Every picture tells a story… A photograph bought at random, but with enough information on it to identify the person on it.

The death has occurred at the age of twenty-three years of Andy Wilson, the well-known Yorkshire amateur cyclist, who was the son of Mr John Wilson, the popular secretary of the Rugby League.

He was an analytical chemist and followed his occupation until Saturday, when he complained of cold, and pleurisy supervened, death taking place at his parents’ home at Chapeltown yesterday morning.

Andy Wilson had won for himself the position as one of the principal ling-distance cyclists, and for several years he had represented his country in international races on the Continent.

His latest record was achieved at Easter, when he beat the time for a York to Edinburgh ride by no less than fifty-two minutes, notwithstanding that he smashed a pedal twenty-nine miles from Edinburgh. The distance is 189 miles.

Leeds Mercury: Thursday 22nd April 1926

Andy Wilson was for three years the finest road racer and time trial expert in Britain and when he was beaten in the North Road in July 1925 it was his first defeat in Britain for three years. He came to prominence in 1922 after joining his father’s club, the Hull Thursday RC and that same year he was the National 50 mile champion and winner of the prestigious Anfield 100. In the four Anfield races he contested between 1922-25 he won twice, once off scratch, and in 1925 established a course record.

Like his father before him, Andy became an Olympian in 1924 but, despite being one of the favourites for the road race he was a disappointing 22nd albeit the highest placed British rider. Great Britain finished seventh in the team competition. He represented England in the 1923, 1924 and 1925 UCI World Championships, finishing 18th, 13th and 21st respectively.

Andy was a very popular person on and off the bike because of his good nature and great sportsmanship. He was a chemist for the Terry’s Chocolate factory in York but his desire was to constantly break road cycling records and over Easter 1926 he knocked a staggering 52 minutes off the un-paced record time for the 189 3/4-mile York to Edinburgh trip. A week after that he set the fastest time in the Yorkshire RC 25 handicap but shortly after that he had a cold which developed into pleurisy which was to kill him within a week.

Wilson died at the age of 23 on 21 April 1926, the same day that Queen Elizabeth II was born. In memory of Yorkshire and Britain’s greatest road racer of the day, the Andy Wilson Memorial 50 miles race was established and first contested in August 1926.

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