reply to Enty:
> (In reply to Rog Wilko)
>
> Apparently one of the lads on the Morley club run passed her on a climb and just as he passed her he started whistling.
> When they re-grouped at the top of the hill Beryl parked her bike against a wall, casually walked over to the whistler and knocked him out.
>
> (hope it's a true story)
>
> E

Top woman!
 Henry Iddon 24 Nov 2012
In reply to Rog Wilko:

Back in the day I won Lancs TT Assoc 100 with a course record - the best bit was being presented with the trophy by Beryl at the annual dinner.
In reply to Rog Wilko: I know Charlie and Denise a little. Beryl used to be in Morley CC as was my favourite uncle. Her autobiography is worth reading, she was diagnosed as a "sickly young woman" and was told to avoid strenuous exercise. So she could have been much better had she disobeyed the doctor. Medics eh?
 rlines 24 Nov 2012
In reply to Enty: Dont rememer her as I'm too young, but i recently tried to read her book (didn't manage it al as it's just a string of bitter anecdotes). This story sound fairly likely given what a sore loser she was, the rivalry she had with even own daughter really makes you wonder what went on in her head. She may have been a great cyclist, but I for one couldn't look up to her.
johnj 24 Nov 2012
In reply to Rog Wilko: The name Beryl Burton to me is on a par with Colin Lewis and Tommy Simpson, and all them other old school hard roadies, Maybe born before her time and then Queen Victoria got all her adulation.
 The New NickB 25 Nov 2012
In reply to Rog Wilko:

I am not old enough to remember her, but I have enough interest in cycling to know her story.

I am also familiar with people like Reg Harris, who was a Bury lad like me.
 Chris Shorter 25 Nov 2012
In reply to Henry Iddon:
> (In reply to Rog Wilko)
>
> Back in the day I won Lancs TT Assoc 100 with a course record - the best bit was being presented with the trophy by Beryl at the annual dinner.

Beryl was in decline when I started racing but she was still pretty much leading the female pack. In 1984 I won the Yorkshire BAR and she won the equivalent women's competition for the 30th time in a row! It was getting tough for her as the Barnsley RC ladies were getting very competitive and I don't think she won it again. Anyway, we shared to top table in some posh hotel in Harrogate and received our respective awards.
OP Rog Wilko 25 Nov 2012
In reply to Andy Say: Ah, yes, Maxine is the name. Another admirable no-nonsense northern lass!
OP Rog Wilko 26 Nov 2012
In reply to Chris Shorter: Are you related to Alan Shorter?
 deepsoup 27 Nov 2012
In reply to Andy Say:
> Also from Wikepedia - 'On 27 November 2012 a radio play about Burton written by actress Maxine Peake will be broadcast by BBC Radio 4, with Peake playing Burton. It will include interview snippets with Charlie Burton, and his and Burton's cycling champion daughter, Denise Burton Cole'.
>
> Should be good!

A bump for this -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01p0fpl
Should be on iplayer soon.

Also, there's an interview with Maxine Peake and Charlie Burton here (its about 10 minutes long and starts 12 mins in):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01nxzcd
 Chris Shorter 27 Nov 2012
In reply to Rog Wilko:
> (In reply to Chris Shorter) Are you related to Alan Shorter?

No but so many people have asked me that over the years!

Chris

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