Beryl Burton (12 May 1937 – 8 May 1996) was an English racing cyclist and arguably one of Britain's greatest ever sportspersons. May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... May 8 is the 128th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (129th in leap years). ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the British Isles Languages English (de facto) Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked 1st UK 50. ... A cyclist is a person who engages in cycling whether as a sport or rides a bicycle for recreation or transportation. ...

She dominated women’s cycle racing in the UK, winning more than 90 UK championships and seven world titles, despite being an international star in the days before women’s cycling warranted major media coverage let alone participation in the Olympic games (achieved in 1988). 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

First success

Burton was born Beryl Charnock in Leeds, West Yorkshire and lived there throughout her life, racing for Morley Cycling Club. She was introduced to cycling through her husband, Charlie, who she married in 1955. Two years later, she took her first national medal, a silver in the national 100-mile individual time trial championship, and before the decade was out was also competing internationally. Leeds is a city in the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds in West Yorkshire in the north of England. ... West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in England, corresponding roughly to the core of the West Riding of the traditional county of Yorkshire. ... Morleys Coat of Arms Morley is a town in the county of Yorkshire (since 1974, West Yorkshire), England, in Leeds Metropolitan Borough and is situated 5 miles south-west of Leeds City Centre , with a population of roughly 50,000. ... A cycling club is a club or society formed by and for cyclists, and is usually focused in a particular geographic location, perhaps a region, town or city suburb (though there are some national cycling clubs, such as the United Kingdoms Cyclists Touring Club). ... 1955 (MCMLV in Roman) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... An Individual Time Trial (ITT) is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock (in French: contre la montre - literally against the watch). There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials (TTT). ...

International honours

Burton won the women’s world road race championship twice (1960 and 1967) and was runner-up in 1961. On the track, she specialised in the individual pursuit discipline, winning world championship medals almost every year across three decades. She was world champion five times (1959, 1960, 1962, 1963 and 1966), silver-medallist three times (1961, 1964 and 1968), and won bronze in 1967, 1970 and 1973. 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... In track cycling, the individual pursuit is an event where two cyclists begin their race from a stationary position (nowadays held by gates, in the past, riders were supported by track officials until the starting gun fired) on opposite sides of the track. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... For the Nintendo 64 emulator, see 1964 (Emulator). ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1973 calendar). ...

Domestic domination

In domestic time trial competition, Burton was almost unbeatable in women’s competitions. She won the Road Time Trials Council’s British Best All-Rounder Competition for 25 consecutive years from 1959 to 1983. In total, she also won 72 national individual time trial titles; she won four at 10 miles (the championship was only inaugurated in 1978), 26 at 25 miles, 24 at 50 miles and 18 at 100 miles. She also won a further 21 national titles in road racing and on the track: nine road race championships, and 12 pursuit titles. In many racing sports an athlete (or occasionally a team of athletes) will compete in a time trial against the clock to secure the fastest time. ... Cycling Time Trials is the British bicycle racing organisation which supervises individual and team time trials in the UK. It took over the work of the Road Time Trials Council in 2002. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ...

Record-breaker

In 1967, she set a new 12-hour time trial record of 277.25 miles – a mark that also surpassed the men’s record of the time by 5.75 miles. She also set about 50 new national records at 10, 15, 25, 30, 50 and 100-mile distances; her final 10, 25 and 50-mile records each lasted 20 years before being broken, and her 12-hour record still stands today. Her prowess led to the rare distinction, for a woman, of an invitation to compete in the Grand Prix des Nations in 1967. 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Grand Prix des Nations was an individual time trial (a race against the clock or contre la montre) for Europes leading professional racing cyclists. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Legacy

Her daughter, Denise, was also a top woman cyclist (winning a bronze in the 1975 world individual pursuit championship). Mother and daughter were both selected to represent Great Britain in the 1972 world championships. 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ...

Official British recognition of her sporting achievements included an MBE in 1964 and an OBE in 1968. Burton also won UK cycling's top accolade, the prestigious Bidlake Memorial Prize, a record three times, in 1959, 1960 and 1967. Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions, in decreasing order of seniority: Knight or Dame Grand... Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions, in decreasing order of seniority: Knight or Dame Grand... Frederick Thomas Bidlake (1867 – 17 September 1933) was a notable English racing cyclist of the late 19th century who subsequently became one of the most notable administrators of British road bicycle racing during the early years of the 20th century. ...

Burton died of heart failure during a training ride shortly before her 59th birthday.

A memorial garden has been established in her home town of Morley. Morley Cycling Club also donated a trophy (previously won 20 times by Burton) to the RTTC for a special Champion of Champions competition for women of all ages: The Beryl Burton trophy.