The installation of the new cycle and pedestrian route in Roath Recreation Ground last year certainly raised some criticisms.
What many however may not realise is that the Rec used to have cycle lane around it. Cycling was a popular a pastime at the turn of the 19th century. In a letter to the editor of the South Wales Echo in 1897 one reader was encouraging cycling in one direction only and that children should keep to the grass.
I recently came across some pictures in a book Cardiff Remembered by journalist Brian Lee of Welsh Champion trick cyclist Billy Brian taken at Roath Park Rec. I thought I’d have a look to see if he had any local connections and sure enough he did.
On 1st April 1904 it was announced that Billy Brian would be attempting to ride from Newport to the recently opened Moon & Stars Hotel, Roath and if successful be presented with a cup by C.F.Lee, (grandfather of Brian Lee the journalist previously mentioned I think).
The attempt was indeed successful and Billy was presented with the cup on April 4th 1904.
The Moon and Stars was on Cyfarthfa Street and was a temperance hotel i.e. only served non-alcoholic beverages. It had a short lifetime and closed after about a year. Mentions of the Moon and Stars in the press:
Some of Billy Brian’s other feats:
The above cutting refers to number of interesting aspects:-
Cycling backwards from Abergwynfi to Caerphilly, a distance of nearly 4½ miles in 13 minutes: I don’t understand this as Abergwynfi and Caerphilly are more than 20 miles apart by road so it looks like the time and distance are incorrect or the names towns?
He won first prize at the Sophia Gardens sports when the famous comedian, the late Dan Leno, presented him with the prize. Dan Leno died in Oct 1904 so the presentation must predate this.
He cycled backwards from Newport to Cardiff…….. : Already covered previously.
He also rode backwards up Leckwith Hill and “Tumble Down Dick”: I have never heard the Tumble referred to as Tumble Down Dick previously but it apparently comes from a story that it is where the stagecoach of Richard Cromwell (the son of Oliver Cromwell) struck a pothole with such a jolt that the impact threw him from his seat and out onto the road.
Brian gives exhibitions at local social functions, and is sometimes assisted by his nephews Charlie and Edward Brian, who are also very clever trick cyclists: I’ve researched the Brian family tree and one of Billy Brian’s nephews was Charles Phillip Brian b.1898, died in 1919 of pulmonary TB after serving in WWI and is buried in Cathays Cemetery. He is remembered on a memorial plaque thought to have been in Clifton Street Calvinistic Methodist chapel.
He is trained by F.G.Churchill of Cardiff and has been training for about five years: This looks to be Frederick George Churchill, a sign writer living in Treharris Street, Roath in 1911.
When Billy Brian’s son, also called Billy, was interviewed in 1997, aged 84, he recalled that the great German trick cyclist Bud Snyder, who was appearing at the Empire Theatre at the time, begged his father to join him in his act. But he turned him down, and stayed with Spillers and Bakers where he worked as a clerk for 40 years.
Among other places Billy Jnr recalled his father trick cycling was backwards around Roath Park Lake and up Thornhill. He said he continued trick cycling into his 50s and then took up the piano as he loved the idea of entertaining people.
Brian Family History
Billy Brian was born William O’Brien on 27 Aug 1881 at 11 Garth Street, Newtown, Cardiff. He was the youngest of seven children born to John O’Brien, a labourer, originally from Clonakilty, County Cork, Ireland and Margaret O’Brien nèe Whelan also originally from Ireland.
Billy’s mother died when he was less than a year old and his father never remarried. Billy it seems was bought up by his father and older siblings. By 1891 the family had moved to 118 Cyfarthfa Street, Roath. In 1901 the family were living at 25 Croft Street and by now William was working as a clerk in a flour mill.
The spelling of the family surname changed over the years, which wasn’t unusual at the time. In the 1901 census it had changed from O’Brien to O’Brian. Shortly afterwards it appears they dropped the ‘O’ and the whole family adopted the surname Brian.
Billy’s trick cycling exploits seem to have been around the years 1904-1908. In the summer of 1910 he married Florence Thomas, originally from Newport. At the time of the 1911 census Billy and Florence were living at 92 Glenroy Street, Roath. In 1915 they had a son, William Lionel Brian. At the time of the 1921 census they were still living at 92 Glenroy Street and Billy working as a flour milling clerk for Spillers Industry Ltd in Bute Street. By 1939 he had retired and was living at Heol Nest, Whitchurch. He died in Cardiff on 8 Feb 1951 aged 69.
Billy Brian is buried at Cathays Cemetery. After a bit of a search I managed to locate his grave (plot C2115) where the stonework is somewhat damaged but could still make out his name.
So next time you cycle or walk along the new cycle/pedestrian route on the Rec think of Billy and the awesome feats he achieved and that he practiced those skills here on Roath Recreation Ground.
Newspaper cuttings from Find My Past or Wales Newspapers Online.
Roath Local History Society 