1941: Following a Ministry of Home Security circular on the carrying of gas masks, a Mrs Mellows organised four lectures aimed principally at housewives of active servicemen, on how to handle a gas situation. The second talk was held on this day. Each lecture covered: latest information about gas attacks; first aid for gas casualties; how to protect yourself and dealing with incendiary bombs and fires. All lectures were very well attended. (Gray, David, Peterborough at War 1939-1945, David Gray, 2011)
Taken from The Peterborough Book of Days by Brian Jones, The History Press, 2014.
Arthur James (Archie) Robertson won a gold medal at the 1908 London Olympic Games.
Archie was born on 19 April 1879, in Harthill, Yorkshire, the son of a Scottish doctor. The family moved to Peterborough when Archie was fourteen and he attended The King's School. He was a brilliant all round sportsman, though his original love was cycling. At the age of 25, following a cycling accident, he took up serious athletics and in 1906 he joined the Birchfield Harriers of Birmingham. In March 1908 he won the English and International Cross-Country titles and in July 1908 he came second in the 4 mile race at the AAA championship, these performances winning him a place on the Olympic team.
At the 1908 Summer Olympics held in London he won a gold medal in the 3 man 3 mile team race, silver in the 3200 metres steeplechase and came fifth in the five miles event. His brother David was a member of the British cycling team at the same Olympics. Archie set the seal on his triumphant year by setting a world record for the 5000 metres in September in Stockholm.
Archie retired from athletics after the 1909 season and returned to his first love, cycling. He opened a cycling and sports shop in Peterborough, which he later passed on to his son, Duncan.
He died in Peterborough on 18 April 1957. Though he spent most of his life in Peterborough, his Scottish father meant he could be posthumously inducted into the Scottish Sporting Hall of Fame in 2004.
References:
Golden Scots: Arthur Robertson, the accidental athlete. BBC. 3 July 2012.
B. Jones, The Peterborough Book of Days, The History Press, 2014.
Victorian cyclists in Peterborough enjoyed taking part in the many events that the Peterborough Bicycle Club arranged during their fair weather season. In October 1879 the club celebrated the end of the cycling season by holding a paper chase – a fox chase for people on bikes!
Two gentlemen, Mr Buckle and Mr Ollard, took the place of a fox and cycled ahead of the main cycling pack, leaving a trail of paper as the went. They had a ten minute start ahead of the pack following, and they took them on a challenging route.
From the Bell and Oak Inn, on what is now Cathedral Square, they travelled to Fletton, then Norman Cross, and on to Kate’s Cabin. After traversing Stilton Hill, they moved on to Elton, Warmington, Oundle, and then Fotheringhay. Then they travelled back to Elton, on to Wansford, Castor, and then home. The foxes cycled around 30 miles, with the 20 chasers covering about four miles more.
Reference:
Peterborough Bicycle Club, Peterborough Standard, October 25 1879, p. 5.
Image from OpenClipart-Vectors on Pixabay