View source for Ernie Mills (cyclist)

{{Short description|English cyclist (1913–1972)}}
{{other people|Ernie Mills}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2014}}
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox cyclist
| name = Ernest Mills
| image =
| fullname = Ernest Victor Mills
| nickname = ''Ernie''
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1913|4|10}}
| birth_place = [[Croydon]], [[England]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1972|10|10|1913|4|10|df=y}}<ref name="Olympedia">{{Olympedia|15675}}</ref>
| death_place =
| height =
| weight =
| currentteam =
| discipline =
| role =
| ridertype =
| amateuryears1 = circa 1930-1939
| amateurteam1 = Addiscombe Cycle Club
| proyears1 =
| proteam1 =
| majorwins =
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's [[cycling (sport)|cycling]]}}
{{MedalCountry |  {{GBR}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Cycling at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalBronze| [[1936 Summer Olympics|1936 Berlin]] | [[Cycling at the 1936 Summer Olympics|Team Pursuit]]}}
| show-medals = yes
}}
'''Ernest Victor Mills''' (10 April 1913 &ndash; 10 October 1972), commonly known as '''Ernie Mills''', was an English amateur cyclist who, with his teammate [[Bill Paul (cyclist)|Bill Paul]], set the British 12-hour record on a [[Tandem bicycle|tandem]] in 1934 and re-established it in 1936 with a 'world's best performance'. In 1937, in Italy, they set the world one-hour tandem record which stood for 63 years until September 2000.<ref name="Bike Magic"/><ref name="BBC 1 hour"/><ref name="ManVelo"/> The [[Addiscombe]] Cycle Club teammates set 20 world and British records at both short and long distances.<ref name="Bike Magic"/><ref name="Gold Mills&Paul"/>
Mills represented Great Britain at the [[1936 Summer Olympic Games]] in [[Berlin]] and won a bronze medal in the [[Cycling at the 1936 Summer Olympics|Team Pursuit]].<ref name="SportRef">[https://web.archive.org/web/20200418003338/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mi/ernie-mills-1.html Sports Reference, Ernie Mills]</ref> At the 1938 [[Commonwealth Games|British Empire Games]] in [[Sydney]] Australia, he won a bronze medal in the 1,000 metre Time-Trial<ref name="SportRef"/><ref name="Empire"/>
In 1937 ''[[Cycling Weekly]]'' jointly awarded him and Bill Paul their own page in the [[Golden Book of Cycling]].<ref name="Gold Mills&Paul"/>
==Personal life==
Mills lived in the Addiscombe area near [[Croydon]], London.<ref name="Bike Magic"/>
==Career==
In 1934 Mills was paired with his teammate, [[Bill Paul (cyclist)|William George (Bill) Paul]], ('[[Tandem bicycle#Terminology|stoker]]') (1910 - 29 January 2003) also from the Addiscombe Cycle Club in Croydon. Initially they had been on opposing tandem teams but together they covered over 30 miles in one hour in 1936 and won a 10-minute pursuit race in less than four minutes.<ref name="BBC 1 hour">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/185129.stm |title=Bill Paul plans new attempt on record |publisher=BBC News |date=2 October 1998 |accessdate=11 March 2011}}</ref>
Together they set the British 12-hour tandem record in 1934, and, after losing it in 1936 to both  G.A.Birtchnell and C.G.Taylor, and later C.C.Melhuish and H.G.Chapman, Mills and Paul then retook the record in September 1936 with a 'world's best performance'.<ref name="Gold Mills&Paul"/>
In 1936 Mills and Paul set a British record for a 30-mile ride on a tandem, covering the distance in 1 hour 5 minutes 3 seconds.<ref name="Bike Magic">{{cite web |url=http://www.bikemagic.com/event-news/british-world-hour-record-holder-dies/3148.html#ixzz1FHdVrs2o |title=Bike Magic, British World Hour Record holder dies |publisher=Bikemagic.com |date=30 January 2003 |accessdate=11 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707235445/http://www.bikemagic.com/event-news/british-world-hour-record-holder-dies/3148.html#ixzz1FHdVrs2o |archivedate=7 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="Gold Mills&Paul"/>
He represented Great Britain at the [[1936 Summer Olympic Games]] in [[Berlin]], and won a bronze medal in the [[Cycling at the 1936 Summer Olympics|Team Pursuit]] along with his colleagues [[Harry Hill (cyclist)|Harry Hill]], [[Ernest Johnson (cyclist)|Ernest Johnson]] and [[Charles King (cyclist)|Charles King]].<ref name="SportRef"/>
In 1937 Mills and Paul set the 'World Tandem Hour Record', 31.06 miles (49.991&nbsp;km), at the [[Velodromo Vigorelli]] (Velodromo Comunale Vigorelli) track in [[Milan]] owned by 'Vigorelli Cycles'. The trip had been funded by readers of ''[[Cycling Weekly|Cycling]]'' magazine.<ref name="Bike Magic"/><ref name="BBC 1 hour"/> This record stood until Sept 23rd 2000 at Manchester Velodrome when it was beaten by Simon Keeton and Jon Rickard of Rutland Cycling Club.<ref name="ManVelo">{{cite web|url=http://www.manchestervelodrome.com/static_info/records_newin.htm |title=Manchester Velodrome, Records, 1 hour Tandem |publisher=Manchestervelodrome.com |accessdate=11 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517185556/http://www.manchestervelodrome.com/static_info/records_newin.htm |archivedate=17 May 2011 }}</ref><ref name="NatCyc">{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalcyclingcentre.com/records.html |title=Records - 1 hour Tandem |publisher=National Cycle Centre |accessdate=11 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204090822/http://www.nationalcyclingcentre.com/records.html |archivedate= 4 December 2010 }}</ref><ref name="Addiscombe Tandem">{{cite web|author=|url=http://agreeabledigest.typepad.com/agreeabledigest/2009/05/1937-all-that.html |title=1937 & all that. Addiscombe Tandem World Hour Record, The Second Fastest Tandem in the World, Ernie Mills & Bill Paul, |publisher=Addiscombe CC |date=11 May 2009 |accessdate=11 March 2011}}</ref>
Mills represented England at the 1938 [[Commonwealth Games|British Empire Games]] in [[Sydney]] Australia, where he won a bronze medal in the 1,000 metre Time-Trial behind the Australians Bob Porter and Tasman Johnson.<ref name="Empire">[http://www.gbrathletics.com/commonwealth/cycling.htm GB Athletics, Commonwealth Games, Cycling]</ref> He finished fourth in the road race and also competed in 10 miles scratch event.<ref name="SportRef"/>
As of 2011 Mills and Paul's 1938 100-mile tandem record at Addiscombe Cycle Club of still stands.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.addiscombe.org/time-trials/club-records/ |title=Time trial records |publisher=Addiscombe CC |date= |accessdate=11 March 2011}}</ref>
==Commemoration==
===Addiscombe Cycle Club===
Mills is commemorated every year at Addiscombe C.C. by an array of awards presented in his name  for all sporting categories, road, track, ladies, juniors and the open time trial.<ref name="Addis"/>
* Open Events Trophy, E.V.Mills Memorial Trophy donated by Club subscription and awarded to the winner of the club's Open 25 miles time trial.<ref name="Addis">[http://www.addiscombe.org/members/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=102696 Addiscombe CC, Virtual Trophy room, Ernie Mills]</ref> Currently held by Peter Tadros of InGear Quickvit Trainsharp
* Time Trial Trophy, E.V.Mills Racing Fund Trophy presented by Ernie Mills and awarded to the member who attains the runner-up position in the Club Championship table.<ref name="Addis"/>
* Track Trophy, Sprint Championship Trophy presented by Ernie Mills for the winner of the club's Sprint Championship.<ref name="Addis"/> Currently held by Steve Broomfield of Addiscombe CC
* Junior Path Trophy, presented by Ernie Mills and awarded to the Junior recording the best track performance.<ref name="Addis"/> Currently held by Thomas Hawkes of Addiscombe CC
* Ladies Sprint Championship, presented by Ernie Mills and awarded to the winner of the club's Ladies Sprint Championship.<ref name="Addis"/>
===The Golden Book===
Mills & Paul's achievements were celebrated in 1937 when [[Cycling Weekly]] awarded them their own page in the [[Golden Book of Cycling]].<ref name="Gold Mills&Paul">{{cite web|url=http://www.thepedalclub.org/archives/goldenbook/k-o/Mills&Paul.html |title=The Golden Book of Cycling - Mills & Paul, 1937. Archive maintained by 'The Pedal Club' |publisher=Thepedalclub.org |accessdate=11 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728104011/http://www.thepedalclub.org/archives/goldenbook/k-o/Mills%26Paul.html |archivedate=28 July 2011 }}</ref>
===Cigarette cards===
In 1939 Mills and Paul's efforts were celebrated nationally when [[John Player & Sons]] issued a [[Cigarette card]] of them on their tandem.  In a series of 50 cards called ''Cycling 1839-1939'', they were featured on [[:File:Players cigarette card of Mills and Paul on Tandem - "Cycling" .png|card no.45]] titled ''Tandem track position''.
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005152930/http://www.norwoodparagon.co.uk/History_Year/1937.pdf |date=5 October 2011 |title=Norwood Paragon C.C. Records and Results - 1937 }}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005153000/http://www.norwoodparagon.co.uk/History_Year/1938.pdf |date=5 October 2011 |title=Norwood Paragon C.C. Records and Results - 1938 }}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005152835/http://www.norwoodparagon.co.uk/History_Year/1939.pdf |date=5 October 2011 |title=Norwood Paragon C.C. Records and Results - 1939 }}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005152835/http://www.norwoodparagon.co.uk/History_Year/1939.pdf |date=5 October 2011 |title=Norwood Paragon C.C. Records and Results - 1940 }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mills, Ernest}}
[[Category:1913 births]]
[[Category:1972 deaths]]
[[Category:English male cyclists]]
[[Category:British male cyclists]]
[[Category:People from Croydon]]
[[Category:Cyclists from the London Borough of Croydon]]
[[Category:Olympic cyclists for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Cyclists at the 1936 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medallists for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Olympic medalists in cycling]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1936 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in cycling]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for England]]
[[Category:Cyclists at the 1938 British Empire Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1938 British Empire Games]]
[[Category:20th-century English sportsmen]]