Cyril Peacock
Encyclopedia
Cyril Francis Peacock was a British amateur racing cyclist who was world champion in 1954. He was also national sprint champion in 1952, 1953 and 1954 and Commonwealth Games
champion in 1954.
His first track, or velodrome
, race was at Slough
, west of London, on 22 June 1947. He came third. That September he won his first race, the National Cyclists' Union
junior medal competition at Paddington
, central London.
He joined the army for compulsory national service
at the end of the year and spent two years as a physical training instructor but did not ride a bike. Until then he had raced on the track on a road bike stripped of brakes and gears. He bought his first true track machine from money saved while with the Army.
Meeting of Champions, provided a first-class sensation. In the Robbialac Bowl sprint, he was in a disputed finish with Jan Hijselendoorn of Holland, who almost fell on Peacock as they reached the line. Peacock lost the decision - but he gained a lot of admiration."
In 1952, by then a member of the Tooting
Bicycle Club in south London, he won the £1,000 International Champion of Champions sprint at Herne Hill
velodrome
, also in south London, on Good Friday
1953. He was the first Englishman to win it. He beat the French champion, André Beyney, in France and on 5 July won the British sprint championship, again at Herne Hill. That brought selection for Britain in the Olympic Games in Helsinki
; he came fourth of 27 behind Enzo Sacchi of Italy, Lionel Cox of Australia and Werner Putzenheim of Germany.
Peacock won the national championship again in 1953 and 1954, the Robbialac Bowl in 1952, 1953 and 1954, and the Champion of Champions sprint again in 1953.
In 1954 he won the world championship in Cologne
, Germany, beating John Tressider of Australia and Roger Gaignard of France. Another Briton, Reg Harris
, won the professional championship. They were the last British winners before Chris Hoy
in 2008. Peacock and Harris featured on Player's
cigarette cards in 1957.
in January 1955 . In March he was awarded the Bidlake
Memorial Plaque for service to cycling .
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
champion in 1954.
Adolescence
Cyril Peacock took up cycle-racing when he was 15 and working as a scientific surgical instrument maker. in south London. He met a friend, Charlie Whitbourn, who suggested he join the Kingston Road Club. He was a member for two years before he rode his first race.His first track, or velodrome
Velodrome
A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
, race was at Slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
, west of London, on 22 June 1947. He came third. That September he won his first race, the National Cyclists' Union
National Cyclists' Union
The National Cyclists' Union was an association established in the Guildhall Tavern, London, on 16 February 1878 as the Bicycle Union. Its purpose was to defend cyclists and to organise and regulate bicycle racing in Great Britain...
junior medal competition at Paddington
Paddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
, central London.
He joined the army for compulsory national service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
at the end of the year and spent two years as a physical training instructor but did not ride a bike. Until then he had raced on the track on a road bike stripped of brakes and gears. He bought his first true track machine from money saved while with the Army.
Early career
Peacock rejoined Kingston Road Club and rode the 1951 national sprint championship, where he was beaten in the quarterfinal by Lloyd Binch of Nottingham. The news magazine The Bicycle wrote: "The last meeting of 1951, the NCUNational Cyclists' Union
The National Cyclists' Union was an association established in the Guildhall Tavern, London, on 16 February 1878 as the Bicycle Union. Its purpose was to defend cyclists and to organise and regulate bicycle racing in Great Britain...
Meeting of Champions, provided a first-class sensation. In the Robbialac Bowl sprint, he was in a disputed finish with Jan Hijselendoorn of Holland, who almost fell on Peacock as they reached the line. Peacock lost the decision - but he gained a lot of admiration."
In 1952, by then a member of the Tooting
Tooting
Tooting is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
Bicycle Club in south London, he won the £1,000 International Champion of Champions sprint at Herne Hill
Herne Hill
Herne Hill is located in the London Borough of Lambeth and the London Borough of Southwark in Greater London. There is a road of the same name which continues the A215 north of Norwood Road and was called Herne Hill Road.-History:...
velodrome
Velodrome
A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
, also in south London, on Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
1953. He was the first Englishman to win it. He beat the French champion, André Beyney, in France and on 5 July won the British sprint championship, again at Herne Hill. That brought selection for Britain in the Olympic Games in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
; he came fourth of 27 behind Enzo Sacchi of Italy, Lionel Cox of Australia and Werner Putzenheim of Germany.
Peacock won the national championship again in 1953 and 1954, the Robbialac Bowl in 1952, 1953 and 1954, and the Champion of Champions sprint again in 1953.
In 1954 he won the world championship in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Germany, beating John Tressider of Australia and Roger Gaignard of France. Another Briton, Reg Harris
Reg Harris
Reginald - 'Reg' - Hargreaves Harris OBE was a leading English track racing cyclist in the 1940s and 1950s. He won the world amateur sprint title in 1947, two Olympic silver medals in 1948, and the professional title in 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1954...
, won the professional championship. They were the last British winners before Chris Hoy
Chris Hoy
Sir Christopher Andrew "Chris" Hoy, MBE is a Scottish track cyclist representing Great Britain and Scotland. He is a multiple world champion and Olympic Games gold medal winner...
in 2008. Peacock and Harris featured on Player's
John Player & Sons
John Player & Sons, known simply as Player's, was a tobacco and cigarette manufacturer based in Nottingham, England. It is today a part of the Imperial Tobacco Group.-History:...
cigarette cards in 1957.
Professional
Peacock became a professional for RaleighRaleigh Bicycle Company
The Raleigh Bicycle Company is a bicycle manufacturer originally based in Nottingham, UK. It is one of the oldest bicycle companies in the world. From 1921 to 1935 Raleigh also produced motorcycles and three-wheel cars, leading to the formation of the Reliant Company.-Early years:Raleigh's history...
in January 1955 . In March he was awarded the Bidlake
Frederick Thomas Bidlake
Frederick Thomas Bidlake was an English racing cyclist of the late 19th century who became one of the most notable administrators of British road bicycle racing during the early 20th century. The annual Bidlake Memorial Prize, was instituted in his memory...
Memorial Plaque for service to cycling .