WHEELING
(a new and exciting game for cyclists)
J. Jacques & Son, London, 1896

This is one of the old all-time classic English games. The date of the game (1896) comes from Dan Gindling's "Bicycle Collectibles", though Caroline Goodfellow vaguely adscribes it to the first decade of the XXth century (see bibliography here).

As you can see, there are at least two different editions. The one on the right has chess and halma boards on the back.

 Both boards are by J. Jacques & Son, but the printing is finer on the game on the left.

There are also two slightly different versions of the rules (see below).

 

 

The game represents a race from London to the Anchor's pub at Ripley.

In case you did not know, "Ripley is a village in Surrey, which grew on the main A3 road from London to Portsmouth. [...] In the 1870s cycling also became a popular activity in the South of England and Ripley was a convenient distance from London so that many cyclists would stop there for a break at the Anchor Inn. Sisters Annie and Harriet Dibble encouraged the cyclists so much that, in some years in the following decade, their visitors book was signed with over 7000 names - all arriving on penny-farthings or boneshakers." (That was from the Wikipedia)

Or else, "Ripley was once a mecca for cyclists long before the motorist took over.  It was far enough down the old Portsmouth Road for Londoners to be able to ride out, have tea and then return home.  The 'Dibble' sisters dispensed tea for the cyclists and became so popular in their lifetime that when they died cyclists clubbed together and paid for a stained glass window in their memory to be placed in the parish church.   Annie and Harriet Dibble were kindly churchgoing souls who ran the Anchor Inn.  It was twenty five miles from the centre of London and the sisters knew exactly how to cater for ravenous cyclists.  Annie died in July 1956 and Harriet fifteen months later..... with them so did an era." (I found this information here)

 

Differences between the two boards: the printing is coarser on the game with the Halma/Chess boards on the back (right)

I got the lead riders with the chess/halma-backed board.

Neil Bloomfield was kind enough to send this picture of the rules.

Although not all the words are readable in the picture, specially where the paper folds, Neil has helped to fill in the blanks:

 

Each player is provided with a bicyclist, which can only be entered by the player throwing either of the numbers, 1, 3 or 6, with one dice. He can then pump up his tyres and start.

After the start the moves shall be according to the numbers thrown by the two dice.

The player first reaching "The Anchor" Inn at Ripley (No. 100) wins the game.

The bicyclists may pass one another during a move, and may remain on the same square at the end of a move.

Bicyclists compelled to walk play with one dice only.

A player playing into the squares 9, 10, 15, 18 or 20, must for each such receive a card bearing the name or names of the articles represented thereon, and which he will require later in the game.

At 23 the player must walk down the hill to 34 unless he plays on to 29 , when he can by "coasting", place himself at once on 34

If he is not walking down, and gets on to 32, he must walk on to 52 to get his machine mended.

At No. 26 unless provided with a pneumatic outfit, he must go back to No. 20 and get one.

At No. 36 unless provided with a lamp ticket, he must go back to No. 15 and get one.

At No. 38, if the player has a bell or whistle ticket, he can proceed, but if not he must go back to 9 and fetch one.

At each oil can move on five more.

At 44 and 45 (road up), unless provided with a pneumatic outfit, the player must return to 18. If he has a ticket he waits one turn to mend his tyres and proceeds.

At 48 the player must wait one turn to raise his seat.

At 55, unless the player has a bell or whistle ticket, and can pass the cart safely, he experiences a side slip and must go back to the cottage 52, wait one turn and get dry.

At 57 he must go back to 52 for a key of the gate.

At 65, if without a lamp ticket, he must walk until he gets past the next policeman.

At 69 or 79 (road up), unless he has a pneumatic outfit he must walk the rest of the way. If he has, he waits one turn to mend his tyres and proceeds.

At 77, unless provided with a bell or whistle, the player has a collision and must walk the rest of the way.

At 82, if without a lamp ticket, the player must walk the rest of the way.

At 90 the player smashes his machine and has to retire from the game.
 

 

Later I got this other version of the rules (with the Halma/Chess-backed board). There ara a couple of interesting differences in the first two paragraphs:

(a) To enter the game, a player must throw a six with one die (instead of "1, 3 or 6")

(b) the second sentence reads "The moves shall be according to the numbers thrown by the dice or teetotum". 

The fact that you enter the game more easily (three chances out of six instead of one) may look more modern (or just more sensible), but I do not think it proves anything, while the very Victorian teetotum reference makes me think that this version of the rules is older. 

 

 

 

Bell-Whistle, Lamp and Pneumatic Outfit

 

 

Here are a couple of found pictures with some elements I do not have: the box and some more lead riders.

   

 

Compare this game to  J.W.S&S' Cycling.

 

 

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