Subject: RE: [CR] TE Lawrence and his bicycles Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2011 17:01:46 +0000
A friend of mine (and incidentally a Veteran-Cycle Club Member) has a keen interest in Lawrence. He owns the Brough Superior on which T. E. Lawrence was killed; the machine is currently on loan to, and on display at, the Imperial War Museum in London. He has owned the motor cycle for many years, and in the course of his research into Lawrence, he met Pat Knowles, who had been Lawrence's neighbour, and latterly, the caretaker of Lawrence's cottage at Cloud's Hill. My friend was told that Lawrence's bicycle was given to Knowles (whether by T. E. himself, or by Lawrence's brother after T. E.'s death, I don't recall) and that it was eventually thrown away when worn out. What the bicycle was, I don't know, . There is a photo of Lawrence on one of his bicycles, but I've been unable to establish the make; I'm afraid that I can't find the photo on the web at present, but it shows Lawrence on his bicycle leaning against a wall. I believe that it was taken in Bridlington in Yorks hire, before he rode it back to his cottage at Cloud's Hill not long before he was killed.
Neil Foddering Weymouth, Dorset, England
> From: ARosas@tmhs.org
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2011 12:50:38 -0600
> Subject: [CR] TE Lawrence and his bicycles
>
> Dear CR folks
> I am currently reading the book Hero, the Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia by Michael Korda
> In the book, Korda mentions that bicycling was a passion of TE Lawrence's, as well as of his father's, and was an important factor in shaping his character. Indeed, Lawrence made several bicycling trips in France (Britanny). In a letter from France in 1906 he mentions "that he has reached thirty miles an hour in high gear on the sand of a nearby beach-and feels he is fit enough to ride 100 miles a day for months." He also "became like his father a bicycle enthusiast, and always had the latest kind of racing bike " (Lawrence) "often tinkered with his bikes to make them faster and at an early age he pushed himself to to amazing speeds and distances"
> Does anyone know if there are any of Lawrence's bikes still around..in a museum ? What kind of bike would Lawrence have ridden in 1905 England ?
> Thanks.
> Alex Rosas
>
> Alejandro (Alex) Rosas, MD
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