George Herbert Stancer

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George Herbert Stancer OBE (17 April 1878 – October 1962) was a notable English racing cyclist of the late 19th century who became one of the most notable administrators of the British Cyclists' Touring Club (CTC) after World War I. He is commemorated by the annual juvenile 10-mile GHS individual time trial championship.

[edit] Early years

Stancer was born in Pocklington, a village 14 miles east of York in Yorkshire. He became a member of the Yorkshire Road Club in 1898 and remained with the club until his death. Like his friend, Frederick Thomas Bidlake, Stancer favoured the tricycle in the early days of cycling as a sport. Stancer and L.S. Leake beat the Road Records Association London-Brighton and back record on tandem tricycle in 1910, with 5 hours 59 minutes 51 seconds.

[edit] The administrator and journalist

He was the first president of the Tricycle Association from 1944-1950. He worked as a journalist, editor of Cycling magazine for nine years. In 1920, he took over as president of the CTC at a time when membership had dwindled to around 8,500. By the time he retired in 1945, membership had grown to more than 50,000.

He was awarded the Bidlake Memorial Prize, one of British cycling's top honours, in 1943.

[edit] Memorials

After his death, a trust fund was established to promote and encourage young cyclists. A national schools 10-mile time trial championship was instituted, adopted in 1970 by the Road Time Trials Council (today Cycling Time Trials).

GHS leisure rides are promoted annually by Yorkshire Cycling Federation on a Sunday near his birthday.

There is a seat commemorating Stancer in the F.T. Bidlake memorial garden at Girtford Bridge on the Great North Road near Sandy, Bedfordshire. Bidlake was at one time Stancer's tandem partner.