In early August 2024, the curtains will finally close on Salisbury Cycling Club and with it a rich history going back 139 years. I decided to visit the club recently to look into the establishment and its history. I was delighted to meet with the present secretary, Mr. Brian Davies, who very kindly gave me a tour of the club.

Salisbury Cycling Club, which is situated on the corner of Salt Lane and Rollestone Street, was started in June, 1885, by a number of gentlemen interested in cycling as an active pastime. Two of the main players were William Pinkney, who became the first president, and the Mayor of Salisbury, George Fulford, who became Vice President.

Club Secretary Brian Davies told me; “William Pinkney started the club in 1885 and we think that in 1907, he moved Salisbury Cycling Club to where it stands today in Salt Lane, Salisbury. Pinkney wanted a club for men only and he acquired the present establishment from an old lady which is surprising really as it’s a massive place. In those days it was a gentleman’s club, there were no ladies allowed because they couldn’t get onto bikes with their skirts. As the years progress it became a businessman’s club where you had to wear a shirt and tie every time you came in –

a place where men could meet to talk and take part in cycling activities.”

Indeed, in 1899 the committee of the club stated: The Reading and Recreation Room is well supplied with papers and periodicals, selected and approved of by the committee, and games of skill with prizes being presented to the successful competitors. The club is purely social and non-political, and is open to all applicants for membership, subject always to the approval of the committee.

Another prime mover in starting the Cycling Club was Charles King, a keen cyclist who held the post of cycling captain as well as being an early committee member. King had an exceptionally brilliant career in the cycling racing world, and he was exceedingly well-known locally for his success which amounted to over 179 prizes. He was successful all over the country but he cited his proudest moment as that which happened in October 1890. On that occasion he cycled from Salisbury to London and back in a club record of 13 hours. It was a sad occasion when the club learned that Charles King had died at the early age of 41

With all this history, it is sad that Salisbury Cycling Club is closing. Secretary Brian Davies agrees: “Up until the year 2000 it was a men only club but we found that men were going out with their wives at weekends and they couldn’t come here so we thought the time had come to let women in. I became secretary in 2000 and found that the books giving the early history of the club had been lost or are missing. I joined the club in 1971 when I came to Salisbury from Wales. A friend told me that he went to the Cycling Club and when I said that I didn’t have a bike he replied, “ that’s alright, you probably haven’t got a tie either!”

When asked why the Cycling Club was closing Brian replied: “The membership has dropped over the years and I don’t think it helped when Covid struck. We lost some members – a lot of our members are in their 70s and 80s.

Over the years we’ve had loads of competitions and all sorts of people using the club plus bands and live music but we don’t attract a lot of younger people because we cater mainly for snooker, cards and bridge – that sort of thing. When we close I expect our members will go to the British Legion – just around the corner from here. The club has been such a big part of my life and I will miss it so much when it finally closed – it will be the end of an era.”

Writing this blog has got me wondering how many other local social clubs have disappeared in recent times? I will certainly be looking into this so watch out for my findings soon!