Horace Alfred Fildes
Horace Alfred Fildes was born in Cheltenham c.1881 to parents Thomas Fildes of Westbury on Severn, and mother Ann [nee Kirby] of Horsley. Thomas was a fruiterer and lived with his large family at 1 Leamington Place, Pittville, Cheltenham. Horace was the youngest of 11 children.
My son is a cyclist [he works as a means of paying for his dream, he loves racing so much] so when I saw this picture of a young cyclist in the Cheltenham Chronicle & Gloucestershire Graphic from 1903 refering to the 'late Horace Fildes' I was intrigued. I confess to thinking it was an older photograph but no, our Horace died aged just 21. I have not found any details of how he died.
In April 1902 the Gloucester Citizen dated 24th reports on the opening of a new cycling track at the Athletic Ground, Cheltenham [this was situated in the area off Albion Street and Fairview and a picture is in Cheltenham through Time]. Horace took part in some races and winning his heat in the half mile novice bicycle handicap race he won first place. He also took part in the heats for the two mile bicycle handicap but didn't gain a place in the final. He did however win the prize for the faster loser.
The census of 1901 showed Horace living with his sister as head of household and he was employed as an apprentice saddler. His sister was the eldest of the house, with several brothers and sisters listed - Horace was the youngest.
The census of 1891 surprisingly showed the same set up, only difference is that Horace and a couple of siblings are still scholars, he was only 8 after all. The eldest sister, Annie was 27. Where were their parents - a search of the GRO civil registration indexes showed that they both died in their 40s. Thomas died in 1887 and wife Ann in 1889. A death announcement was in the local press for Thomas but nothing for the others in the family.
A young life cut short, I wonder what he would have achieved had he lived, would he have been one of our early cycling heros?
My son is a cyclist [he works as a means of paying for his dream, he loves racing so much] so when I saw this picture of a young cyclist in the Cheltenham Chronicle & Gloucestershire Graphic from 1903 refering to the 'late Horace Fildes' I was intrigued. I confess to thinking it was an older photograph but no, our Horace died aged just 21. I have not found any details of how he died. In April 1902 the Gloucester Citizen dated 24th reports on the opening of a new cycling track at the Athletic Ground, Cheltenham [this was situated in the area off Albion Street and Fairview and a picture is in Cheltenham through Time]. Horace took part in some races and winning his heat in the half mile novice bicycle handicap race he won first place. He also took part in the heats for the two mile bicycle handicap but didn't gain a place in the final. He did however win the prize for the faster loser.
The census of 1901 showed Horace living with his sister as head of household and he was employed as an apprentice saddler. His sister was the eldest of the house, with several brothers and sisters listed - Horace was the youngest.
The census of 1891 surprisingly showed the same set up, only difference is that Horace and a couple of siblings are still scholars, he was only 8 after all. The eldest sister, Annie was 27. Where were their parents - a search of the GRO civil registration indexes showed that they both died in their 40s. Thomas died in 1887 and wife Ann in 1889. A death announcement was in the local press for Thomas but nothing for the others in the family.
A young life cut short, I wonder what he would have achieved had he lived, would he have been one of our early cycling heros?
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