That was an interesting case in cycling terms. Les Bowerman did a fair bit of research on its background and came to the conclusion it was a complete set-up as there is little evidence that Harberton was a cyclist and the location, so close to cycle-friendly Ripley, which was awash with hostelries, must have been previously researched in the sure knowledge that a stand-off would happen. The incident was therefore entirely political and in reality had little to do with cycling. We might develop this line and propose that the incident was one of those that falsely politicized cycling in the public mind as a vehicle of radical women's movements. Certainly the response in the popular press, such as 'Aly Sloper' placed it first in the context of cycling and only as a political act as a side issue. Of course, Harburton was not turned away; rather, she was told that she would only be served in the saloon bar, by default (but not regulation) a gendered masculine space, as she was not appropriately dressed for the parlour, a gendered female one. However, that was enough for to make it a potential legal case, she was almost certain to lose but the press gathered by such an action would make it a significant loss-leader. The issue remained alive and well when I was a student in the early 80s and visiting a friend in Harpenden, she had to doff a below-the-knee-skirt to get served in a local hostelry that had strict rules on 'appropriate dress' and well knew the Harberton ruling. Is it still the case that publicans can assert whatever sumptuary code they wish?
Nicholas Oddy
-----Original Message-----
From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Clare Rose
Sent: 14 July 2010 08:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: King leopold on a bike[Scanned-Clean]
Dear Nicholas
Thank you for that timely reminder. I'm currently teaching art and Benin to
OU students - mentioned the King Leopold's Ghost book but with a cert-18
warning for extreme violence.
Just finishing a project on clothes in the late C19th which includes Lady
Harberton's court case against the landlady who wouldn't serve her in
bloomers. Hope to come back to my research on cycling women this autumn when
other projects are over.
Best wishes
Clare Rose
----- Original Message -----
From: "Oddy, Nicholas" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 12:26 AM
Subject: Re: King leopold on a bike[Scanned-Clean]
Iain has also addessed the International Cycling History Conference on a
number of occasions dealing with similar topics. Leopold's exploitation of
the Belgian Congo to provide the raw material for cycle tyres is a lesson we
should all bear in mind before we merrily sing the praises of the
eco-friendly-available-to-all-bicycle. Underneath it is a consumer durable,
little different from any other.
Nicholas Oddy
________________________________
From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list on behalf of Adrian
Emilsen
Sent: Tue 13/07/2010 11:43
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: King leopold on a bike[Scanned-Clean]
Hi Damien,
Thanks for passing that on. Iain Boal also gave a great lecture on the
history of the bicycle at the Copenhagen museum a couple of months ago. You
can watch his lecture here: http://vimeo.com/11243387
I look forward to the publication of the book.
Regards
Adrian
On Tue, Jul 13, 2010 at 8:26 PM, Damien O'Tuama <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hi,
A colleague in Trinity passed the link below onto me. May be of interest to
this group.
Damien
Damien Ó Tuama
Postgraduate Student
[log in to unmask]
Department of Sociology
Trinity College Dublin
3 College Green
Dublin 2,
Ireland.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Michael O'Broin <[log in to unmask]>
Date: 11 July 2010 13:52
Subject: King leopold on a bike
To: Damien O'Tuama <[log in to unmask]>
Hey,
Here's a link to a radio interview with a historian of social technology
talking about bikes...looks interesting:
http://againstthegrain.org/
Scroll down to find the relavant programme.
Cheers,
Mick
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