Dear Reader, this week I’m beyond thrilled to offer a guest Karl Chronicle by no other than Mr. Wim Daniëls (Not familiar with Wim? then start with Chronicle #84.)
Albert Sutherland Royaards, born in 1855, was the first Dutchman who made long duration road trips aboard a bicycle. He was deaf since his childhood as a result of meningitis. He went to a school for deaf children and later studied at a horticultural school. He became a successful botanist in the north of The Netherlands and founded the magazine Floralia and two other magazines. Besides, he was an active sportsman in gymnastics, swimming, pigeon sports and dog sports. And he liked writing about flora and fauna, but he also wrote a few short stories and some articles in newspapers about the poor situation of many deaf people. He was very active, on different levels, in different affairs.
In 1891 – Albert married and subsequently became a father to three children. Then suddenly he sold his garden centre and moved with his family to Amsterdam.
In 1895 he met German cyclist Heinrich Horstmann, who at that moment was about to embark on a bicycle tour through Europe and the USA. Albert was inspired by Horstmann, and Horstmann may have challenged him, suggesting that “a deaf man can never do what I am doing.”
Later that same year, in August 1895 Albert left on a famous Dutch bike, a Burgers, with the intention to cycle to Russia. He left without any money and planned to earn money on his way. Some other world cyclists from other countries started their trip in that era with the same challenge.
In 1895 it was merely ten years after bicycles were equipped with a chain and the bicycle wheels had pneumatic tyres. Before that, the pedals had been positioned on the front wheel, that was much larger than the back wheel. Fortunately for Albert, all that changed in 1885.
Albert biked first to Germany. He was welcomed there by several organisations for the deaf. But when he entered the Russian Empire, there were a lot of difficulties with customs officers and bandits. Albert sometimes needed to show and use one of the guns he had with him. At that time, all world cyclists had guns with them.
Newspapers and magazines in The Netherlands wrote very often about the adventures of Albert Sutherland Royaards, mostly under the headline ‘The deaf-and-dumb cyclist’. It should be noted Albert was never mute. The articles were based on letters Albert sent home.
He returned after half a year and said he never would make such a bicycle trip again because it was too exhausting. But a good year later, he set off for a bicycle trip to Jerusalem, which took him 18 months. It was a trip that would be good for a movie or a documentary. Maybe I will make that documentary about that deaf man whose adventures caused so much buzz.
But for now, there is first (in November) my book about Albert Sutherland Royaards. It’s a biography, titled Het wonderbaarlijke verhaal van een stille avonturier (‘The Miraculous Story of a Silent Adventurer’). It will be published only in the Dutch language.
Book Link: https://www.alfabetuitgevers.nl/boek/het-wonderbaarlijke-verhaal-van-de-stille-avonturier/
Wim’s Website: https://www.wimdaniels.nl/
So there you have it, within four years of one another, Albert and Karl were cycling in foreign lands, and 120 years later, that similar endeavour connected me with Wim. I routinely thank Karl for leading me to new and unfamiliar places and connecting me with people I wouldn't otherwise have met. Meeting Wim and learning about Albert is undoubtedly one of those highlights.
Next week dear reader, we will be back to our regular Karl Chronicles, but if you’ve fallen behind, click here to get caught up Karl Chronicles.