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Graham Webb
- Thread starter postie
- Start date
robert mcgowan
proper brummie kid
graham , hope you get your place on broad street soon ,you have earned it , after all we ex balsallheathens havent got many world champions , there is a vc, a wrestler, cricketer and football player, boxers , but cannot think of another world champ having done a certain amount of cycling do realise the commitment you need , good luck rwm.
M
Mossy
Guest
I Found this on famous people of Birmingham along side the likes of Baskervile Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Graham Paul Webb
Graham Webb was a British racing cyclist who won the world amateur road race championship in 1967.
Graham was brought up at 58 Leamington Road, Sparkbrook, and later moved into 2/66 Leamington Road. There is nothing left now of the houses and a school (Nelson Mandela) has since been built.
Graham started riding the bike at the age of 8 - in Graham's words " I was born (13 January 1944) and bred in a back street slum of Birmingham. My mother was left a war widow with 5 children, three boys and two girls, I was the youngest. I was constantly very very ill and was given the last rites twice as a child, but I'm a fighter and survived. At the age of eight I learnt to ride a bike and managed to buy one for 9 pence, this was my saviour. I was never out of the saddle as I felt that I was born for cycling and that it helped me get stronger and stronger every day."
Graham's First Race
When he entered his first race at 16, a 25-mile solo ride against the clock, he turned up unaware of what he was supposed to do. Both shy and not understanding why competitors were starting separately instead of together, he waited until someone called him. When someone did, he was late for his time slot and the extra time was added as a penalty.
"I'd got a T-shirt and a pair of cut-off jeans and some tennis pumps," he said. "I was watching them get into this racing gear and eventually I got fed up with all these blokes changing and I thought 'When's this race going to start?' It should have started at six o'clock and these blokes were still getting changed. I didn't know it was every minute a bloke off!"
The Race Begins
In 1963 he rode the World Team Time Trial in Belgium, 3 years later was National Pursuit Champion and finished 9th in the World Championships in Germany.
The year after, 1967 is the year everyone remembers and after racing the usual Easter Track meets without any training (he worked 16-hour days in the winter to get the finances to race abroad) he moved to Holland. After racing in the World pursuit that year he rode that eventful Road Race, the same day that Beryl Burton won her Road Race title - 2 World Road Champions in the same day for Britain!
After a winter season including a win in the Ghent Amateur six day he turned pro for Mercier but after health problems had to retire the year after. He did not touch the bike for over 16 years and when he did return started winning again and in 1988 and 1989 won four Belgian 'Open' track championships, twice Madison, once sprint champion and once Omnium champion, and was East Flemish road champion.
The Last British Amateur Champion
Replying to a journalist's shouted comment that the last British amateur world road champion had been Dave Marsh 45 years earlier, Webb retorted: "And they'll have to wait another 45 years before another British rider wins." (Interview, Procycling March 2007). His prediction came true and will now remain true because not only did no British man win a world road race championship in the following 45 years but none will now win the amateur championship because rules separating amateurs from professionals have been scrapped.
Graham leads an enjoyable life now in Belgium, involved in the Flemish School of Cycling where his two grandsons train, he has been decorated twice by the Belgian King and is feted wherever he goes but feels a little upset that his home country has not recognised his achievements.
The photo below shows the two silver medals Graham received at the World Masters Championships, Manchester 2004. Graham says that this is most likely his last sporting feat as in 2005 his aorta split open while he was training for the 2005 Masters Olympics in Canada.
Links
www.crazyaboutbelgium.co.uk/riderblog/webb-blog.htm
www.beaconrcc.org.uk/open_races/lmtt/archive/gpw1963_article.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Webb
Watch a short video featuring footage of Graham cycling:
https://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=FA7YLJSaMaE
Mossy
Graham Paul Webb
Graham Webb was a British racing cyclist who won the world amateur road race championship in 1967.
Graham was brought up at 58 Leamington Road, Sparkbrook, and later moved into 2/66 Leamington Road. There is nothing left now of the houses and a school (Nelson Mandela) has since been built.
Graham started riding the bike at the age of 8 - in Graham's words " I was born (13 January 1944) and bred in a back street slum of Birmingham. My mother was left a war widow with 5 children, three boys and two girls, I was the youngest. I was constantly very very ill and was given the last rites twice as a child, but I'm a fighter and survived. At the age of eight I learnt to ride a bike and managed to buy one for 9 pence, this was my saviour. I was never out of the saddle as I felt that I was born for cycling and that it helped me get stronger and stronger every day."
Graham's First Race
When he entered his first race at 16, a 25-mile solo ride against the clock, he turned up unaware of what he was supposed to do. Both shy and not understanding why competitors were starting separately instead of together, he waited until someone called him. When someone did, he was late for his time slot and the extra time was added as a penalty.
"I'd got a T-shirt and a pair of cut-off jeans and some tennis pumps," he said. "I was watching them get into this racing gear and eventually I got fed up with all these blokes changing and I thought 'When's this race going to start?' It should have started at six o'clock and these blokes were still getting changed. I didn't know it was every minute a bloke off!"
The Race Begins
In 1963 he rode the World Team Time Trial in Belgium, 3 years later was National Pursuit Champion and finished 9th in the World Championships in Germany.
The year after, 1967 is the year everyone remembers and after racing the usual Easter Track meets without any training (he worked 16-hour days in the winter to get the finances to race abroad) he moved to Holland. After racing in the World pursuit that year he rode that eventful Road Race, the same day that Beryl Burton won her Road Race title - 2 World Road Champions in the same day for Britain!
After a winter season including a win in the Ghent Amateur six day he turned pro for Mercier but after health problems had to retire the year after. He did not touch the bike for over 16 years and when he did return started winning again and in 1988 and 1989 won four Belgian 'Open' track championships, twice Madison, once sprint champion and once Omnium champion, and was East Flemish road champion.
The Last British Amateur Champion
Replying to a journalist's shouted comment that the last British amateur world road champion had been Dave Marsh 45 years earlier, Webb retorted: "And they'll have to wait another 45 years before another British rider wins." (Interview, Procycling March 2007). His prediction came true and will now remain true because not only did no British man win a world road race championship in the following 45 years but none will now win the amateur championship because rules separating amateurs from professionals have been scrapped.
Graham leads an enjoyable life now in Belgium, involved in the Flemish School of Cycling where his two grandsons train, he has been decorated twice by the Belgian King and is feted wherever he goes but feels a little upset that his home country has not recognised his achievements.
The photo below shows the two silver medals Graham received at the World Masters Championships, Manchester 2004. Graham says that this is most likely his last sporting feat as in 2005 his aorta split open while he was training for the 2005 Masters Olympics in Canada.
Links
www.crazyaboutbelgium.co.uk/riderblog/webb-blog.htm
www.beaconrcc.org.uk/open_races/lmtt/archive/gpw1963_article.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Webb
Watch a short video featuring footage of Graham cycling:
https://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=FA7YLJSaMaE
Mossy
You will probably have to enlarge the images so you can read them.
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Robert & Mossy, thanks again for your postings.
Terry, that is very interesting and what a wonderful piece of Birmingham history! Especially to me being mechanically minded and a bit of a cycle innovator myself in the 50's, but then I turned all my time to riding my bike. I have printed your great uncles 'unisex' cycle off so that I can study it at my leisure. I'm sure Postie will be very interested in this & thanks for sharing with us all.
Graham.
Terry, that is very interesting and what a wonderful piece of Birmingham history! Especially to me being mechanically minded and a bit of a cycle innovator myself in the 50's, but then I turned all my time to riding my bike. I have printed your great uncles 'unisex' cycle off so that I can study it at my leisure. I'm sure Postie will be very interested in this & thanks for sharing with us all.
Graham.
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Chris,
The amount of attention that I've been getting this year is phenomenal. I don't know if I've told you that I already have British Cycling’s highest award, 'The Gold Medal of Honour', (see photo) and now inducted into their first 'Hall of Fame'. Please don't worry about that Broad Street Star as not one of the 'Stars' on that street will ever get into BC's 'Hall of Fame'. lol
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Hello again Graham. I have one more patent for you, this time it was by my 1st cousin twice removed. I must confess I have'nt a clue what he was inventing and I will leave that to you to sort out
Terry
Terry,
Looking through this it seems to be some kind of stabilizer for (I think) a 'Penny Farthing' type of bicycle. With this type of bicycle the pedals were directly attached to the hub of the front wheel, which was the driving wheel, with each push of say the right pedal you would tend to veer left and right with a push on the left pedal. With this type of bicycle the centre of gravity on the steering tends to run through the handlebars and the front hub down onto the road causing a lot of wobble. I think this device tries to resituate the centre of gravity. Looks very ingenious.
Graham.
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Hi all it's me again saying thank you to all that have looked at this thread started by our captain, 'Postie'.
Today I received my invitation to British Cycling's 'Gala awards night' in Manchester on the 20th of February. And also today they published part 3 of my story on their web site. Click here; https://new.britishcycling.org.uk/sport/article/roa20091228-Graham-Webb-Interview---Part-3-0 The last part, 4, should be out by the New Year.
Happy New Year, 2010, to all and thanks again for reading my story, Graham.
Today I received my invitation to British Cycling's 'Gala awards night' in Manchester on the 20th of February. And also today they published part 3 of my story on their web site. Click here; https://new.britishcycling.org.uk/sport/article/roa20091228-Graham-Webb-Interview---Part-3-0 The last part, 4, should be out by the New Year.
Happy New Year, 2010, to all and thanks again for reading my story, Graham.
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
The fourth and final part of my story on British Cycling's website is out today. I know that I look a 'bit' haggard in the photo but I'd just had a night out with family and friends, a whole coach load of em, at the Ghent indoor six day cycle race.
https://new.britishcycling.org.uk/road/article/roa20100104-Graham-Webb-Interview-Part-4-0
Graham.
https://new.britishcycling.org.uk/road/article/roa20100104-Graham-Webb-Interview-Part-4-0
Graham.
M
Mossy
Guest
Graham that was a brilliant bit of reading,i don't believe that its your great lung capacity that made you a world champ..its more than that...i think you call it hard work and determination
Mossy
Mossy
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Thanks Frederick, Jennyann & Mossy.
Another bit of reading in the 'Telegraph' https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/sport-obituaries/6932785/Albert-Beurick.html
Graham.
Another bit of reading in the 'Telegraph' https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/sport-obituaries/6932785/Albert-Beurick.html
Graham.
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Fred thanks for your messages here and on the Telegraph site.
Yes he was a good man with a big heart that helped so many British cyclists. We often tend to forget people that help us along the way in life but I shall never forget Albert. He had the same qualities as most of the people on this forum, always ready to help. I have inherited all his photos and family history, a very big responsibility and I will see to it that everything finds a good home. I have an author who is keen on doing a book about Albert Beurick, Tom Simpson & me. Of course I'm the only one left now and it's no fun anymore being a survivor.
Graham.
K
kevlar 010
Guest
Hello Graham,
I must admit to feeling a bit of a imposter here as I have no connection to Birmingham...but came upon this forum via a post on 'Classic Rendezvous' regarding the death of your good friend Albert Beurick.....to which I offer my condolences. As a cyclist since late 68 I remember reading about the generous nature of Albert, and how he helped riders such as yourself and Tom Simpson.....who I have to admit was a huge influence on me as a young teenager, I come from Doncaster originally, and as Tom was at one time based in the area this seemed to inspire me even more.
However, the reason as to why I have chosen to contact you is......last year I bought a Brooks Pro saddle from a cycle jumble, which the seller [from the North East by his accent] claimed it was the saddle you used on the day of your World Championship winning ride!.......now this is where you reply saying 'can't be, Iv'e still got it!'.......the saddle has been made narrower [at first I thought it was a 'Sprinter'] and to be honest it's such a nice looking saddle I don't think the seller had cause to invent a 'tale' which might not be true, it would have sold anyway.
I have some pics of it on my flickrsite... if you contact me I can direct you to the site. Should you require a 'reference' Dave Marsh knows me from our racing days, and I've been a pro framebuilder since 71........Best Regards Kevin sayles
I must admit to feeling a bit of a imposter here as I have no connection to Birmingham...but came upon this forum via a post on 'Classic Rendezvous' regarding the death of your good friend Albert Beurick.....to which I offer my condolences. As a cyclist since late 68 I remember reading about the generous nature of Albert, and how he helped riders such as yourself and Tom Simpson.....who I have to admit was a huge influence on me as a young teenager, I come from Doncaster originally, and as Tom was at one time based in the area this seemed to inspire me even more.
However, the reason as to why I have chosen to contact you is......last year I bought a Brooks Pro saddle from a cycle jumble, which the seller [from the North East by his accent] claimed it was the saddle you used on the day of your World Championship winning ride!.......now this is where you reply saying 'can't be, Iv'e still got it!'.......the saddle has been made narrower [at first I thought it was a 'Sprinter'] and to be honest it's such a nice looking saddle I don't think the seller had cause to invent a 'tale' which might not be true, it would have sold anyway.
I have some pics of it on my flickrsite... if you contact me I can direct you to the site. Should you require a 'reference' Dave Marsh knows me from our racing days, and I've been a pro framebuilder since 71........Best Regards Kevin sayles
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M
mike-g
Guest
Welcome Kevin. Stay around you might like Birmingham.
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Kevin thanks for joining and for posting on the forum.
I'm afraid that you were told a load of porkies by that bloke. Although I did own some Brooks’s saddles, won as prizes in races, from day one I only used the then new type of plastic saddles. In the 60's the first ones were orange, my favourite colour, orange because they were made by a Belgian doll manufacture, Unica Nitor, and they used the same supple plastic that their dolls were made from. Dave Marsh is at this moment restoring my one hour record bike and that was fitted out with my first orange saddle, the same saddle that I used on my road bike in 1967. So that world championship saddle is now with Dave Marsh.
Thanks for your condolences, have you seen this? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/sport-obituaries/6932785/Albert-Beurick.html
I've noted your email and I'll be in touch so I'd advise you, or the moderators, to remove it from this thread.
Graham.
I'm afraid that you were told a load of porkies by that bloke. Although I did own some Brooks’s saddles, won as prizes in races, from day one I only used the then new type of plastic saddles. In the 60's the first ones were orange, my favourite colour, orange because they were made by a Belgian doll manufacture, Unica Nitor, and they used the same supple plastic that their dolls were made from. Dave Marsh is at this moment restoring my one hour record bike and that was fitted out with my first orange saddle, the same saddle that I used on my road bike in 1967. So that world championship saddle is now with Dave Marsh.
Thanks for your condolences, have you seen this? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/sport-obituaries/6932785/Albert-Beurick.html
I've noted your email and I'll be in touch so I'd advise you, or the moderators, to remove it from this thread.
Graham.
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K
kevlar 010
Guest
Thanks Graham for your response.
I did think it a bit unlikely that the saddle would be your winning one.....but as I mentioned its such a nice saddle I'm not upset that it wasn't the one you used on the day. [though it would have been nice]
Never knew Unicanitor saddles where made by a doll maker!!.........I too had a orange Unica 'drilled' saddle, sold a long time ago........but at least I have some short film footage of me riding my Merlin track bike BACKWARDS down the street!
Be nice to see your restored track bike once completed.
As I mentioned I'm a framebuilder..ex Bob Jackson, Woodrup...now Thorn, and I'm in the process of recreating several bikes in the style of the day be it 1950s, 60s and so on.....however I do have a genuine 1964 Bianchi Specialissima to restore. pics on my flickrsite.
Cheers....Kevin
I did think it a bit unlikely that the saddle would be your winning one.....but as I mentioned its such a nice saddle I'm not upset that it wasn't the one you used on the day. [though it would have been nice]
Never knew Unicanitor saddles where made by a doll maker!!.........I too had a orange Unica 'drilled' saddle, sold a long time ago........but at least I have some short film footage of me riding my Merlin track bike BACKWARDS down the street!
Be nice to see your restored track bike once completed.
As I mentioned I'm a framebuilder..ex Bob Jackson, Woodrup...now Thorn, and I'm in the process of recreating several bikes in the style of the day be it 1950s, 60s and so on.....however I do have a genuine 1964 Bianchi Specialissima to restore. pics on my flickrsite.
Cheers....Kevin
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Kevin sorry that it was not my saddle. I do remember 'butchering' one of those Brooks’s saddles in my possession I gave it away but never used it, maybe it was this one that found it's way to a cycle jumble?
I've looked up some photos taken during those 1967 world championships and in this one of me climbing you can clearly see my orange saddle.
I've looked up some photos taken during those 1967 world championships and in this one of me climbing you can clearly see my orange saddle.
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Circuit race in Birmingham 1964, same orange saddle but this time on my Mercian bike made at their Derby factory to my specification and sprayed yellow & black to match my socks! The socks had fluo yellow sculls & crossbones on them bought at the Army & Navy store on Stratford Road, but they don't show up on this BW photo. About 12 years ago an Italian rider, Marco Pantani, claimed to be the first in cycling to use the scull & crossbones logo, he was even called 'the pirate', but I was more than 30 years before him. Funny coincidence is that Marco Pantani shared the same birth date as me, 13th Jan, but he was born 26 years after me.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Pantani I embroidered the Solihull C C lettering on my jersey as you couldn't buy those club jerseys with the name on in 1964.
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jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Great photos Graham...I am learning more about your cycling history every day. My husband belonged to the worldwide Radonneurs cycling group. Mostly for pleasure but as you probably know they have many events around the world.
One British guy, who lives in the Vancouver area, Harold Bridges, is 80 and he still rides. He has crossed Canada and done the Land's End to John O'Groats ride a couple of times. There was another man who was still riding at 86 who was a Radonneur. It was sad that Marco Panini passed away. Gerry used to follow him on the Tour de France. He still likes to watch the race when it rolls around.
One British guy, who lives in the Vancouver area, Harold Bridges, is 80 and he still rides. He has crossed Canada and done the Land's End to John O'Groats ride a couple of times. There was another man who was still riding at 86 who was a Radonneur. It was sad that Marco Panini passed away. Gerry used to follow him on the Tour de France. He still likes to watch the race when it rolls around.
bobsummers
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Graham I have enjoyed reading about your life.
Did I ever ask you if you knew Alan Perry, also a bit of a cyclist from our area, he like you in the mid 60's had a Lambretta but what was unusual he also rode around town on a massive big motor cycle with all his black leathers and a white silk scarf.
The last time I saw Alan Perry he had a fashion and accessory shop on the harbor side in Torquay, I believe he did a vanishing act to Spain after a VAT investigation
Did I ever ask you if you knew Alan Perry, also a bit of a cyclist from our area, he like you in the mid 60's had a Lambretta but what was unusual he also rode around town on a massive big motor cycle with all his black leathers and a white silk scarf.
The last time I saw Alan Perry he had a fashion and accessory shop on the harbor side in Torquay, I believe he did a vanishing act to Spain after a VAT investigation
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Jennyann,
Thanks, I think that I still have a racing jersey from the 'world wide randonneurs' I'll have to have a dig into my clothing museum. I too loved to watch Pantani in the Tour de France, pity that he found it necessary to cheat I don't think that he needed to.
Bob,
Thanks for taking the time to read. I can't say that the name Perry rings any bells with me but his vanishing act does sound like a lot of people I know.
Thanks, I think that I still have a racing jersey from the 'world wide randonneurs' I'll have to have a dig into my clothing museum. I too loved to watch Pantani in the Tour de France, pity that he found it necessary to cheat I don't think that he needed to.
Bob,
Thanks for taking the time to read. I can't say that the name Perry rings any bells with me but his vanishing act does sound like a lot of people I know.
frederick
master brummie
Graham,
A 60 year old friend of mine is a cyclist he dosn't have a car and uses his bike to get from place to place, he was saying that on his oldest bike he has change the chain gearer and clanger because they have all worn, have you had to do this to any of your bikes.
A 60 year old friend of mine is a cyclist he dosn't have a car and uses his bike to get from place to place, he was saying that on his oldest bike he has change the chain gearer and clanger because they have all worn, have you had to do this to any of your bikes.