From the collection of
Established in 1992, the South West Film & Television Archive collection spans from 1893 to the present day containing more than 250,000 items. Formed from a variety of depositors, including broadcast news and programmes material from the Westward and TSW archive. In 2018 the archive collection transferred to The Box in Plymouth.
Charity ride wheelie takes off
1986 sees the St Ives cycling club riding penny-farthings in a sponsored cycle ride to campair in Brittany, France to raise money for charity and cancer research. A couple of members of the cycling club are interviewed about the activity. Bystanders watch the cycling club ride off on their penny-farthings cheering them on as they start their long journey to France.
St Ives cycling club started in 1983, however it was actually found there was a much earlier cycling club in St Ives which ran from 1877 to 1884. The St Ives cycling club is still going today and caters for all ability levels, age ranges and encompasses a wide range of different types of cycling. The penny-farthing also known as the high wheel due to it having a large front wheel and a smaller rear wheel was the first to be called a bicycle. There is some controversy around the invention of the penny-farthing, first thought to have been invented and built be British engineer James Starley, it is now thought by the International Cycling History Conference that Frenchman Eugène Meyer is the father of the high bicycle. The vehicles were popular in the 1870s and 80s but considered dangerous.
Victories and setbacks on the road to a more accessible and inclusive society.