Bert Harris

Infobox Cyclist
ridername = Bert Harris


fullname = Albert Walter Allen Harris
nickname = Bert
dateofbirth = 1873
dateofdeath = death date and age|1897|4|21|1873|0|0
country = ENG
GBR
height =
weight =
currentteam =
discipline = Track
role = Rider
ridertype = Sprinter
amateuryears = 1887-1893
amateurteams =
proyears = 1894-1897
proteams = London Polytechnic Cycle Club
majorwins = Professional Champion
updated = 7 December 2007

Albert "Bert" Walter Allen Harris (1873, Birmingham [ [http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=FreeBMDBirth%2c&rank=0&=%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c1%2c+%2c%2c%2c1%2c+%2c%2c%2c1%2c+%2c%2c%2c1%2c+%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c1%2c+%2c%2c&gsfn=Albert+Walter&gsln=Harris&sx=&gs1co=1%2cAll+Countries&gs1pl=1%2c+&year=&yearend=&sbo=0&sbor=&ufr=0&wp=4%3b_80000002%3b_80000003&srchb=r&prox=1&ti=5538&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&pcat=34&fh=5&recid=24714586&recoff=1+2+4 England & Wales BDM Index, Births: Albert Walter A Harris, Apr-May-Jun quarter 1873, Aston registration district, Volume: 6d Page: 331] "(Registraion required to view for free)"] - 21 April 1897 [ [http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=FreeBMDDeath%2c&rank=0&=%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c1%2c+%2c%2c%2c1%2c+%2c%2c%2c1%2c+%2c%2c%2c1%2c+%2c%2c%2c%2c%2c1%2c+%2c%2c&gsfn=Albert+Walter&gsln=Harris&sx=&gs1co=1%2cAll+Countries&gs1pl=1%2c+&year=&yearend=&sbo=0&sbor=&ufr=0&wp=4%3b_80000002%3b_80000003&srchb=r&prox=1&ti=5538&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&pcat=34&fh=0&recid=15346025&recoff=1+2+4 England & Wales BDM Index, Deaths: Albert Walter A Harris, Apr-May-Jun quarter 1897, Aged 24, Birmingham registration district, Volume: 6d Page: 65] "(Registraion required to view for free)"] , Birmingham General Hospital) was a professional racing cyclist. He was raised in Leicester and attended Holy Trinity School. He started cycling competitivley at the age of 14 and came second in the 'Infirmary Sports' at Aylestone Road Sports Ground (now the Grace Road Cricket Ground) two years later. [http://uk.geocities.com/welford_road_cemetery/wrc-h.htm Transcript of memorial, photographs and brief biography] ]

Biography

Harris gained his first major win at Bristol in 1889, completing the Five Mile race in 18 minutes and 25 seconds. Harris lived with his father, Walter James Harris, at 4 Portsmouth Road, Leicester and there is documentary evidence of this still held ny the family. This address is also on his death certificate and coroners report.> Harris broke the records for the mile and three-quarter mile events in 1893 before turning professional in 1894 and joined the London Polytechnic Cycle Club. Bert was coached by Sam Mussabini to his first professional cycling championship victory in 1894. During a race in Cardiff in April 1895, he came off his bicycle and was knocked unconscious for 48 hours. However, by September he was well enough to break the English professional record at Herne Hill Velodrome, completing the half-mile in 57.3 seconds and the mile in 118.3 seconds.

Bert competed alongside the big names in cycling in the Antipodes in 1895 and 1896, receiving £400 for winning one race alone. On average he earned £15 a week. He was so successful that people began to refer to 1896 as "Harris Year". [http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/eastmidlands/series11/week2_bert_harris.shtml BBC Inside Out, East Midlands] ]

Berts last event was a ten mile race on Easter Monday in 1897, about four miles into the race he came off his bicycle and struck his head on the hard surface. He died two days later without recovering consciousness.

Harris' remembrance

A memorial erceted at Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester is evidence of popularity:

"This memorial stone is erected by the cyclists of England
in token of the sincere respect
and esteem in
which he was held by wheelmen
the world over.
He was ever a fair and honourable rider
and sportsman and his lamented death cut
off in its prime one of the brightest and
most genial spirits of cycledom.
He fell on the racing path at Aston on
Easter Monday 1897 and succumbed to
his injuries at the General Hospital
Birmingham April 21st 1897 aged 24 years." **

**This is a mistake he was just 23 years of age.

Dick Swann wrote a book entitled "Bert Harris of the Poly: A Cycling Legend" which was published by V Harvey in January 1974. ISBN 9780855440107

Roger Lovell, a Leicester businessman is hoping to raise £30,000 in order to erect a public statue to commemorate Harris. [ [http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=132384&command=displayContent&sourceNode=251965&contentPK=18758815&folderPk=115947&pNodeId=252168 TRIBUTE TO A SPORTING HERO, Alison Curtis, thisisleicestershire.co.uk] ] Lovell also approached the BBC to film a drama documentary, which was subsequently made by Victorian reconstructionists on loncation in Leicester. In a bizzare coincidence, the actor who played Bert turned out to be his descendant.

References