Blue Plaque Honours Champion Cyclist - 20 Nov 2009

Blue Plaque Honours Champion Cyclist

During the last decade of the 19th century Arthur Linton scaled the peaks of international distinction as a world-class cyclist before his untimely death at the age of 24 which robbed the country of one of its greatest sportsmen.

He held innumerable British records at distances up to 200 miles and reached celebrity status in France where his finest achievement ranks as victory in the 1896 Bordeaux-Paris race.

In honour of his outstanding contribution to the world of sport, Arthur Linton was chosen as one of 30 people, places or events to be honoured with a Blue Plaque from throughout Rhondda Cynon Taf.

At a special ceremony took place in St Margaret’s Church, Aberaman, where a stained glass window and a lecturn has long since been unveiled in his memory, and the Mayor of Rhondda Cynon Taf Cllr Robert Smith paid tribute to his achievements.


"Arthur Linton was certainly one of the proud sons of Aberaman and the whole of Rhondda Cynon Taf due to his incredible prowess as a world-class cyclist," he said.

"Today we are honouring this memory more than a century following his tragic demise which undoubtedly robbed Wales of a champion son. I hope many people will pass his former home and on seeing the Blue Plaque will be inspired into finding out more about this outstanding individual."

Many of the descendants of the Linton family, some traveling from Lincolnshire and Oxford, also attended the ceremony which saw the unveiling of the new Blue Plaque. This will now be placed on the former family home in Cardiff Road, Aberaman.

Also present at the event was sports historian Stuart Stanton who not only paid tribute to Arthur Linton and his legacy, but to an entire group of first-class cyclists who came from the village at the latter part of the 19th century, including the Michael brothers.

Arthur Linton began to race locally and by 1892 was well known throughout South Wales. During the 1893 season he established himself nationally and was signed as a professional to ride a 'Gladiator' cycle under the tutelage of the trainer 'Choppy' Warburton.

In 1894 Arthur defeated Dubois, the French Champion, in Paris and was narrowly defeated by the Italian Champion Bonnic, who thereafter refused to race him again. He was given the title of 'Champion Cyclist of the World' and when he returned to Aberaman in December he was given a hero's welcome, a public banquet was held in the Lamb and Flag public house and he was presented with an illuminated address.

1895 was a less successful year for Arthur. He suffered a knee injury and split from his trainer 'Choppy' Warburton. However, it was during the 1896 season that Arthur won his greatest race, the 360-mile Bordeaux to Paris Race in which he defeated Riviere.

Tragically, it seems that this race took too much of a toll on his body and Arthur Linton died of Typhoid Fever in June 1896, only some six weeks after the race. He was just 24 years old.

For almost two years Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Libraries & Museums Service has been working closely with various voluntary organisations and individuals to determine 30 sites in the county borough as yet unrecognized for their historical background.

Due to £49,200 of Heritage Lottery funding, the project has set out to identify icons, events and buildings, culminating in the placing of blue plaques to commemorate their history and achievements. A series of articles appeared in the local and national press along with television and radio coverage to encourage people to nominate their own site.

Following consultation with community representatives and historical societies, an audit was carried out to catalogue all existing memorials, statues and plaques in Rhondda Cynon Taf. People, places or events which already have a plaque commemorating them are ineligible for a Blue Plaque, as are anyone who died less than 10 years ago.

More than 180 nominations were received and representatives of historical societies in each area met with Council officers to undertake the unenviable task of deciding which areas will receive the Blue Plaques.

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