Cape & Courage
The advent of the bicycle in the late 19th century brought about a seismic shift in women’s lives and society at large. In Sussex, as in many other parts of the world, cycling became a pivotal force, providing women with newfound freedoms and a powerful platform for empowerment.
Despite societal fears that lady cyclists would lose their feminine charms, look like men, and leave their husbands to tend to the children, the bicycle catalysed a movement towards gender equality and social reform.
This online exhibition explores the historical impact of bicycles from the 1890s to 1928, highlighting the role of cycling in Brighton and Hove, Bexhill, Newhaven, and Worthing during an era when pedal power propelled women toward greater social and political change.
Cape and Courage
The struggle for women’s rights and societal acceptance often took the form of battles over attire. ‘Rationals’ were a controversial costume that defied Victorian conventions, which dictated that women wear long skirts or dresses with high collars, long sleeves, and up to seven pounds of whale-bone corsets. From the controversial knickerbocker trousers and bloomers to innovative convertible cycle wear, these garments became symbols of empowerment and liberation.
Unconventional Attire
Women who cycled in ‘rational dress’ challenged societal norms by defying restrictive clothing conventions. Rational dress typically included knickerbocker trousers, which revealed the legs and were widely criticised in the press for their moral outrage and shocking impropriety. It challenged Victorian norms, defying conventions of long skirts and corsets for women. Women who cycled in ‘rational dress’, including trousers (widely considered as underwear) were widely commented on for their lack of feminine charm.
These garments allowed women the physical freedom to cycle comfortably and safely, marking a significant departure from the cumbersome and hazardous attire traditionally worn by Victorian women.
Visibility and Criticism
Tessie Reynolds, a teenage cycling enthusiast from Sussex, became a national sensation due to her record-breaking Brighton-London-Brighton ride in a knickerbocker outfit she designed & made with her sister. In a letter to Bicycling News dated September 30, 1893, she wrote, “You have no doubt heard of my riding in knickerbockers. I should like to know your opinion on this costume for ladies. I find mine very comfortable and convenient.” (Hanlon, Tessie Reynolds: The Stormy Petrel in the Struggle for Women’s Equality in Cycle Racing and Dress, 2018).
Her attire was considered a ‘lamentable incident’ of ‘unnecessary masculine nature and scantiness,’ reflecting the period’s deeply ingrained gender norms and the backlash against women stepping outside traditional roles. More HERE
The advent of the bicycle in the late 19th century brought about a seismic shift in women’s lives and society at large. In Sussex, as in many other parts of the world, cycling became a pivotal force, providing women with newfound freedoms and a powerful platform for empowerment.
Despite societal fears that lady cyclists would lose their feminine charms, look like men, and leave their husbands to tend to the children, the bicycle catalysed a movement towards gender equality and social reform.
This online exhibition explores the historical impact of bicycles from the 1890s to 1928, highlighting the role of cycling in Brighton and Hove, Bexhill, Newhaven, and Worthing during an era when pedal power propelled women toward greater social and political change.
Cape and Courage
The struggle for women’s rights and societal acceptance often took the form of battles over attire. ‘Rationals’ were a controversial costume that defied Victorian conventions, which dictated that women wear long skirts or dresses with high collars, long sleeves, and up to seven pounds of whale-bone corsets. From the controversial knickerbocker trousers and bloomers to innovative convertible cycle wear, these garments became symbols of empowerment and liberation.
Unconventional Attire
Women who cycled in ‘rational dress’ challenged societal norms by defying restrictive clothing conventions. Rational dress typically included knickerbocker trousers, which revealed the legs and were widely criticised in the press for their moral outrage and shocking impropriety. It challenged Victorian norms, defying conventions of long skirts and corsets for women. Women who cycled in ‘rational dress’, including trousers (widely considered as underwear) were widely commented on for their lack of feminine charm.
These garments allowed women the physical freedom to cycle comfortably and safely, marking a significant departure from the cumbersome and hazardous attire traditionally worn by Victorian women.
Visibility and Criticism
Tessie Reynolds, a teenage cycling enthusiast from Sussex, became a national sensation due to her record-breaking Brighton-London-Brighton ride in a knickerbocker outfit she designed & made with her sister. In a letter to Bicycling News dated September 30, 1893, she wrote, “You have no doubt heard of my riding in knickerbockers. I should like to know your opinion on this costume for ladies. I find mine very comfortable and convenient.” (Hanlon, Tessie Reynolds: The Stormy Petrel in the Struggle for Women’s Equality in Cycle Racing and Dress, 2018).
Her attire was considered a ‘lamentable incident’ of ‘unnecessary masculine nature and scantiness,’ reflecting the period’s deeply ingrained gender norms and the backlash against women stepping outside traditional roles.
Innovation and Controversy
The debate over women’s cycling attire was not confined to the press but extended to technological innovations. In 1896, Charles Henry Hart of Eastbourne patented a safety cycling habit skirt designed to provide the mobility required for cycling while maintaining a semblance of traditional femininity.
Tessie Reynolds, reflecting on her designs, noted, “I have received many applications for patterns of my suit from ladies…I have not a pattern for it as I cut it out and made it entirely from my idea of what was wanted.” (Reynolds, 1893). This spirit of innovation and practicality drove the evolution of women’s cycling apparel, often amidst significant controversy (Jungnickel, 2018).
Mixed Reactions
Rational dress divided opinion within women’s cycling associations. Clubs were both supportive and critical of the attire, and women faced a mix of praise and censure. One woman recounted her experience of cycling through a town in rational dress: “An elderly lady imparted the information I was a ‘forward young minx!’ One man—how I thanked that man—doffed his oily cap and exclaimed, ‘Bravo! I likes yer pluck!’” (Manners, 2015). Such mixed reactions underscored the broader societal debates about women’s roles and freedoms during this period.
Scathing Editorials
Publications like Cycling: An Illustrated Weekly were harshly critical of rational dress. They denounced it as “unnecessarily masculine” and refused to name teenage cycling stars like Tessie Reynolds. One editorial noted, “We will not pander to the unwholesome vanity of the Brighton female scorcher by either advertising her name or the time she did it in.” (Fishpool, 2018). These scathing remarks highlight the resistance to women’s growing independence and visibility in public spaces.
The Legacy of Rational Dress
Rational dress, while controversial, proved far more suitable for cycling than traditional women’s clothing. The restrictive nature of skirts and corsets was incompatible with the physical demands of cycling, particularly for racing and time trials. Despite criticism, rational dress paved the way for greater freedom and mobility for women.
One female cyclist eloquently captured this sentiment: “To women, it has brought new life, wider, freer, and more delightful than was dreamt before its coming.” This shift in attire contributed to broader societal changes, ultimately aiding the movement towards women’s suffrage, achieved in 1928.
Cycling as a Gateway to Freedom
For many women in Sussex and beyond, cycling offered unprecedented opportunities to explore the countryside and escape the confines of their domestic lives. The bicycle became a symbol of independence and a tool for social change. Even those who cycled in skirts, which made the activity more arduous, benefitted from the newfound ability to journey into previously inaccessible areas. Cycling fostered a sense of adventure and liberation, allowing women to assert their presence in public spaces and participate in social and political movements.
In conclusion, the bicycle’s impact on women’s lives in Sussex from the 1890s to 1928 was profound. It challenged and transformed societal norms, providing women with a means of physical and symbolic liberation. This exhibition celebrates the brave women who pedalled their way towards greater freedom and equality, forever altering the landscape of gender roles and expectations. Through their stories and the evolution of cycling attire, we gain insight into a pivotal chapter in the history of women’s rights and social progress.
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References
Fishpool, M. (2018, September 10). MILES AND LAPS: WOMEN’S CYCLE RACING IN GREAT BRITAIN AT THE TURN OF THE 19TH CENTURY – PART I. Retrieved from Playing Pasts: https://www.playingpasts.co.uk/articles/gender-and-sport/miles-and-laps-womens-cycle-racing-in-great-britain-at-the-turn-of-the-19th-century-part-i/
Friend, B. (2018, March 6th). The Role of the Bicycle in the Suffragette Movement. Retrieved from We Love Cycling: https://www.welovecycling.com/wide/2018/03/26/role-bicycle-suffragette-movement/
Hanlon, S. (2016, January 4th). Bicycle Face: A guide to Victorian cycling diseases. Retrieved from Women’s Cycling: http://www.sheilahanlon.com/?p=1990
Hanlon, S. (2018, May 27th). Tessie Reynolds: The Stormy Petrel in the Struggle for Women’s Equality in Cycle Racing and Dress. Retrieved from Women’s Cycling: http://www.sheilahanlon.com/?p=1830
Jungnickel, K. (2018). Bikes and Bloomers. Victorian Women Inventors and Their Extraordinary Cycle Wear . London: Goldsmiths Press.
Manners, W. (2015, February 15). ‘Womanly Cycling’- Part Two. Retrieved from THE VICTORIAN CYCLIST: https://thevictoriancyclist.wordpress.com/2015/02/15/womanly-cycling-part-two/comment-page-1/
Reynolds, T. (1893, September 30th). letter to Bicycling News. Retrieved from National Cycle Archive – University of Warwick: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/archives_online/digital/nca/
The Keep archive . (1925). Brighton Herald newspaper. Retrieved from The Keep archive: https://www.thekeep.info/collections/getrecord/GB179_NEW_33_1925
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