Girl of the Hour: Billie Samuels
06/02/2012 § 4 Comments
Billie Samuels, kick-ass girl cyclist, 4 July 1934.
Via The Sydney Morning Herald, Thursday 5 July 1934:
CYCLING.
GIRL’S RECORD ATTEMPT.
Miss Billie Samuels started on her attack on the women’s record from Sydney to Melbourne, held by Miss Valsa Barbour, at 10 o’clock yesterday morning. She will ride to a schedule which will bring her to the Melbourne G.P.O. at 2 p.m. on Saturday, a total time of 3 days 7 hours. This is about three hours faster than the present record. Miss Samuels provides for stoppages of about four hours in Goulburn (132 miles), five hours in Holbrook (333 miles), and five hours in Seymour, Victoria (501 miles), in addition to regular meal stoppages of about 30 to 40 minutes every 40 or 50 miles.
Miss Samuels arrived at Moss Vale at 4.39 p.m., almost 2 hours ahead of schedule time. She encountered rain from Camden to Moss Vale, but is looking fit. Miss Samuels resumed her ride three-quarters of an hour later.
Images via the State Library of New South Wales.
Previous Persons of the Hour:
Photographer Gerda Taro
Race car enthusiast, sailor and playboy Briggs Swift Cunningham II
Quite Continental 
Thank you so much for this– Billie Samuels looks like a completely badass lady!
Girl pedal power indeed. Love retro cycling. I organize Steel Is Real Milwaukee for steel frame bikes (see Facebook page). Billie would be a winner. Will link your site in my next e-newsletter. Thanks Mariah
Pleasure, thanks!
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