Here's the Alexandra Coffee House by Ronnie Cruwys of drawingthestreet.com
The sign is misleading. This was the Blenheim Arms public house for far longer than it was the Alexandra Coffee House - and the road was Blenheim Road before it became Bavaria Road.
The sign is misleading. This was the Blenheim Arms public house for far longer than it was the Alexandra Coffee House - and the road was Blenheim Road before it became Bavaria Road.
I've trawled through local newspapers, court records and anything else I could think of and found nothing about the Alexandra. It came, was worthy, and vanished.
The Blenheim Arms, on the other hand, had a great man for a landlord.
In the 1870s David Stanton managed the pub and invented endurance cycling at the same time. And I don't mean the solitary disappear off into the distance kind, I mean a swashbuckling, extravagant, race against horses kind of endurance. The Guardian has the story here: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/ng-interactive/2015/oct/24/london-six-day-race-cycling-inside-track
And here’s more:
In 1874 he bet £300 that he could ride a penny farthing from Bath to London in one day. He lost by only 54 minutes after he 'was attacked four miles from Colnbrook by four men, who hurled heavy clubs at him. One struck him over the right eye and knocked him off the bicycle, another broke the middle wheel of the machine. Although partially stunned, he managed to walk as far as Colnbrook. There he mounted anothe rmachine belonging to a Mr Percy, and reached the goal at High Street Kensington at 3.54 pm, losing the match by fifty four minutes. He left Bath at 7 am and before the above mentioned outrage was committed he had been delayed twenty minutes by being run into by a cart. On his arrival at Kensington, Mr Stanton was, it is said, bleeding, bruised and covered in mud.'
In the 1870s David Stanton managed the pub and invented endurance cycling at the same time. And I don't mean the solitary disappear off into the distance kind, I mean a swashbuckling, extravagant, race against horses kind of endurance. The Guardian has the story here: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/ng-interactive/2015/oct/24/london-six-day-race-cycling-inside-track
And here’s more:
In 1874 he bet £300 that he could ride a penny farthing from Bath to London in one day. He lost by only 54 minutes after he 'was attacked four miles from Colnbrook by four men, who hurled heavy clubs at him. One struck him over the right eye and knocked him off the bicycle, another broke the middle wheel of the machine. Although partially stunned, he managed to walk as far as Colnbrook. There he mounted anothe rmachine belonging to a Mr Percy, and reached the goal at High Street Kensington at 3.54 pm, losing the match by fifty four minutes. He left Bath at 7 am and before the above mentioned outrage was committed he had been delayed twenty minutes by being run into by a cart. On his arrival at Kensington, Mr Stanton was, it is said, bleeding, bruised and covered in mud.'
[Pall Mall Gazette - Monday 21 September 1874]
Later that same year he appeared at 'Cremorne Gardens’ as a competitor with Arthur Markham in a race of 50 miles,
‘the latter receiving a quarter of an hour's start. In passing the bend of smallest radius Markham certainly showed himself the steadier rider and better tactician of the two, as he never failed to gain a yard or more from his antagonist by close shaving. But here all superiority of Markham over Stanton ceases.
The former was very soon deprived of his fifteen minutes' advantage and many times in quick succession was caught and passed by his dashing rival. Before half the distance had been covered Stanton was five miles ahead. He rode a larger machine than that selected by Markham, and made the great size of the leading wheel conducive to extraordinary speed. Twice or thrice Markham was seized with violent cramps, and no one could doubt the severity of his suffering each time he was compelled to dismount.
Stanton, though slightly deficient in steadiness at times, has a very pretty style, throwing his body forward, with his head and shoulders back, and keeping his chest well expanded. His seat is remarkably easy, and the action of his legs as mechanically regular as the coupling-rods of a locomotive.
In the commencement of his 35th mile Markham unwillingly gave in, not before cries of 'Turn it up Arthur, it's no use' had been raised by the more considerate of his friends and supportes. Once, when he was off his bicycle, having his legs chafed to restore the suppleness of the muscles, racked by rheumatism, he resisted all entreaties to abandon the contest, saying in answer to every persuasive argument, 'He' - that was to say Stanton - 'might fall'.
In the meantime, Stanton was proceeding coolly enough, though at great pace, and was declining offers of weak brandy and water in favour of 'a cup o' tea'. He had throughout the race done as he liked with Markham, now waiting on him as a cat ready for the spring waits on a crippled mouse, now riding jauntily by his side, and now shooting to the front with his hands placed carelessly on his hips instead of the handles of his machine.' [Sheffield Daily Telegraph - Wednesday 14 October 1874]
By 1875 he was 'the 100 mile champion, whose previous performances over long distance have made his reputation as a stayer unequalled', [London Standard - Wednesday 27 October 1875]
In 1877, at the Edinburgh Agricultural Hall, he beat six trotting horses by two and a half laps over 100 miles. [Edinburgh Evening News - Monday 26 February 1877]
Later that same year he appeared at 'Cremorne Gardens’ as a competitor with Arthur Markham in a race of 50 miles,
‘the latter receiving a quarter of an hour's start. In passing the bend of smallest radius Markham certainly showed himself the steadier rider and better tactician of the two, as he never failed to gain a yard or more from his antagonist by close shaving. But here all superiority of Markham over Stanton ceases.
The former was very soon deprived of his fifteen minutes' advantage and many times in quick succession was caught and passed by his dashing rival. Before half the distance had been covered Stanton was five miles ahead. He rode a larger machine than that selected by Markham, and made the great size of the leading wheel conducive to extraordinary speed. Twice or thrice Markham was seized with violent cramps, and no one could doubt the severity of his suffering each time he was compelled to dismount.
Stanton, though slightly deficient in steadiness at times, has a very pretty style, throwing his body forward, with his head and shoulders back, and keeping his chest well expanded. His seat is remarkably easy, and the action of his legs as mechanically regular as the coupling-rods of a locomotive.
In the commencement of his 35th mile Markham unwillingly gave in, not before cries of 'Turn it up Arthur, it's no use' had been raised by the more considerate of his friends and supportes. Once, when he was off his bicycle, having his legs chafed to restore the suppleness of the muscles, racked by rheumatism, he resisted all entreaties to abandon the contest, saying in answer to every persuasive argument, 'He' - that was to say Stanton - 'might fall'.
In the meantime, Stanton was proceeding coolly enough, though at great pace, and was declining offers of weak brandy and water in favour of 'a cup o' tea'. He had throughout the race done as he liked with Markham, now waiting on him as a cat ready for the spring waits on a crippled mouse, now riding jauntily by his side, and now shooting to the front with his hands placed carelessly on his hips instead of the handles of his machine.' [Sheffield Daily Telegraph - Wednesday 14 October 1874]
By 1875 he was 'the 100 mile champion, whose previous performances over long distance have made his reputation as a stayer unequalled', [London Standard - Wednesday 27 October 1875]
In 1877, at the Edinburgh Agricultural Hall, he beat six trotting horses by two and a half laps over 100 miles. [Edinburgh Evening News - Monday 26 February 1877]
No comments:
Post a Comment