Hamilton’s penny-farthing stoush

READERS who were here in Greater Hamilton in the late 1950s and 60s may remember the carnivals of the time, like the big Yulunga week and smaller community festivals around the district.

Popular entries in parades were decorated and special bicycles.

One was a five-seat tandem bike, presently being restored by Hamilton Men’s Shed (pictured).

Another was a penny-farthing, often ridden by Kevin Thomas; ownership of which was disputed. 

The machine used to be stored in the Mechanics Institute.

At one time the president of the Institute, in a rash moment, donated the bike to a visitor representing a museum in NSW.

Police were notified and before the caller had left town the bicycle was “arrested” and locked up in a police cell.

Then, on and off, followed years of claim and counterclaim about proprietorship and who had the authority to allow use.

The sometimes bitter dispute about control of the “deadly treadly” reached an apex in the 1980s.

Archive papers held by the Spec show a series of accusations between then city council town clerk, Russell Worland, council development officer, Kevin Thomas, and Hamilton history centre - as follows…              

September 7, 1988 – Historical Society secretary Keith Walter to Council: During 1958, this society received a penny-farthing bicycle for its museum, from a local businessman.

In 1968, our committee of the day loaned it to the City Council for a festive occasion, probably a Yulunga Festival.

It has never been returned, Mr Kevin Thomas (your promotions officer, and a councillor at that time) has ridden it all over the country including Adelaide, SA, until he smashed it up.

Repeated requests to the Town Hall, by our former secretary, the late Mr Len Huf, fell on deaf ears.

However, in June 1980, we wrote to the Town Clerk requesting that they return our bicycle, and to date we still haven’t got it.

My committee now requests ‘that the machine be returned immediately, in its original condition’ or alternatively council pay our society $5000 for it.

October 19, 1988 - Thomas to Worland:

Having been a resident of Hamilton all my life and maintaining an interest in cycling since a student at the Gray Street State School, I used to observe the penny-farthing under discussion and another at the (old) Mechanics Institute in Gray Street.

My interest in cycling and particularly in the penny-farthing, is the very reason this machine is still in Hamilton and undergoing restoration.

The facts – As a member of the Hamilton Cycling Club I first rode the penny-farthing following a challenge between two prominent citizens of the day, and late Mr Tom Goodall, a painter, who was president of the Cycling Club, (I was secretary for many years), and the late Mr Harry Cuttler, a publican.

The reason for the particular challenge was to raise funds to build a house for Hamilton’s war hero and Victoria Cross winner, Mr Ted Kenna.

Following the series of carnivals, the machine was returned to the Mechanics Institute.

Upon request from various groups and organisations, both within Hamilton and away, I used to collect the machine and ride for the entertainment of the crowd or, in the case of the annual Hamilton Base Hospital Appeal, ride around the streets of Hamilton and to the various schools to publicise the appeal – due to the generosity of my employer, J. R. Slorach Autos - each Friday afternoon.

I would perform this task and the penny-farthing would be stored at Slorach’s during the week.

During the late 1940s into the 50s the machine would be either in my possession or at the Mechanics Institute.

In the 1950s, there was a change in the role of the Mechanics Institute and most of the museum’s collection, sadly, was relocated to make way for the establishment of the Glenelg Library.

Some items, including the penny-farthing, were to go to the City of Hamilton Art Gallery, and I was advised that this was not an appropriate location for a machine of this nature.

• * *

ABOUT this time, the penny-farthing was being used quite a lot at various cycling carnivals (each summer there used to be 25 to 30 carnivals in this district), and several of the club members learnt to ride the machine as I had made up several novelty bikes to race against the penny-farthing and add variety to the programs.

One member in particular, Mr John Brabham, became quite adept at riding the penny-farthing and as he lived with his grandparents, who had considerable shed space, the machine was often stored at his property, Mt Baimbridge Road, or at my home location in King Street.

A person (name not remembered) came down from New South Wales in pursuit of a penny-farthing for a “transport museum” he supposedly intended to establish in that state.

He had been advised of a machine of that nature in Hamilton and made contact with (then) remaining members of the old Mechanics Institute Committee.

Unbeknown to me, this person approached Miss Stella Bayley, who had been an officer to the committee and Mr Norm Mallinson, as surviving officials of the Mechanics Institute, and obtained a handwritten authority to have possession of the penny-farthing for use in his proposed museum on condition it be loaned back to Hamilton, if and when needed. (Both Miss Bayley and Mr Mallinson are now deceased.)

Armed with that “letter of authority”, the person then approached Mr John Brabham to take possession of the machine.

This happened early in the morning and John had the presence of mind at lunch time to approach me at the service station at the corner of Lonsdale and Thompson Streets, where I was employed.

I advised John not to hand the machine over and contacted the then Town Clerk, Mr H. F. Donald, and outlined my concern for the future of the penny-farthing.

• * *

ON the return from lunch of my fellow employee, approximately 1.15pm, I went to the Hamilton College where Mr Mallinson, a painter by trade, was working and discussed the “letter of authority” signed by him and my concern for the future of the Penny-Farthing – and suggested as the Mechanics Institute no longer existed as a committee, he had no authority to sign over an item that had become synonymous with Hamilton and the cycling community.

Mr Mallinson said he felt the future of the penny-farthing would be okay in a museum and the person who wanted the machine had indicated it could be returned to Hamilton for special occasions.

Mr Mallinson also agreed, on reflection, perhaps it was not in the best interest to allow the machine to leave the district.

At this time, matters were moving fast. Mr Donald was hastily arranging a meeting of councillors.

Mr John Brabham was trying to persuade the person not to take the penny-farthing until he spoke to me - and John’s grandfather felt the “letter of authority” was sufficient for the machine to go and finally, the penny-farthing was placed on top of the person’s station wagon.

On my observing the near removal from the city of this treasured machine, I approached a local policeman, Mr Les Anderson (now Senior Constable at Cavendish), and advised that the machine was loaded and ready to leave.

Discussion between the town clerk and a Sergeant at the Hamilton Police Station, Mr Ellis McDonald (now retired), was also going favourably.

The penny-farthing was “arrested” and placed in the cell at the Hamilton Police Station pending a meeting of the council to decide the “validity” of the actions that had occurred.

• * *

ARRANGEMENTS were made for a meeting of representatives of council and the person seeking the penny-farthing to meet with Sergeant McDonald at 10am on the next day.

At the meeting of councillors at approximately 6pm, it was decided that the penny-farthing should remain in Hamilton and in my care.

At the 10am meeting on the following day, this information was conveyed to the “near owner” of the penny-farthing and his wry comment is well remembered: “It was a good try – if I had got it over the border, it would have been hard to get back!”

The penny-farthing is still in my care, although presently and slowly undergoing renovation.

There is absolutely no doubt that the City of Hamilton is the possessor of a machine known as a penny-farthing and it is coloured blue and white.

The machine is dismantled, but certainly not “smashed up”.

The machine will be continually cared for by myself and returned to the City Council when restored.

It should be noted that no money has been made available for the restoration of the penny-farthing and an offer by students of the Hamilton Technical School to renovate the machine was accepted.

The major delay to complete the restoration is caused by an inability to obtain spokes for the large wheel.

Unfortunately, penny-farthing spokes are very rare as are the persons able to respoke those wheels.

December 5, 1988. Council meeting minutes. The council has resolved as follows –

(a) The penny-farthing belongs to the City of Hamilton;

(b) The penny-farthing should be restored as soon as possible and put on public display;

(c) The city should meet the costs of restoration;

(e) The penny-farthing should be displayed mainly at the Mechanics

Institute and be available for city promotion purposes.

FOOTNOTE: According to Kevin Thomas some years before his death the penny-farthing was still in the care of the Hamilton Cycling Club, with a club member overseeing final restoration.

So, who owns the bike today?

Doubt it was listed on the asset register when Hamilton City transferred property to the Shire of Southern Grampians.

Has it been fully restored?

Where is it?

And is anyone today really interested in continuing the fight for possession.  

- Richard Beks

Captions…

KEVIN Thomas, during his fund-raising days, shows the famous

penny farthing to former Hamilton City mayor (1965-67) Frances Hewett.

WORKING on the five-seaters are (from left): James McCallum, Ian Phillips, Jeff Lamond, Phil Baker, Ian McLean.