Angela Mills-Bannon
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genkigalcycling.bsky.social
Angela Mills-Bannon
@genkigalcycling.bsky.social
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A blog of my Great Uncle, Bill Mills- one of the most influential cyclists and sports journalists you’ve never heard of. He pushed British cycling to be part of the TdF. He was “a man who dared to dream of yellow before Britain believed it was possible”
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Reposted by Angela Mills-Bannon
coolbikeart1.bsky.social
Hellesens bicycle lights
ca. 1930
Advertising poster featuring an illustration of a woman standing next to a bicycle. She's shining a bright bicycle lamp onto her face.
December 17, 2025 at 6:58 PM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
This is a book I’m looking forward to reading
garethcartman.bsky.social Gareth Cartman @garethcartman.bsky.social · 18d
I'm just showing off, but MY BOOK IS OUT NEXT MARCH DOESN'T IT LOOK NICE
December 17, 2025 at 7:21 PM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
If Great Uncle Bill Mills had been alive today he would’ve been anti-Brexit (thank god) - a topic that still splits families up over Xmas dinner! This article reflects how his paper ‘The Bicycle’ had a direct impact on the growth of continental cycling and increasing 🇫🇷 bike sales in 🇬🇧 1930s
French industry, with leading-edge gear changes, has dethroned English industry on its home ground, but will the French benefit? London, November……
December 17, 2025 at 6:28 PM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
A TALL, burly Anglo-American walked into the National Cyclists’ Union (NCU) offices one day in 1934 and said “I’m Bill Spencer and I want to run a 6 days race” (it seems everyone was called Bill in those days).
December 14, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Reposted by Angela Mills-Bannon
coolbikeart1.bsky.social
"12th December 1935: Schoolchildren at Chew Magna Council School, Somerset (UK), with bicycles that they have been given as they live too far away from their school to walk."
Photo featuring the front of a bicycle in the foreground, with a person's leg visible on the pedal. The bicycle wheel acts as a frame for two girls walking with bikes farther back. In the background are buildings made of stone.
December 12, 2025 at 4:28 PM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
Forget about pro-cyclists towing planes - I want a chimp that pumps up my tyres! Story from 1937 in The Bicycle - Ann and the Chimp and a specially made miniature tandem by Claud Butler!
The crew turns to and lends a hand at the pump - a popular feature in the " Sunday Graphic" Is a page of pictures dealing with the adventures of "Ann and the Chimp," Recent exploit was a tandem ride on a miniature tandem specially built by Claud Butler
December 10, 2025 at 3:49 PM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
It all began on a sunny afternoon in August 1932 in Rome - 2 men dreaming about how to improve British chances in ‘continental’ cycle racing - both of them having just crashed out of the World Championships racing for GB.
December 5, 2025 at 2:37 PM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
I have a lead on Bill that I really need some help on. This 1936 article from Cotton Factory Times reports the first all-cycling film presented by Bill and Bill Bailey. It includes the Wembley Six, 1936 TdF and the Olympics. Desperate to find out if this film is in archive somewhere. Ideas?
And since we are talking about cycling sport, social contacts, and general unity, I feel that I must take this opportunity of urging my readers to see the frst all-cycling him pro gramme which has ever been shown. The film is presented by " The Bicycle, and Editor W. J. Mills and Mr. M. J. (*Bil") Bailey provide a running commentary on the many exciting incidents of the "Six." the Tour de France, and the Olympic Games which are contained in the film. The Alm had its arst public showing at the Crystal Palace, but it is hoped that Lancashire cyclists will all have an early chance of seeing what I think is a unique, pictorial record of the 1936 season of cycling sport. I shall, however give readers fuller details of dates and times of showing of "The Bicycle" fim as soon as it is possible.
November 29, 2025 at 11:41 AM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
Onto the 1955 #tdf the Veteran Cycling Club sent me this little gem of a Hercules brochure written by Bill himself
Then repeat it, ten, twenty, thirty times. The slightest mishap and you'd be over. With luck, on to the road. Otherwise ... straight over the unprotected edge into the ravine. Repeat all that over again ... an agonising climb up Cayolle, 7,600 feet up, and a terrific thunderstorm and inches of rain flooding the road on the descent to make it even more of a death trap. Why, from one group of twenty who crossed the summit of Cayoile together, only five reached the valley without a spill! Up again, over the Vasson pass... over 5,500 feet up... and down again, through the Var valley to the sea at Nice. One more climb, over the tortuous La Turbie... only 1,600 feet, but terribly tricky, and so to the stage-end on the sun-lit shores of the Mediterranean at Monte Carlo. At the finish, hardly a rider did not show scars and abrasions of the many tumbles in the mountain descents. What sort of man is he who can survive this, day after day? And what sort of a bicycle can stand up to this? For without one hundred per cent. confidence in his bicycle and every piece of equipment on it, no rider could take those death-rimmed descents at the speed necessary to stay in the racc. The race is over. The honours won. The British riders have survived their apprenticeship in the hardest school of all ... the Tour de France In 1955 ... only two finished, 29th and 69th. Behind them from the 61 who quit the race, were world's champions, previous Tour de France winners, Tour of Italy winners, national champions ... some of the cream of Europe had dropped out. Just to finish the Tour is honour indeed. A triumph for the two gallant British boys, Brian Robinson and Tony Hoar, and an equal triumph for the technicians in Birmingham who design and make the Hercules bicycles which carried them through, and whose skill is behind every Hercules bicycle sold in Britain and in 135 Countries of the World. By BILL MILLS Famous Newspaper Reporter and British Broadcaster (who broadcast the Tour for BBC)
November 26, 2025 at 6:15 PM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
This afternoon me and my Dad opened the last bound copy of The Bicycle that we have - it’s been sealed in brown paper with (we think) Bill’s writing on it. We’ve been immersed in the pages of July-December 1937. And what a year of cycling this was!
November 23, 2025 at 5:28 PM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
This was an easy Google research find but so far, one of my favourite stories about Bill hosting the #Olympiccycling team in his house for the 1948 Games from the www.sportsjournalists.co.uk/sja-news/sja...
November 22, 2025 at 9:30 AM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
In my amateur status as a cycling historian I keep disappearing down rabbit holes - so I’ve gone back to the source of Bill’s writing- The Bicycle and found a photograph of him in action as a journalist, 1939. A photo with #cyclingweekly so you can see the size of this historic magazine #cycling
November 21, 2025 at 9:34 AM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
I’m just discovering how influential Bill Mills really was in sending a British team to the #tdf writing in October 1950 in World Sports he says the “organisers of the tour are willing to take a British team…subject to my guarantee…that they are of sufficient standard”..
Make no mistake, the entry of a British team in the Tour would be the biggest cycling story of the year. Can it be done? Much remains to be settled, but I can tell you this .. the organisers of the Tour are willing to take a British team of five riders, subject to my guarantee, as World Sports' cycling correspondent, that they are of sufficient standard to justify an entry. Several British manufacturers of cycles and components have agreed to sponsor the team and supply the vast amount of material needed to carry a team through. But what is even more important, the French Press syndicate interested in securing the entry of a British team has offered to put the team through a three months' intensive training and racing course, in France. Well, with Harris and Patterson continuing their successes on the track, and Lander leading a British-Australian team on the road, who would dare say that the Empire is lagging behind in cycling?
November 20, 2025 at 7:02 PM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
And then in other news - I attended an evening with Cure Leukaemia hosted by @nedboulting.bsky.social - I so wanted to talk to Ned about my Great Uncle Bill Mills and his cycling newspaper The Bicycle - but missed the opportunity!
November 18, 2025 at 8:54 PM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
And this is where his dream began as reported in the Daily Herald early 1932
#tourdefrance
Cyclists to "Go Over" Will there be a general move by English racing cyclists towards professionalism in 1932? Several of them have been on the brink for some time, and one. W. J. Mills, has just completed his arrangements and crosses over to Paris early next month. Mills, a Brighton rider, who has been among the leading road racers here, will be under the charge of the famous record-breaker, Oscar Egg, now a Paris cycle dealer, and will compete in the big professional races from Paris to Roubaix, Paris to Tours, and finally in the Tour de France race that lasts a month and covers 3.500 miles. Good Reputation If Mills makes good it will certainly set a number of other fast road riders thinking hard-particularly those who are not in remunerative work. English roadmen have a good reputation abroad, and they might not find it dimeult to get modest engagements for a start. The track men have a harder task to get bookings. otherwise Grant and Sanders. name only two, might have been professionals by now. All eyes are on the one English pro- fessional sprinter. Cozens, who is still in London nursing a wounded shoulder that is proving troublesome.
November 18, 2025 at 8:45 PM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
The winter research continues- what I love about Bill is that when his dream to be the first British rider to complete the #tourdefrance ended in 1932 - he kept that dream alive for others to follow. Writing in World Sports in July 1950 - he was still dreaming..
All told, the Tour is an amazing experience. Is there an English rider capable of surviving it? Charlie Holland and Bill Burl carried the Union Jack in the 1937 race, but Burl had to quit after two days, with broken ribs sustained in a crash, and Holland, riding without team support, struggled pluckily on to Marseilles (over half-way), before he too quit. Since then we have had no riders in the race—but there is a warm welcome waiting for a British team, Godet assures me.
November 18, 2025 at 8:39 PM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
Winter nights have taken me off my bike back into researching more about my Great Uncle, Bill Mills. Discovering more about his early racing career- he was a good cyclist - but not great. However - he did break a cycling record in June 1927!
Mr. W. J. Mills, who resides in White Horse-yard, and is employed by Mr. Wells, at Chantry, was a conspicuous figure at the meeting of the Sussex County Amateur Athletic Association in Preston Park on Wednesday. Before the commencement of the pro-gramme Mr. Mills, who is a member of the Brighton Stanley Cycling Club, made an attempt to beat the hour record of the Preston Park Track. Success attended his efforts, for he covered 22 miles 1,692 yards in the prescribed time, thus deleating-by 75 yards George Charman's record, 22 miles 1,627 yards.
November 14, 2025 at 9:13 AM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
Bill was cycling correspondent for the News Chronicle (Daily News London) - lots more about Beryl across the years she was racing. Granted not massive articles but she was definitely being acknowledged and appreciated - especially by those in the know..
genkigalcycling.bsky.social Angela Mills-Bannon @genkigalcycling.bsky.social · Nov 1
Currently reading ‘Beryl’ by Jeremy Wilson - I was intrigued by his commentary that Beryl got little press coverage because she is just the kind of cyclist that I imagined my Great Uncle Bill would have been keen to follow and report on - sure enough I found these little gems of articles
Whirlwind Start by Beryl - The Cycling Housewife from Bill Mills Britain's Beryl Burton has shattered the morale of women competitors barely before the World Cycling championships have started. In the fine Alfred Rosch stadium here she romped through the 3,000 metres qualifying rounds in Smin. 12.9вec. - the fastest by 7.7a06. It also beat her own 3,000m. championship reoord-set last year—by 6.5 seoonds. Third record bid by Beryl Burton is to make a third attempt on the women world one-hour cycling record in Milan at the end of this month-without Reg Harris as an advisor writes BILL MILLS. "My husband and I did not see eve to eye with him on various technical matters, such as the lap by-lap schedule, weight of tyres. even the number of spokes in the specially tuned-up wheels." Beryl told me. Mother shocks favourite by Bill Mills 21-year-Old Leeds housewife who has a two-year-old daughter, was a surprise winner of the British women's 23 miles road cycling championship held in Surrey and Sussex yesterday. She romped home in 1hr. 3min. S1sec a record time, to beat Millie Robinson, who has won the title for the last three years, and started favourite this time. About the only person who was not surprised was Millie Robin-son, who finished 17 seconds after the winner *1 did my best." she said. " but Beryl has been improving rapidly this year, and deserved her victory. Beryl gains glorious treble by Bill Mills the 23-year-old stocky blonde housewife from Leeds yesterday completed a glorious treble. She clinched, the women's national 50-mile road time trial championship for the third successive year with a starting time of 3hr 5 mins 45secs slashing 53s of her own record. In rain, Mrs. Burton led from - the start, being ahead at quarter distance, 3 mins 25 secs, at half and 4 mins at threequarter. Last year she scooped the women's championships pool winning the 25, 50 and 100 miles. This year she has won the 25, 50. The 100 has still to come. Soaked, but still smiling Mrs.Burton, our big hope for the world's championships in East Germany next month, said modestly of her performance: "Very pleased."
November 1, 2025 at 5:42 PM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
Currently reading ‘Beryl’ by Jeremy Wilson - I was intrigued by his commentary that Beryl got little press coverage because she is just the kind of cyclist that I imagined my Great Uncle Bill would have been keen to follow and report on - sure enough I found these little gems of articles
Whirlwind Start by Beryl - The Cycling Housewife from Bill Mills Britain's Beryl Burton has shattered the morale of women competitors barely before the World Cycling championships have started. In the fine Alfred Rosch stadium here she romped through the 3,000 metres qualifying rounds in Smin. 12.9вec. - the fastest by 7.7a06. It also beat her own 3,000m. championship reoord-set last year—by 6.5 seoonds. Third record bid by Beryl Burton is to make a third attempt on the women world one-hour cycling record in Milan at the end of this month-without Reg Harris as an advisor writes BILL MILLS. "My husband and I did not see eve to eye with him on various technical matters, such as the lap by-lap schedule, weight of tyres. even the number of spokes in the specially tuned-up wheels." Beryl told me. Mother shocks favourite by Bill Mills 21-year-Old Leeds housewife who has a two-year-old daughter, was a surprise winner of the British women's 23 miles road cycling championship held in Surrey and Sussex yesterday. She romped home in 1hr. 3min. S1sec a record time, to beat Millie Robinson, who has won the title for the last three years, and started favourite this time. About the only person who was not surprised was Millie Robin-son, who finished 17 seconds after the winner *1 did my best." she said. " but Beryl has been improving rapidly this year, and deserved her victory. Beryl gains glorious treble by Bill Mills the 23-year-old stocky blonde housewife from Leeds yesterday completed a glorious treble. She clinched, the women's national 50-mile road time trial championship for the third successive year with a starting time of 3hr 5 mins 45secs slashing 53s of her own record. In rain, Mrs. Burton led from - the start, being ahead at quarter distance, 3 mins 25 secs, at half and 4 mins at threequarter. Last year she scooped the women's championships pool winning the 25, 50 and 100 miles. This year she has won the 25, 50. The 100 has still to come. Soaked, but still smiling Mrs.Burton, our big hope for the world's championships in East Germany next month, said modestly of her performance: "Very pleased."
November 1, 2025 at 5:39 PM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
This was a bit of a whirlwind - so grateful to @cycologies.com for this article and delving into family history that we didn’t know about!! I hope to one day I have time to find out more about Bill
cycologies.com Feargal McKay @cycologies.com · Oct 24
Nine months ago I received an email that sent me down a rabbit hole and ended up as an article in @cyclingweekly.com.

That story is now available online.

Below, Bill Mill's great-niece @genkigalcycling.bsky.social models the copy of the Comic it appeared in.
October 24, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Reposted by Angela Mills-Bannon
cycologies.com
Nine months ago I received an email that sent me down a rabbit hole and ended up as an article in @cyclingweekly.com.

That story is now available online.

Below, Bill Mill's great-niece @genkigalcycling.bsky.social models the copy of the Comic it appeared in.
Bill Mill's great-niece Angela models a copy of the Comic in between training sessions for his (successful) attempt to ride the full route of the TdFF 2025.
October 24, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Reposted by Angela Mills-Bannon
cycologies.com
Rules about starting and finishing with the same equipment. Lead seals - a small piece of wire with a stamped bit - were attached to mark the components. Dates back to 1890s.
Explanation of stamping system.
June 26, 2025 at 8:44 AM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
As excitement builds for the 2025 men’s #TdF here’s a snapshot of the 1939 tour which was the last one before 2nd WW. One for you @cycologies.com - why were the bicycles sealed?
The day before the start. the busy scene in the court-yard of "L'Auto" offices, when the bicycles were sealed.Note the battery of lights for the film unit
June 26, 2025 at 8:36 AM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
And I finally got my copy of Cycling Weekly with @cycologies.com article about Bill Mills. It was sold out in local shops and took a trip up north to get one!
June 4, 2025 at 4:39 PM
genkigalcycling.bsky.social
Some Bank holiday reading and there’s definitely no AI in this article about my Great Uncle written by @cycologies.com
cycologies.com Feargal McKay @cycologies.com · May 22
If you're in the vicinity of a copy of @cyclingweekly.com in the next few days, I've got a couple or four pages on the marvellous Bill Mills in it.
Cycling Weekly, cover of current issue Clipping from headline of article: The forgotten Godfather of British Road Racing B+W photo of Bill Mills
May 24, 2025 at 6:04 AM