Tessie Reynolds

Tessie Reynolds
1800s photo of a woman on a man's bicycle
Born
Teresa Reynolds

20 August 1877[1][2]
Newport, Isle of Wight, England[3][4]
Died13 July 1954(1954-07-13) (aged 77)
Barnet, Hertfordshire, England
NationalityBritish
OccupationTraffic safety officer
Known forLondon–Brighton cycle ride
Spouse
Montague Salisbury Main
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(m. 1908)​

Teresa "Tessie" Reynolds (20 August 1877 – 13 July 1954) was an English cyclist who in 1893 set a record for cycling from Brighton to London and back in 8 hours 30 minutes. She was aged sixteen at the time and dressed in "rational" clothing: pantaloons, a shirt, and coat. The outfit, which was likely made for her by her sister, led to significant publicity and her ride came to be regarded as a milestone for women's rights and sports. The record was broken in 1894 and Reynolds went on to be a London traffic safety officer.

  1. ^ Mrs. Teresa Main, wife of Montague S. Main, in Barnet, Hertfordshire; 1939 England and Wales Register
  2. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837–1915
  3. ^ 1911 England Census
  4. ^ 1901 England Census