George and Joseph Hopewell

I hope you’ll find this article and the attached photo of George Hopewell interesting. Prior to World War II, George was the foreman at ‘A & C Sports’ Cycle Manufacturers of Mansfield who also later employed his brother Joseph, who was also a member of the Mansfield Wheelers Cycling Club. At that time George designed and built a very special racing cycle with a lightened frame and a high ’bottom bracket’ to enable him to continue pedalling, even when leaning steeply into corners. It was said to have had ‘bamboo’ wheels to add to its lightness. The cycle was stolen one day when George, and the rest of the Mansfield Wheelers Cycling Club, were on an outing in Derbyshire. Joseph was a champion swimmer as shown in the 2nd photo