Bert Harris

Albert Walter Allen Harris (9 April 1873 in Birmingham – 21 April 1897 in Birmingham General Hospital) was a professional racing cyclist. He was raised in Leicester and attended Holy Trinity School. He started cycling competitively at the age of 14 and came second in the 'Infirmary Sports' at Aylestone Road Sports Ground (now the Grace Road Cricket Ground) two years later.

Early life Harris was born in Birmingham on 9 April 1873, the son of Walter James and Emma Harris.

Cyclist Harris gained his first major win at Bristol in 1889, completing the Five Mile race in 18 minutes and 25 seconds. Harris broke the records for the mile and three-quarter mile events in 1893 before turning professional in 1894 and joined the London Polytechnic Cycle Club. Harris was coached by Sam Mussabini to his first professional cycling championship victory in 1894. During a race in Cardiff in April 1895, he came off his bicycle and was knocked unconscious for 48 hours. However, by September he was well enough to break the English professional record at Herne Hill Velodrome, completing the half-mile in 57.3 seconds and the mile in 118.3 seconds.

Death Harris' last event was a ten-mile race on Easter Monday in 1897. About four miles into the race he came off his bicycle after a wheel buckled and struck his head on the hard surface. He died two days later without regaining consciousness.

Harris' remembrance A memorial erected at Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester is evidence of popularity: Lovell also approached the BBC to film a drama documentary, which was subsequently made by Victorian reconstructionists on location in Leicester. In a bizarre coincidence, the actor who played Harris turned out to be his descendant.