Sporting Plaques Ride.

I’ve missed live sport - and not just football! To help fill the gap I chose Sporting Blue Plaques for my next themed ride - in lieu of Wednesday Wayfarers.

My route was around 35 miles - looking for houses where famous sportswomen and sportsmen lived. Eight were chosen. My route took me to Clapham Common, across Albert Bridge to Chelsea and Kensington, then west to Hammersmith and Ealing, south to Chiswick, across the River again at Mortlake, and on to Wimbledon. An elongated circular route.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/32761078

First-up was Ted ‘Kid’ Lewis. One of Britain’s greatest boxers, he won numerous world titles between 1913 and 1929. Later he became a Hollywood celebrity - Charlie Chaplin was godfather to his son. Befriended by the notorious Kray twins in the ‘60’s, he is commemorated by a Plaque where he lived-out his life in Nightingale House, Clapham.

Ted 'Kid' Lewis

Nearby lived Sir Jack Hobbs, cricketer. He played for Surrey from 1905 to 1934, and was regarded as the best batsman in the world. He could walk from his house, at the southern corner of Clapham Common, where he lived for 15 years, to the Oval.

17 Englewood Rd. - home to Jack Hobbs.

Sir Jack Hobbs 

Another cricketer, West Indian, Sir Learie Constantine, became Britain’s first black peer in 1969. His house in Lexington Gardens, Earls Court, was the childhood home of Leonard Woolf - who cropped-up in my last ‘Plaques’ blog.

Learie Constantine - photo from 1932

Next on my cycle route was the first of three tennis players - Fred Perry. (With no Wimbledon this year they deserve top billing!). Until Andy Murray won the US Open in 2012 and Wimbledon the following year, Perry was the most successful male tennis player, winning Wimbledon 3 times, as well as 5 other Grand Slams in the 30's. He lived in Pitshanger Lane, handy for his city commute from Ealing Broadway. Cycling hipsters, and a young Bradley Wiggins, wear Fred Perry polo shirts inspired by cycling jerseys! https://www.cyclist.co.uk/news/8073/fred-perry-has-a-new-collection-of-polo-shirts-inspired-by-cycling-jerseys

Fred Perry's house, Bentham Garden Estate, Ealing.

Fred Perry - creator of a famous sports brand!

55 York Ave, East Sheen - home to Kathleen Godfree.

Dorothea Lambert Chambers, tennis player, was born and lived just off the North Circular in Ealing. Eclipsing Perry, she won Wimbledon seven times, between 1903 and 1914, putting her only marginally behind Martina Navratilova on titles won.

Kathleen Godfree, another famous tennis player, lived in East Sheen for 50 years. Winner of 5 Olympic tennis medals - this was only recently equalled  by Venus Williams. In later life she was reported to be a familiar figure riding her bike around the local area.

Kathleen Godfree - winning Wimbledon  in 1923.

A champion rower, Jack Beresford, lived near the Thames at Chiswick. His record of five Olympic medals between 1920 and 1936, was only bettered by Sir Steve Redgrave in 2000. He was presented to Hitler after winning his race in the 1936 Olympics.

Jack Beresford - Olympian rower.

The speed-kings, Sir Malcolm Campbell and his son Donald lived on Kingston Hill in the early 1920's. They set 10 speed records on land and 11 on water.

The easing of lockdown resulted in noticeably more vehicles on the road during my ride - London awakes!