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Godwin Tommy

postie

postie

Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Re: Brummie achievers

If your gonna put things in BRUMMIE ACHIEVERS, make sure that your facts are right first. Tommy Godwin was not a Brummie and if he DOES still live in Brum, then it must be in a Cemetery



Tommy remembered --- A plaque has been unveiled celebrating the record breaking cyclist from the Potteries, Tommy Godwin. Tommy set the world mileage endurance record for cycling in 1939 by cycling 75,065 miles in one year; and then went on to cycle 100,000 miles in 500 days. The record still stands today, 66 years on, and has since been declared too dangerous a record for others to attempt to break by Guiness Records officials. Edie Hemmings, 90, unveiled the plaque at Fenton Manor in Stoke on Trent. Her late husband George fought for 30 years to get recognition for Tommy. 14/03/05
 
Re: Brummie achievers

postie
          tommy godwin was born in the poteries, and moved to birmingham and opened a cycle shop in silver street kings heath,
          he is still alive and very active (do your home work) he is an ambassdor for sport, i have known tommy since i was a kid thats a long
          time, i hope tommy does not read your post that you think he is in a grave, he is one of the nicest people you would wish to
          meet.

                                                                             jake
 
Re: Brummie achievers

In that case I apologise for my missinformation regarding his demise, But he still aint a Brummie. FW Woolworth opened shops in Birmingham and he aint a Brummie either. ^-^
 
Re: Brummie achievers

Maybe there are two different ones that people are thinking of??? :)
 
Re: Brummie achievers

not tommy the cyclist cromwell unless i have been talking to a ghost, i will try and find the article in the paper, failing that i will get him to ,
get it anounced that he is still alive next time i see him
 
Re: Brummie achievers

The one Postie is talking about is....... See Link
 
Re: Brummie achievers

Jake have you read the link?
The Tommy Godwin your are on about is not the same chap at the start of this thread
If I remember right the one you are on about was asked to be an Ambassador for the Olympics
 
Re: Brummie achievers

The link clearly says Brummie Achievers, not Pottery Achievers O0
 
Re: Brummie achievers

the tommy godwin you say is dead if you do your home work you will find that tommy godwin was footballer
TOMMY GODWIN THE CYCLIST IS ALIVE AND WELL
check it out
 
Re: Brummie achievers

Tommy Godwin, was born in 1912. To help support his family, he took the position of delivery boy for a greengrocer's shop. With the job came a heavy iron bike, complete with metal basket. Tommy loved that bike and rode it like a demon on his daily round. The basket was hacked off and at the tender age of fourteen Tommy entered his first twenty-five mile time trial. He flew round in 65 minutes winning the race and setting a standard that would define the rest of his cycling career. 

Tommy grew quickly as a cyclist and was soon spotted. He left his amateur status at Potteries CC to join Rickmansworth Cycling Club as a professional rider. After more than two hundred road and time trial wins Tommy sought a new challenge and the year mileage record beckoned.

In 1937 the Australian Ossie Nicholson had regained his year record from Briton Walter Greaves by covering a verified annual mileage of 62,657.6 miles. At 5am on January 1st 1939 Tommy set out to bring the record back home. He wasn't alone in his attempt; two other British riders started that day, Edward Swann and Bernard Bennett. Swann crashed out after 939.6 miles, but Bennett fought it out with Tommy for the rest of the year.

The details that surround Tommy Godwin's record belittle the modern cyclist. His bike weighed well over 30lb. As war came he rode through blackouts, his lights taped to the merest of glows. He had none of the modern cycling comforts. Silk knickers were substituted for chamois inserts and Tommy maintained his strict vegetarian diet throughout.  For the first two months Tommy's mileage lagged 922 miles behind Nicholson's record-breaking schedule. Fighting back Tommy increased his daily average beyond 200 miles per day, and on Wednesday June 21st 1939 he completed a staggering 361 miles in eighteen hours, his longest ride of the record.

On October 26th 1939, Tommy rode into Trafalgar Square, having completed 62,658 miles, gaining the record with two months to spare. That wasn't enough. He rode on through the winter to complete an astounding 75,065 miles in the year. Still that was not enough; in May 1940 after five hundred days of riding he secured the 100,000 mile record as well. Tommy dismounted his bike and spent weeks learning how to walk again before going off to war.

Tommy returned in 1945, keen to race again as an amateur. However, despite a huge petition signed by hundreds of fellow cyclists, the cycling governing bodies ruled that having ridden as a professional he was forever barred from amateur status, Undeterred, Tommy focused his efforts on others. He became team trainer and mentor to the Stone Wheelers, instilling his own steely brand of enthusiasm and determination to riders old and young alike.



Tommy died aged 63, returning from a ride to Tutbury Castle with friends.
 
Re: Brummie achievers

Postie its solved see above   O0 both of ya have been talking about Two different People thinking its the same one
One Dead One Alive
 
Re: Brummie achievers

As far as I'm aware Ed Doolan is an Australian, and from what I've heard he's proud of the fact. Just because someone moves to Birmingham it don't make em a Brummie. If you move to London you aint a Cockney are you.
Like I've already said I aint knocking Tommy Godwin, I just want recognition for Graham Webb. I think you'll find we are all on the same side here, it's not a Tommy versus Graham issue. O0
 
Re: Brummie achievers

Exactly Nick, we don't know him but he's a British, World Champion, yet we all know Eddie the Eagle who is is a loser and a clown. :-\
 
Hi all,

Just to make sure I was on the phone to Tommy Godwin today. He's alive and well, turned 87 last week, and he is still living in Knowle. Gives regards to all, and he has bought tickets for the Ghent six day bike race next week but his driver has let him down, otherwise I would have taken him out for a pint of (Belgian) beer!

Graham.
 
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