David W. Laing

In June 1879 the second annual Edinburgh cyclists’ meet took place and 250 members of 23 Scottish bicycle clubs, including ones from Greenock, Paisley Kilmarnock, Falkirk, Renfrewshire and a few English clubs, assembled at the Mound in the city centre. The great parade of cyclists then processed to the Powderhall Grounds for an afternoon of racing watched by upwards of 4,000 people. One of the cyclists was the 18-year-old David W. Laing, at the time a newish member of Edinburgh’s Star Bicycle Club. No doubt he was nervous as he had entered for the Amateur Five Mile Handicap, his first major race. He, and the others, raced on high wheel bicycles: ‘From the sixth to eleventh lap several exciting struggles took place between the leaders, constantly passing and re-passing each other amid considerable cheering. On the twelfth round Derkinderen of Tower Hamlets gave up, as had also Stephen from Lanarkshire two or three laps previously. At this point the two Edinburgh riders, Bryson and Laing began to forge ahead, the former slightly in advance. In the second last lap Laing, who looked as fresh as when he started, tore away in splendid style, and bearded Bryson by about twenty yards at the post.’[1] Laing’s winning time was 16 min 1sec.

Laing was born in Edinburgh in 1861, the second of three children. His father was a gentleman’s servant and on leaving school at fifteen Laing went to work as a draper’s clerk. Until his marriage he lived with his family in a flat in Dundas Street. Following his first win, Laing had further successes during the next months; with a first and various 2nd and 3rd place results. Then in October he had an accident while competing in the final of a Two Mile Race at Kirkcaldy: ‘A rather unfortunate accident occurred, D. W. Laing being thrown from his machine and receiving a severe cut on the temple, while the next competitor, unable to turn in time, struck him with his wheel, and was himself pitched head foremost from his iron horse, which gave bound over the other prostrate one and got doubled up something in the shape of an S.’[2] However, he was back on his bike racing again within the week, competing in the Five Mile Championship of Scotland in 1879. This was the first track race to be held in the West of Scotland and was held at the West of Scotland Cricket ground in Glasgow. ‘The weather was delightful, more like a day in June than uncertain October, and the committee have every right to congratulate themselves on the amount of genuine interest taken in their maiden meeting. About 1,500 spectators, including a large proportion of ladies, were present.’[3] On offer for the winner was a new bicycle. Possibly Laing had a stroke of good fortune for the leading rider of the day, D. Bryson, at the time the Two Mile Champion of Scotland, had sprained his ankle and could not race. Yet the competition still included all the other best riders in Scotland. In a close race Laing managed to win in a time of 21min 28sec and he received his trophy and the new bicycle from Miss Alice Fraser.

The Star Bicycle Club appears to have folded in 1880 and Laing and others formed a new club, the East of Scotland Bicycle Club. The members decided to hold a race with the winner to be its first captain: ‘There was a large turnout upon the occasion, no fewer than 22 members of the club proceeding to Bathgate to take part in or witness the competition. The race was on the return journey from Bathgate to Coltbridge Toll - a distance of 17½ miles. As was anticipated, the captaincy was secured by D. W. Laing, the five miles Scotch champion, who accomplished the journey in 1hour 12min. Given the difficult conditions this was judged a good time.’[4]

Laing became one of Scotland’s leading amateur racers over the following years and an article in 1883 provides a flavour of a race meet of the time: ‘In Edinburgh there are many meetings purely devoted to wheel racing, but, good as these meetings are, none of them can come close to the West of Scotland festival, which comes off on the beautiful cricket grounds at Partick on Saturday first. It is conducted by clubs, the members of which are of some social standing, and of course, all their sisters, their cousins, their aunts will be to the fore dressed in their gayest costumes. The splendid band of the 93rd Highlanders will be in attendance, and play a selection of airs. D. W. Laing, our champion, who is in form now will be present.’[5] It then listed the various races in the programme. These included: ‘The Five Miles Amateur Championship of Scotland, open to bicyclists resident in Scotland; Two Miles Championship of the West of Scotland open to Bicyclists resident in the West of Scotland; One Mile Championship, confined to members of the Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Royal Scottish, Northern and Dowanhill Bicycle Clubs.’ There also was a Combination Race that took place over four laps:  ‘Ist lap, ride; 2nd lap, run with bicycle; 3rd lap, first half carry bicycle, second half wheel bicycle backwards, both hands on handles and both wheels on the ground; 4th lap, ride;’ and ‘a Tug of War (six aside), open to amateur bicycle clubs. Teams must pull in their club uniform.’[6]

Laing raced through to 1886, always as an amateur, and was almost invincible on his high wheel bicycle, winning the Scottish Five Mile championship in 1879, '80, '82. '83, '84 and '85, and the Scottish One Mile Championship on all occasions from 1879 to 1885. In 1883, he won 20 of the 44 races in which he competed. One of his last races took place in London. In May 1886 an International Cycling Tournament was held at Alexandra Palace and money was raised to pay the expenses of a number of Edinburgh club riders to attend. ‘The three days’ meeting on the splendid gravel track, exactly three laps to the mile, in what was formerly the lower grounds of Alexandra Palace has proved far and away the most important and interesting event ever held in connection with cycling in this country. It was a genuine international affair, as it included champions of Holland, Belgium, Ireland, Scotland and England.’[7] As well as the bicycle events there were races for both tricycles and tandem tricycles. Laing raced in the Five Miles Bicycle Scratch Race for the International Cycling Challenge Shield. ‘At the start there was considerable delay over (the English rider) Mayes’ machine, which broke down – loose crank – for the third time. When started Mayes was not at all at home on the new machine and a brilliant finish resulted in Laing’s favour by a short foot.’[8] However, in the final Laing could only manage fourth place.

The first cycling body in Scotland, the Scottish Cycling Union (SCU), was allied to the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association (SCAA) as many events included both cycling and athletics. Both bodies prohibited amateurs and professionals taking part at the same meeting, and so serious amateur racers whose prizes were cups and medals had to support their activity throughout the summer racing months from their own pockets. Those that did not have the support of their parents or a private income, needed a well-paid and flexible job. Laing thus left his drapery job and, like many other winning cyclists, became a cycle agent selling bicycles. Later he was appointed to manage the Edinburgh store of the Rudge Cycle Company in Hanover Street.

Clearly Laing’s success on the track was directly linked to his job as he would have promoted the bicycle models he sold by racing on them. Such indirect links were overlooked by the cycling authorities. There were even instances of amateur cyclists being ‘sold’ bicycles by manufacturers but the invoice never appearing; event organisers conveniently forgetting to charge popular riders the normal entrant’s fee; and even bogus jobs being given to riders in exchange for riding and thus promoting that manufacturer’s models. ‘One company’s machines were scarcely known in name six months ago, but the efficient advertising by a crack racing man has caused quite a boom in sales of that  particular machine.’ Some amateurs who won ‘non-cash prizes’, such as clocks, did a deal with the shop supplying the prize, with cash later exchanged for the prize which returned to the shop. Yet a blind eye was turned towards most sham-amateurism. The President of the Scottish Cyclists Union admitted in 1894: ‘We might legislate till doomsday and never get at these men.’

In 1894 Laing moved jobs: ‘D. W. Laing has, after all, only left Rudge & Co. and 42 Hanover Street to go next door. Numbers 38 and 40 will shortly be opened by the ever popular Davie as a depot on behalf of the Seddon Tyre Company, whose Scottish headquarters will be there located. The popular Davie has had a long and extensive connection with the Scottish cycle trade, and in it, no man is better known or appreciated. Wherever he goes he is made welcome.’[9] Like many successful cyclists, after he retired from racing Laing volunteered to develop and improve the sport. This included acting as a judge at race events and serving on various committees, including as President of the Scottish Cyclists' Union. In 1894 the Scottish Referee bemoaned his retirement as captain of his club: ‘East of Scotland C.C. socials came to an end in a blaze of glory on Friday last. For years has Captain Laing engineered these annual gatherings, and with such success that he, aided and abetted by some able lieutenants, has made them not only the most popular but the most artistic of their kind. For all tastes were catered for, and the more or less comic song ranked with the most classical quartette items. “From grave to gay, from lively to severe," would describe almost any programme during the past eight or ten years. D.W.'s friends mustered round him as strongly as ever on Friday, and the Royal Hotel Saloon space was severely taxed, about 300 being present.’[10]  Laing died in 1900.

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