Category Archives: Research

Daisy Bell: The Countess of Warwick

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Sheila Hanlon

            The Wheelwomen Pages have a new addition, Frances Evelyn ‘Daisy’ Greville, The Countess of Warwick. Daisy, as she was commonly known, was a society hostess, royal mistress, advocate of women’s and worker’s rights, and … Continue reading →

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Cycling…errr…Walking with Women, Cambridge

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Sheila Hanlon

No history of Cambridge would be complete without a mention of cycling, and Shape East’s new Walking with Women is no exception. One stop on this self guided tour recalls a day in 1897 when the effigy of a lady cyclist … Continue reading →

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Rally to Save The Women’s Library, Sept 22nd

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Sheila Hanlon

The Cycling to Suffrage exhibit may have closed, but there is still time to get involved in the campaign to Save The Women’s Library. Join us this Saturday, Sept 22nd, in a rally to show how much this irreplaceable institution … Continue reading →

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Last Chance to See Cycling to Suffrage at The Women’s Library

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Sheila Hanlon

Cycling to Suffrage: The Bicycle and Women’s Rights, 1890-1914 Closes 8 Sept 2012–See the show while you still can! This special exhibit explores the history and politics of women’s bicycling In 1895, American activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton famously declared that … Continue reading →

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Women’s Cycling Resource List for Londoners

Posted on May 19, 2012 by Sheila Hanlon

Interested in learning to ride or getting involved with a local cycling group? Check out the Women’s Cycling Resource List that accompanied the “Cycling to Suffrage” exhibit at The Women’s Library. Women’s Cycling Resource List, 2012 Follow the links in … Continue reading →

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“Cycling to Suffrage” on The Bike Show, Resonance Radio

Posted on March 11, 2012 by Sheila Hanlon

Want to know what an 1885 photo of a wax mannequin on a tricycle tells us about the dress reform movement? Or hear how the residents Malden reacted to the sight of a lady cyclist’s bloomers in 1890? Tune in to The … Continue reading →

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Cycling to Suffrage Exhibit Opens March 21st, 2012

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Sheila Hanlon

“Cycling to Suffrage: The Bicycle and Women’s Rights, 1890-1914″ opens at The Women’s Library 21 March 2012 Cycling has long been associated with the emancipation of women, from the fashionable lady cyclists of the 1890s to the more politically motivated … Continue reading →

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A Spanner of One’s Own: Liberation and Mechanics in Maria Ward’s “Bicycling for Ladies,” 1896

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Sheila Hanlon

  In 1896, Maria E Ward published a comprehensive instruction manual aimed at women interested in cycling. Her book, Bicycling for Ladies, shown above, was one of many similar titles published in the cycle craze era. Ward’s liberated approach, however, … Continue reading →

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A Bicycle Built for Two: Tandems in History

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Sheila Hanlon

Kate and William’s Tandem The video above parodies Boris Johnson’s very fitting wedding present to newlyweds Kate Middleton and Prince William: a tandem bicycle. Their marital bicycle, a Barcley hire bike built for two, has a legacy rooted in application … Continue reading →

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Lady Cyclist Effigy at the Cambridge University Protest, 1897

Posted on April 16, 2011 by Sheila Hanlon

In 1897, a proposal was put before Cambridge University’s Senate to grant full degrees to female graduates. Male students responded with outrage. The image above shows the scene in the market square on the day of the debate. An effigy … Continue reading →

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