Arthur James Wilson (''Faed'' Wilson) (1858–1945) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

cyclist, cycling administrator, activist and journalist. He became deaf at age 12 after contracting

scarlet fever Scarlet fever, also known as Scarlatina, is an infectious disease caused by ''Streptococcus pyogenes'' a Group A streptococcus (GAS). The infection is a type of Group A streptococcal infection (Group A strep). It most commonly affects childr ...

and ''Faed'' was a self-applied anagram of 'deaf'. He was a member of the National Cyclists' Union executive committee and joint editor of the Bicycling Times and Touring Gazette. A founder member of the North Road Cycle club in 1885 he was associated with the industry, the sport, the journalism and the pastime of cycling and touring.

Personal life

He began cycling at the age of eleven and became deaf at age 12 after contracting

, Faed was a self applied anagram of deaf.

Career

He joined Dunlop tyres in 1890 working at their

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

offices. When they moved their operations to England in 1893 he worked for them as a manager in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. ''Faed'' worked for over 50 years as an administrator of cycling, co-founding the 'North London Tricycling Club' (now renamed the 'North London Cycling Club'), the 'North Road Cycling Club', the 'Irish Road Club', the '

Road Records Association The Road Records Association (RRA) is a British cycle racing organisation which supervises records on the road but not in conventional races. It is one of the oldest cycle sport organisations in the world, formed in 1888. Remit Records are es ...

', and the 'Cycle Trades Benevolent Fund'. His influence ranged from the design of the tandem bicycle to the original rules for road time-trials prior to 1900. As a cyclist he won the 1886 North Road C.C. 50 Mile Road Championship together with champion cyclist Charlie Liles on a tandem.

The Golden Book

Arthur Wilson's achievements were celebrated in 1938 when

Cycling Weekly ''Cycling Weekly'' is a British cycling magazine. It is published by Future and is devoted to the sport and pastime of cycling. It used to be affectionately referred to by British club cyclists as "The Comic".

awarded him his own page in the

Golden Book of Cycling The ''Golden Book of Cycling'' was created in 1932 by ''Cycling'', a British cycling magazine, to celebrate "the Sport and Pastime of Cycling by recording the outstanding rides, deeds and accomplishments of cyclists, officials and administrat ...

, which is now held in 'The Pedal Club' archive.The Golden Book of Cycling - Arthur Wilson, 1938. Archive maintained by 'The Pedal Club'.

Personal life

Career

The Golden Book

References

Further reading