Ernest Alfred MERLIN

In 1907 Ernie Merlin finished second in a Polytechnic 50-mile handicap race, and the next year, won the first Poly race of the new season, over 25 miles. Also in 1908, he won the prestigious Anfield BC 100-mile handicap time trial around Shropshire. In 1912, Merlin finished third in a 200-mile Olympic trial organised by the north-east section of the NCU, and was duly selected for the Games, where he won a silver medal in the road race team event. He returned to cycling after World War I, and having finished second to Harry Ryan in the Polytechnic one-hour tandem-paced race in 1921, he turned the tables on Ryan a year later by winning with a distance of 26 miles 1120 yards (42.87 km). Merlin finished second again in 1923, despite covering a greater distance than when he won a year earlier. One of his last track or road races was at Hastings in 1924, one month before his 37th birthday. He then turned to hill-climbing which took him to events across Europe. Ernie was an electrician by trade but, in 1918, had started Merlin cycles with his brother Gus (Augustus), who was also a keen cyclist. Ernie lost his life when he was knocked off his bike in a collision with a car in 1959.