Vintage photograph of the club riding out together

History

A short history of over 100 years on two wheels.

Pre 1924

Previous clubs and formation

Regrettably, we don't have too much remaining evidence of the formation of the club, though newspaper articles from the time reference a club called Halifax Cycling Club, with an article from March 1889 in 'The Halifax Courier' reporting on their annual dinner.

The report states that 'Last year they adopted a new uniform that could be worn as an ordinary business suit so that there was no excuse for any member not to be appearing in uniform' and that 'They had a few lady members and would like to see more.' The article goes on to say that its committee hoped that any new clubs formed would 'preserve the reputation Halifax Cyclists had hitherto enjoyed for orderly conduct, sobriety and general good behaviour'. We regret to inform them that not all members today are widely known for their sobriety.

We also found an article dating June 1910, referencing a club called 'Halifax Wheelers', which is surely a predecessor club of ours. The article covers a ride report of a trip to Littleborough in which 'on the outward journey they saw a young lady come to grief, but fortunately escape injury. She lost control of her machine and collision with the kerb did not improve the shape of the front wheel (sic). The members who saw the mishap proved 'Good Samaritans' and adjusted the wheel sufficiently for the lady to push her machine.'

1924-1954

Early Years

The first article we could find which references the name 'Halifax Imperial Wheelers' is from an article in 'The Halifax Daily Courier and Guardian' on June 15th 1925. It covers a reliability run from Halifax to Blackpool and back, with eleven of sixteen entries taking part. They started at 7am from King Cross, arriving at Whalley at 09.30 for breakfast, reaching Blackpool at midday and 'the party arrived in Halifax at 10pm, after a most enjoyable run'.

If anybody has evidence of the club's formation in 1924, please get in touch!

In the following years there are a number of articles concerning our club, including more reliability ride reports, some time trial races, and even a couple of accounts of club members getting married, and in one case enjoying their honeymoon on a tandem.

There was no mention of the club in the newspaper archive between 1949 and 1954, so it suggests the club had disbanded during this time.

Club riders lined up together for a reliability run in the 1950s

Pre 1954-1975

Resurrection and racing

After a fallow few years for the club, Halifax Daily Courier and Guardian article from January 1954 explains that 'A group of local under 20s who met at Toll Bar House Copley decided to reform the Halifax Imperial Wheelers Cycling Club.'

'The meeting was attended by nearly 20 youths, all of whom have had considerable cycling experience, some rode with the old Imps.'

It goes on to say that 'the meeting was unanimous that the club should be all male. Girls, it was said, do not make good cycling company - they talk too much!'. We can confidently say that these are no longer the feelings of the club!

This new iteration of the club was definitely youth focussed, with a lot of members concentrating on racing, including several tours to race in Europe and around the UK.

A club rider racing in the club's yellow and blue

1975-2012

Club growth

As those that reformed the club in the '50s got older, some got families, some moved away, and some of those who remained wished to dust off their race numbers once more to compete as veterans (over 40s). This coupled with an influx of new younger riders, meaning that the club, though small, had a solid number of reliable members who would turn up most weeks.

I basically need someone else to write this bit as I don't know what happened until I joined in 2014.

A modern club rider on a Calderdale road with a marshal looking on

2012 onwards

Olympics, Tour, and Centenary

The early 2010s brought a fresh appetite for cycling in the UK, and Yorkshire in particular. With the success of the British Cycling team at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics, coupled with the staging of the 2014 Grand Depart in Yorkshire, like many cycling clubs, membership for the Imps to a much needed injection of new members (what did you think I was going to say?).

Since then the club has ebbed and flowed between 50-70 members, and the focus on the club has been more leisurely, with only a handful of members actively racing on a regular basis.

Many of our members enjoy riding club events and trips, as well as 'non-official' rides and cycling holidays with club members. We're always excited to welcome new members who can help us write the next chapter in our history!