My great uncle Harry Wyld was an Olympic cyclist and part of the “Wyld Four”. Harry set a record time of 43 minutes and 27.35 seconds at the National Cyclists Union Fifty Miles Championship at Herne Hill in June 1924. An honest hard-working man, The Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal reported that: “Our Alfreton representative had an interview with the record breaker… at his parent’s house, Highfield Cottages, Alfreton, opposite the entrance to the Golf Club. In spite of his achievement on Saturday he had returned home and done his seven hour shift for the Blackwell Colliery Company…” (Alfreton and District Heritage Trust). He then went on to win a bronze medal in Amsterdam 1928.
1928 Olympics
Miners striking
over the pit
made his hands idle
Over at Herne Hill
the National 50-mile Championship
and a dozen other prizes to his name
in the year before
Named Frederick, but only ever Harry
He and his brothers gave them all a good pasting
in the championship
Third consecutive title
before riding all the way to Amsterdam
and back taitered
Saddled with providing for the “ahs”,
bronze medal sold to feed the ankle-biters
Set the record, more than thirty
he had a good pace did he, our Harry
Nona Wyld 