The discovery of a long-lost silver trophy from 1935 will lead to the revival of a vintage Dundee cycling challenge.
The elegant silver cup was once the pride and joy of Dundee Thistle Cycling Club.
It was awarded to the fastest novice in a 25-mile TT event each year until 1978, after which it seemingly vanished.
The trophy, donated by the club’s secretary in 1935, was believed lost when the last cyclist to win it, Alan Logan, failed to return it the year after his triumph.
There appeared to be no trace of the cup for 45 years.
Until now.
Alan died in 2021.
Alan’s sister, Susan, and their mother were sorting items while clearing Alan’s home when they came across the trophy, which has now been returned to its rightful home.
It will now be presented to the winner of the 2023 25-mile TT event.
The 1935 cup will thereafter be used as the annual trophy.
Club historian Alasdair Chisholm said the rediscovered trophy will add a fresh chapter to the rich history and heritage of one of Scotland’s oldest cycling clubs.
“D. K. Ferguson became the club secretary shortly after the club was founded and this trophy was donated by him back then,” said Alasdair.
“The trophy was first awarded in 1935.
“Alan would have been around 14 or 15 when he won in 1978.
“Dundee Thistle started life back in 1929 and there have been a great number of changes over the years but the thing that grounds us is the history of the club.
“The trophy really encapsulates the success of those individuals whose names are engraved on the base and they themselves are part of the club’s proud history.
“Although we can’t boast a membership of 300, as they did back in the 1930s,
the club does still have around 70 active members and also retains the same
degree of ambition it has always enjoyed.
“I’m sure we can get many more years’ use out of this brilliant trophy.”
Dundee Thistle held its first meeting in an old rag store in Rosebank Street in 1929, when ‘drum ups’ and ‘boilly ups’ were all the rage during its formative years.
The ‘boilly up’ required each rider to bring with them a spoon, tin of soup, tin
opener, tea bag, matches and fire lighter.
They would then have to locate one of the limited number of areas where it was possible to safely set a fire.
This, of course, also required a good source of dry firewood.
Even in these early years, the club members made no secret of their aspirations.
Alasdair said: “Success seems to have followed Dundee Thistle and, in one form or another, the laurels regularly fell to the young and eager Jaggies.
“By 1934 track racing had grown in popularity and stature.
“A series of successful track meetings in Dundee proved popular with riders
and spectators alike.
“The club enjoyed great loyalty and support from its many members.”
The club remained large in the 1930s with around 300 enthusiastic members who were described back then as being “loyal to the cause”.
Alasdair said: “Throughout the history of Dundee Thistle Cycling Club not only the bikes but also the clothing has gone through dramatic changes.
“Even from the very earliest days, club cyclists desired the best frames, wheels and equipment that money could buy.
“Initially cyclists relied on the local shops, such as the custom frame builder D.W. Lindsay who was on Victoria Road in Dundee.
“Pat Reilly on the Perth Road, established in 1890, was famous at the time for his five pounds ten shillings delivery bikes.
“More recently we had Robertson’s Cycles in Lochee, Western Cycle Depot in the Hawkhill area of Dundee and, of course, Nicholson’s, whose owner, Jack, was Thistle club chairman for many years.
“By the time the Second World War had ended, club riders looked abroad for
the latest gear.
“Breakthroughs came from companies, such as Simplex, founded by Lucien Juy, a French bike shop owner in Dijon who launched Le Simplex derailleur in 1928.”
The end of the war came in 1945 and brought with it a revised passion for cycling.
Winning was becoming a habit and the Jaggies took every prize at the Dundee Centre Road Race Championship in 1950.
Club members were also representing Scotland abroad.
Dundee Thistle Club still had its own room in Milton Street in the 1950s where meetings were held on Thursday evenings at 9pm.
“In the winter the club opened on Tuesdays and Thursdays about 7pm for
activities such as table tennis, darts, training on rollers and weightlifting.
“They even had a real boxing ring with ropes, as one of the members, Nobby Clinton, was also an amateur boxer.”
Racing and time trials were still going strong in the 1960s and 1970s and the
Thistle were showing well.
Cycling changed a fair bit between the 1980s and 1990s.
In the 1990s weekenders and cycling abroad became very popular.
Thistle weekenders were held annually to Killin and Fort William, which was
125 miles there on Saturday, and then 125 miles back home on the Sunday.
Membership numbers started to dwindle but the likes of Graeme Obree, Chris Boardman, Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins led to a surge of interest once again.
Dundee Thistle celebrated 75 years with a civic reception in 2005 in the City Chambers, with many older club members attending.
A display showing the history of the club opened at the Dundee Transport Museum in 2018, ahead of the 90th anniversary celebrations.
The club is still going strong in 2023.
Already, members are looking forward to celebrating 100 years in 2029.
So what’s the secret of the Jaggies’ success?
Alasdair said: “I think what has allowed the club to still be going strong are the stories of lifelong friendships made, the many incredible individuals who have given so freely of their time.
“And as a club, we have always aimed to punch above our weight and have enjoyed organising the highest-level races and success racing from the first days of the club in 1929 until now.”
Conversation