Arthur Humbles

Albert Arthur Humbles (9 May 1910 – 3 July 1997), subsequently known as Alan Alain Holt and Allan Holt, was an English cyclist who set the world endurance cycling record by covering during the calendar year of 1932. He broke the previous best mark that had stood since Marcel Planes completed in 1911 in response to Cycling magazine's 'Century Competition'. The winner was Marcel Planes with 332 centuries in which he covered . The inspiration for the competition was said to be the efforts of Harry Long, a commercial traveller who rode a bicycle on his rounds covering every part of England and Scotland and who covered in 1910. The world record for distance cycled in a year began in an era when bicycle companies competed to show their machines were the most reliable. The record has been officially established nine times. A tenth claim, by the English rider Ken Webb, was later disallowed.

+ World Endurance record for a single year Year Record holder Country Distance Ref 1911 Marcel Planes 1932 Albert Arthur Humbles 1933 Ossie Nicholson 1936 Walter Greaves 1937 Bernard Bennett 1937 René Menzies 1937 Ossie Nicholson 1939 Bernard Bennett 1939 Tommy Godwin

Humbles was a member of the Ingleside Cycling Club. Having been made unemployed as a blend-mixer at a tobacco factory, Humbles wanted to demonstrate that an ordinary clubman could break the long-standing world endurance record, so in 1932 cycling became a full-time occupation. from stock using a fixed gear and later changed to a variable gear. He suffered only four punctures when he was bade farewell by the members of parliament for the four Islington constituencies at the House of Commons.

On 2 July 1932, he was photographed being greeted by members of the Gloucester Cycling Club on arrival in Gloucester.

By 5 August 1932, he had visited the coastal resorts of Brighton, Worthing, Hastings, Margate, Ramsgate, Southend and Clacton, signing autographs for holiday makers he met there.

By 2 September 1932, it was reported that Humbles considered himself sufficiently ahead of schedule, that he was aiming to reach 40,000 miles by the end of the year.

On 1 October 1932, he was photographed shaking hands with Mr C. Boughton, described as the "London Champion" who was mounted on a penny-farthing as Humbles was greeted by a group of about 200 cyclists from local cycling clubs on his arrival from Brighton at Purley Station. by between 3,000 He was presented with a silver cigarette case as a gift from the London centre of the National Cyclists’ Union. By this time he had ridden 36,007 miles in 359 days. whilst living in Canonbury.

By 1942, Humbles was living in Balham, London and still working as a cycle frame fitter. On 30 July 1942 at South Western Police Court in Balham, Humbles admitted stealing a racing bicycle worth £10 belonging to his employers, Claud Butler of Clapham High Street and also stealing tools worth £15 belonging to his employer. Humbles served in the 56th London Battalion of the Home Guard between August and November 1942. He also enlisted in the Territorial Army on 1 October 1942, spending time in the Fulwood Wing of the Military Hospital in Preston, Lancashire between March and April 1943, followed by a posting to North Africa between 15 May 1943 and 9 August 1946. He was demobilized on 12 November 1946, but remained a Class Z Reservist until 10 February 1954. He was fully discharged as a reservist upon reaching the age of 45 on 9 May 1954.

Already living apart by 1946, his marriage to Zota Scarr had ended in divorce before October 1952. On 17 Jun 1949, he changed his name by deed poll to Alan Alain Holt. By 1950, he was living in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, working as a painter and decorator. On 13 March 1954 at High Wycombe Register Office, he married divorcée Pamela Margaret Warren (née Sutton, later Naish) (born 19 July 1926, died 17 October 1978). By 1956 they were living apart and their marriage had ended in divorce by 1973. He continued living in High Wycombe until at least 1966. By 1977, he was living in Wood Green, London with his eldest brother, William Henry James Humbles (1903-1977). He died on 3 July 1997 in Tottenham Hale, London. His estate is included in the list of unclaimed estates maintained by the Treasury Solicitor as bona vacantia.