Thomas Gascoyne facts for kids
Thomas Gascoyne between 1897 and 1898.
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| Personal information | |||
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| Full name | Thomas Jepson Gascoyne | ||
| Nickname | T. Jeb Gascoyne Mills – pseudonym he adopted in Australia |
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| Born | 18 August 1876 Whittington, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England |
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| Died | 4 October 1917 (aged 41) Broodseinde, Passchendaele salient, Belgium |
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| Team information | |||
| Discipline | Track, solo and tandem | ||
| Role | Rider, Pursuit | ||
| Major wins | |||
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Thomas Jepson Gascoyne (born August 17, 1876 – died October 4, 1917) was an amazing English bicycle racer. He was a professional champion and held many world records. He raced all over the world on both regular bicycles and tandem bikes.
Thomas Gascoyne held world records for racing 25 miles and for a super-fast quarter-mile sprint. He also held the English record for two miles on a tandem bicycle. He even rode one mile by himself in just 2 minutes and 5 seconds!
People at the time thought he was one of the best riders ever. One newspaper, the Otago Witness, said in 1907 that no other rider could match his incredible power. They also said he was special because he always liked to be in front during a race.
In the early 1900s, Thomas moved to Australia. He worked different jobs before he started racing bikes again. He later joined the Australian Army and sadly died during World War I at the Battle of Passchendaele.
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About Thomas Gascoyne
Thomas Jepson Gascoyne was born in Whittington, near Chesterfield, England. His parents were Richard and Susan Gascoyne. He was married to a woman named Linda.
In the early 1900s, Thomas moved to Australia. By 1907, he was living in Newcastle, New South Wales. He had worked in many different places and jobs for several years. When World War I started, he was living in Preston, a suburb of Melbourne. He then joined the Australian 21st Battalion to serve in the army.
Thomas Gascoyne's Cycling Career
Thomas Gascoyne started his cycling journey in 1893. He quickly became known for his speed and strength.
Racing in England and Europe
In 1896, Thomas Gascoyne set a world record for racing 25 miles. He finished in 57 minutes and 18.4 seconds. This was his first time trying such a long distance on a cinder track. He easily beat the old record. He was so fast that he even passed the special triplet bicycle that was supposed to help him keep pace!
In 1901, Thomas teamed up with Sidney Jenkins. Together, they set an English record for two miles on a tandem bicycle. In the same year, at the Crystal Palace track, he rode one mile by himself in just 2 minutes and 5 seconds. This was an "unpaced" effort, meaning no one helped him by riding in front.
Thomas also held a world record for a "flying start" quarter-mile race. He completed it in an amazing 25 seconds.
Racing in America
Thomas Gascoyne was so famous that his arrival in New York in 1901 was big news. The New York Times newspaper wrote about him. They called him "Thomas Jefferson Gascoyne" when promoting his races.
Just three days after arriving, he competed in tandem races at Madison Square Garden with his partner, Sydney Jenkins. The New York Times said that Thomas had been racing since 1893. They also noted that he was incredibly fast when riding alone. He had never been beaten in a "pursuit race" before.
In July 1901, Thomas Gascoyne raced at the Boston cycle track. He beat the famous rider Major Taylor twice! The next day, he won a half-mile race in New Jersey. However, he then had to race again right away without a break. This time, he lost a "pursuit race" after 3 miles. It was his first ever loss in that type of race.
Racing in Australia
When Thomas Gascoyne moved to Australia in the early 1900s, he stopped racing for a while. He and his friend H. Brown, another racer, worked manual jobs.
When they arrived in Newcastle, they started entering bike races again. They used fake names, "Mills" (for Thomas) and "Atkinson." Even though they weren't very fit at first, Thomas's natural speed quickly made him a top rider. Soon, people realized who they really were.
Thomas had been working as a "stoker," which is a job that can make breathing difficult. This affected his early races. But once he stopped stoking and started training again, he became very popular. He won the Five Mile Scratch Race in Sydney in 1907 and was a headline name at many events.
In 1909, Thomas Gascoyne raced in the Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic. This is Australia's oldest road race. He started with a 3-minute head start and achieved the third fastest time overall. In 1911, he raced in it again, but this time he started with no head start and finished 71st.
In December 1911, he finished 11th with his partner Alan Lloyd in a 6 Day Race in Sydney. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that he was unlucky to "lose his mate" during the race. In December 1912, he was invited to race in the Sydney 6 Day Race again with his old partner Sidney Jenkins. But he said he couldn't leave Melbourne because he had a good job there.
Thomas Gascoyne's Death
Corporal Thomas Jepson Gascoyne died on October 4, 1917, during World War I. He was killed in the Battle of Broodseinde in Belgium. His name is listed on the Menin Gate memorial in Ypres.
The Australian War Memorial has records about his service:
- Service number: 4715
- Rank: Corporal
- Unit: 21st Battalion (Infantry)
- Service: Australian Army
- Conflict: 1914–1918
- Date of death: October 4, 1917
- Memorial: Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium
- Notes: Thomas Jepson Gascoyne was 40 years old. He was the son of Richard and Susan Gascoyne. His wife was Linda Gascoyne. He was from Derbyshire, England.
