Tommy Godwin (cyclist, born 1920)
English racing cyclist (1920–2012)
Thomas Charles Godwin (5 November 1920 – 3 November 2012) was a British track cyclist, active during the 1940s and 1950s. He held national records and raced abroad. He later became a coach, manager, and administrator.
In 2010 he was selected as an ambassador for the 2012 London Olympics. In 2012, aged 91, he was selected to take part in the Olympic torch relay, carrying it through Solihull.
Origins
Godwin was born in Connecticut, United States to British parents in 1920. The family returned to Britain in 1932. His first bicycle was a Wrenson's delivery bike which he used to run errands for a local grocer. He
became interested in cycling because of the 1936 Summer Olympics. Arie van Vliet's riding in the 1,000-metre time-trial inspired him; British amateur champion W. W. Maxfield was also an early hero.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Tommy Godwin (cyclist, born 1920)” as english racing cyclist (1920–2012). Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the general reference register because the source frames it as english racing cyclist (1920–2012). Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 13, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q284856. VIAF identifies the subject as 107430460. The Library of Congress control number is no2010025743. 3 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1920, 2012, 2010 and 1932.
The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Tommy Godwin (cyclist, born 1920)”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Tommy Godwin (cyclist, born 1920) primary sources, Tommy Godwin (cyclist, born 1920) archive and Tommy research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Tommy Godwin (cyclist, born 1920)”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Tommy Godwin (cyclist, born 1920)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.