Albert Arthur Humbles
Albert Arthur Humbles (born 9 May 1910, died 3 Jul 1997), subsequently known as Alan Alain Holt and Allan Holt. He was an English cyclist who set the world endurance cycling record by covering 36,007 miles (57,948 kilometres) during the calendar year of 1932[1]. He broke the previous best mark that had stood since Marcel Planes completed 34,366 mi (55,307 km) in 1911 in response to Cycling magazine's 'Century Competition'.[2] In 1933, Humbles entered the Golden Book of Cycling as the greatest long-distance rider in the world. He rode 36,007 mi (57,948 km) in a year, averaging 100.019 mi (160.965 km) per day for the 360 days that he rode.[2]
Personal life
Humbles was born in Dalston, London, the sixth of seven children of William Humbles (1881-1917) and Blanche Maude Amelia Humbles (née Illett)(1884-1974). By 1914, his parents had separated and he was admitted to the Hackney Union Children’s Home in Homerton, London as a pauper. His father served in the London Regiment of the British Army in the First World War and was killed in France on 9 Apr 1917. Humbles lived in Hoxton, North London, during the time of his record bid. By 1936, he was living in Stoke Newington, London, where, during the same year, he married Zota Epp Mae Scarr (née McCartney, later Ribalta) (born 19 Jan 1919 in Hackney, London; died 30 Jan 2000 in Wandsworth, London). Their daughter, Sylvia June Humbles, who was later adopted, was born on 3 Oct 1937 at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital in St Pancras, London. In 1939, Humbles was employed fitting bicycle frames[3] whilst living in Canonbury. His marriage to Zota Scarr ended in divorce. By 1954, he had changed his name by deed poll to Alan Alain Holt and was living in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, working as a painter and decorator. On 13 Mar 1954 at High Wycombe Register Office, he married Pamela Margaret Warren (née Sutton, later Naish) (born 19 Jul 1926, died 1978). Their marriage ended in divorce. By 1977, he was living in Wood Green, London with his eldest brother, William Henry James Humbles (1903-1977). He died on 3 July 1997[4] in Tottenham Hale, London. His estate[4] is included in the list of unclaimed estates maintained by the Treasury Solicitor as bona vacantia.
World endurance record
In 1911 the weekly magazine Cycling began a competition for the highest number of 100 mi (160 km) rides or "centuries" in a single year.[5] The winner was Marcel Planes with 332 centuries in which he covered 34,366 miles (55,307 km).[5] The inspiration for the competition was said to be the efforts of Harry Long, a commercial traveller who rode a bicycle on his rounds covering every part of England and Scotland and who covered 25,376 miles (40,839 km) in 1910.[5] The world record for distance cycled in a year began in an era when bicycle companies competed to show their machines were the most reliable. The record has been officially established nine times.[6] A tenth claim, by the English rider Ken Webb, was later disallowed.[n 1]
| Year | Record holder | Country | Distance | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | Marcel Planes |  France |
34,366 miles (55,307 km) | [2] |
| 1932 | Arthur Humbles |  Great Britain |
36,007 miles (57,948 km) | [2] |
| 1933 | Ossie Nicholson |  Australia |
43,966 miles (70,756 km) | [7] |
| 1936 | Walter Greaves | Great Britain |
45,383 miles (73,037 km) | [8] |
| 1937 | Bernard Bennett | Great Britain |
45,801 miles (73,710 km) | |
| 1937 | René Menzies | France |
61,561 miles (99,073 km) | [9] |
| 1937 | Ossie Nicholson | Australia |
62,657 miles (100,837 km) | [10] |
| 1939 | Bernard Bennett | Great Britain |
65,127 miles (104,812 km) | |
| 1939 | Tommy Godwin | Great Britain |
75,065 miles (120,805 km) | [11] |
Humbles wanted to demonstrate that an ordinary clubman could break the long-standing world endurance record, so in 1932 cycling became a full-time occupation.[2]
His daily average for 360 days was 100.019 mi (160.965 km) per day for the 360 days that he rode. His longest ride in a single day was 172 mi (277 km) and the shortest was 35 mi (56 km). His usual routes were out of London along the Great North Road, the Cambridge Road and the Newmarket Road. He also toured England and Wales, visiting places such as Alnwick, Clovelly, Bury St. Edmunds and Bere Regis.[2]
He broke Marcel Planes' record by riding the 34,367th mile through Hyde Park, London, on 11 December, reportedly followed by 3,000 cyclists.[2]
The Golden Book
Humbles' achievements were celebrated in 1933 when Cycling Weekly awarded him his own page in the Golden Book of Cycling.[2]
Notes
- ^ Ken Webb's claim was for 80,647 miles (129,789 km) in 1972. Webb insisted he had completed the distance but others said he hadn't and he was removed from the Guinness Book of Records.
References
- ^ Barter, Dave (2015). The Year: Reawakening the Legend of Cycling's Hardest Endurance Record. Vertebrate Publishing. ISBN 9781910240434.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "The Golden Book of Cycling – Citation for Arthur Humbles". Archive maintained by 'The Pedal Club'.
- ^ "1939 Register".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "List of Unclaimed Estates".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c "Year's Road Riding". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 7 January 1933. p. 18.
- ^ Cycling, 1972, undated cutting
- ^ "Ossie for Aussie". The Referee. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 7 January 1937. p. 20.
- ^ "The Golden Book of Cycling - citation for Walter Greaves". Archive maintained by 'The Pedal Club'.
- ^ "Cycling". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 18 January 1938. p. 16.
- ^ "Australia regains world's cycling record". The Referee. Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 6 January 1938. p. 20.
- ^ "Pedal Club archives - Citation for Thomas Edward Godwin". Archive maintained by 'The Pedal Club'.