29 October 2022

First woman to bicycle around the world? Annie Kopchovsky Londonderry


Annie Kopchovsky, 1894
Her bloomers were soon adopted by most female cyclists
Credit: We Love Cycling

Annie Cohen (1870-1947) was born in Riga Latvia to Leib and Basha Cohen. Her entire family moved to the USA in 1875, settling in Boston. In 1887, her father died first and then her mother. Her older sister Sarah was already married, leaving teens Annie and her brother Bennett to take care of their younger siblings.

In 1888 adolescent Annie Cohen married Simon Kopchovsky, a ped­d­ler. They had three children in the next four years: Bertha Malkie, Libbie and Simon. Her brother Bennett married, and they had two child­ren. Simon was a devout Orthodox Jew who studied.. while Annie sold advertising space for daily Boston newspapers.

In 1894 two Boston business men bet that no woman could beat the record for cycling around the world; probably the two Boston men were savvy marketing staff from Columbia Bicycles. In any case the first man to do it, Thomas Stevens, had set the record (32 months) 10 years earl­ier. If any woman succeeded in the challenge, she’d win $10,000. 

Annie had two brief cycling lessons in the days before the chall­enge, and was given a women’s Columbia safety cycle. In June 1894, she stood before a crowd of 500 vocal support­ers in Boston Mass, to circumnavigate the world on a bicycle. That a woman was leaving her husb­and and 3 children to fend for themselves, while she took off around the world on a bike ALONE, was a radical feat then.

Before departing she needed money to get on her way; she set off with only a change of clothes and a pearl-handled rev­ol­ver. Annie had arranged for the spring water company Londonderry Lithia to sponsor her, handing over $100 in front of the crowd in exchange for an advertising plaque on her cycle – and the require­ment that she change her name, thus Annie Londonderry was born! She made money through advertising, with influence from Colonel Albert Pope, who owned the Sterling Bicycles Company that made the Columbia bike she first set off on. Annie attached posters and banners to her bicycle to advertise various companies.

The first part of Annie’s journey, cycling across the USA, proved to be more of a challenge than she had expected. In fact she came very close to giving up when she reached Chicago. Her women’s bicycle was desperately heavy and cycling in the full-skirted dress of the time was restrictive and exhausting. At this stage of her journey Annie made two very wise decisions: 1] losing the skirt and petticoats in favour of bloom­ers and 2] ditching the woman’s bike for a considerably lighter men’s one.

Clearly clothing was important. She made the move from skirts to bloomers to a man’s suit during the course of her journey, slow­ly becoming more of an affront to those who thought the sight of a woman cycling was uncouth. Furthermore, many people feared that wom­en straddling a moving saddle would lead to arousal.

Londonderry Lithia Water ad, 1906
flickr.com

She visited Chicago, New York, Paris, Marseilles, Alexandria, Jer­usalem and Yemen, across to Colombo, Singapore, Sai­g­on, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Japan. She coll­ect­ed signatures from the Amer­ican consuls in each place she passed through to prove she had been there. She also sold signed photos and gave lectures for a fee!

Annie loved creating stories for the press. She variously told them she was an orphan, wealthy heiress, medical student or a law student, and told stories about her jour­ney which were full of danger! But her stories, however fabricated, sold and helped to raise Annie’s celebrity.

There were also questions about how much of her journey she was ac­t­ually on her bike; she certainly completed some stretches on boats and trains! But she did a con­siderable amount of cycling, even riding on, after an accident where she broke her wrist or when the bike had a puncture.

Map of Annie’s travels
by her great-grandnephew Peter Zheutlin

In March 1895 she returned to America, landing in San Franc­isco. She cycled her way home, finally arriving triumphantly in Boston in Sept, almost 15 months to the day after leaving. Annie moved with her family to New York, where for months she wrote up her ad­ventures for the New York World, in a column called The New Woman. “I am a journal­ist and a new woman, if that term means that I believe I can do anything that any man can do.”

Annie Kopchovsky returned to full time family life and died in 1947.

Conclusion
Until 1894, there had been no female sport stars, no product en­dorse­ments and no young mothers reinventing themselves on wheels.  So Annie Kopchovsky became famous for having cycled around the world between 1894-5, on a trip that was presumably conceived as a vehicle for Annie’s own self-promotion and for advent­ure. She was an incredible woman who used a bicycle as a vehicle by which to make a statement to the world about what women are capable of. Her trip overlapped with an explosion of interest in bicycling and there was a special connection with the Women’s Movement. The bicycle offered women freedom and independence.

See Around The World On Two Wheels by Peter Zheutlin; Adventure Journal and Chasing Annie.




40 comments:

Train Man said...

Brave woman. We go to exotic places all the time, but never alone and never by flimsy transport.

Hels said...

Train Man

I agree with you totally about not travelling alone, even in times without wars, epidemics, removal of women off the streets, bush fires, floods etc etc.

But I am not certain about how much Annie Kopchovsky rode her bike around the world and how much time she travelled on boats and trains. The map suggests that except for North Africa, Western Europe and Eastern USA, Annie was going from port to port by sea. I shall add the Peter Zheutlin map instead for more clarity.

Andrew said...

It seems she was very good at self promotion and regardless of her riding achievement or using other means of travel, she deserves the accolades for gathering sponsorship and whatever else she did on her own. Maybe women can be aroused by a bicycle seat and good on them if they are.

Hels said...

Andrew

I hadn't thought about advertising in the 1890s, especially by a young, unknown mum who sold space in Boston newspapers for a living. But she understood that $10,000 was a truckload of money that could save her struggling family. She maximised Columbia Bicycles' contribution and the sponsorship of spring water company Londonderry Lithia appeared everywhere. Her additional surname, added for the duration of the trip, was brilliant.

Even overseas, she handed out signs and posters to the people waiting to greet her :)

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Hels - Amazing lady ... and an interesting story, even with only some of the journey on her bike ... I'd never heard of her - but advertising was her thing obviously - brave lady too - cheers Hilary

DUTA said...

I like this sort of tile starting with " first woman to...
It seems Annie Kopchovsky was good at both: riding a bicycle and self-publicity. Moreover, she was of jewish descent!

Hels said...

Hilary

for a teenage girl who married and had 3 babies under 4, Annie Kopchovsky must have been ambitious, adventurous and very brave.

I should have asked my parents why in the 1950s, they gave a bike to each of my brothers bikes but not to me.

Hels said...

DUTA

Latvian, Jewish herself and married to an Orthodox man, Annie must have felt an urgent need to make a good life for herself and her family in the New World. Ambition seemed to have been typical of many migrant families, but Annie had the support of outsiders which made all the difference.

Rachel Phillips said...

That is an incredible story. What an amazing lady. Very brave. I have never heard of her before.

Fashion History Museum said...

In 1851, American Amelia Bloomer published an article in her newspaper The Lily calling for dress reform - calf-length skirts over full cut ‘Turkish trousers’. The full-cut trousers, which received some acceptance and lots of ridicule, became known as ‘bloomers’ and was soon used to describe divided underpants, as well as a costume in wool worn for exercise. With a better understanding of the connection between exercise and health, many women took up sports activities during the 19th century including bicycling.

Fashion History Museum, Ontario

Hels said...

Rachel

I knew all about bloomers, invented in 1850 as a combination of skirt and trousers, and named for American Amelia Jenks Bloomer (died 1894). Amelia started a revolution in wom­en’s cl­othing, probably creating more antagonism than support in those early decades. But I was fascinated by Annie Kopchovsky being warmly admired for her clothes and her athleticism, only a few decades later. Annie's incredible successes, as I found out, came just at the right time.

Hels said...

Fashion History Museum

Many thanks for your post "The Bicycle Bloomer Brouhaha of the 1890s". I will create a link between our two posts, and will give you the model and date of your first photo: Annie Kopchovsky, 1894 :)

The bloomers made perfect sense over the decades when women started taking up sports, especially cycling where the legs were separated.

bazza said...

What a gal! And what a wonderful selection of surnames: Cohen, Kopchovsky, Londonderry! She seems to have been a real adventuress and, if she had been male, would probably be a household name today.
I think the Londonderry advertising poster is rather suggestive and wouldn't be seen today...
CLICK HERE for Bazza’s nervously nefarious Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

Hels said...

bazza

For someone who had had only two brief cycling lessons before she left home on The Chall­enge, Annie had enough confidence to travel in unknown countries and greet people in languages she didn't know. She might have been a real risk taker but thankfully she was given 1] a women’s Columbia safety cycle and later 2] a lighter men’s bike.

I hope her husband put in a good word for her every shabbas. Great athleticism may not have been enough for a young woman alone.

CherryPie said...

A fascinating tale of adventure. She was quite a Lady :-)

Hels said...

Cherry

I was full of admiration as well. When my babies were little, I was too tired to play one game of squash, let alone travelling the world and encouraging women's equality everywhere.

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Hels said...

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mem said...

wow what a lady . Maybe getting away from her studious husband and kids was the aim of the exercise ??? And all that arousal . What's not to like ?????

Hels said...

mem

agreed. Having 3 babies in 4 years would be exhausting.. even riding a bike through the Arctic would have seemed easier. But in any case, she loved the new people, new places, the new sport and independence.

My question remains however: How is it that even feminist historians had not heard of Annie Kopchovsky until recently?

Hasnain said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Australia Cite said...

Annie's story serves as a reminder that history is filled with unsung heroes, and it's important to uncover and celebrate their achievements. Thank you for shedding light on the remarkable life of Annie Kopchovsky Londonderry and her groundbreaking bicycle journey around the world.

Hels said...

Australia Cite

and not just an unsung hero! But think of the near impossibility of her achievement.

I might theoretically be able to dux my university, win a Nobel Prize or publish quality books, but I could never, ever, EVER go on an amazing bicycle journey around the world.

Hels said...

Hasnain

thanks for reading the post. But no advertising please.

Sophie @Day in Australia said...

Your blog post about Annie Kopchovsky Londonderry, the first woman to bicycle around the world, is a fascinating journey through history. Her determination and pioneering spirit are truly inspiring. I'd love to read more about her adventures and the challenges she faced during her incredible journey. Thanks for shedding light on this remarkable woman and her groundbreaking achievement.

SilaFit said...

This blog is a fascinating dive into history, exploring the incredible journey of Annie Kopchovsky Londonderry, the first woman to bicycle around the world. Her adventurous spirit and determination are truly inspiring! 🚴‍♀️🌍 #Trailblazer #AnnieKopchovskyLondonderry

Hels said...

Sophie and SilaFit

I think that into the 20th century, people of both sexes started to realise that women could possibly hold down jobs, vote responsibly and drive safely. But even late in the 19th century, the power of women to make their own life decisions seemed improbable. So Annie was quite a trail blazer in the 1890s.

Aussie Places said...

Such an inspiring read! Learning about the first woman to bicycle around is a reminder of the incredible trailblazers who paved the way for women in sports and adventure. Her courage and determination must have been remarkable. It's stories like these that motivate us to break barriers and embrace new challenges. Kudos to her for being a true pioneer!

Hels said...

Aussie Places

a trail blazer, yes, and a bit of a risk taker as well. She left her husband and young children alone for 15 months, which most women would think twice about. And she travelled alone to a wide range of cities about which she may have known very little. Money must have also been an issue.

Home Point said...

What an inspiring story!Londonderry's journey as the first woman to bicycle around the world is truly remarkable. Her courage and determination are a testament to breaking barriers and challenging societal norms. It's amazing to learn about trailblazers like her who paved the way for women in adventure and exploration. Cheers to Annie for her incredible feat and for being a source of inspiration for generations to come! 🚴‍♀️🌍

Hels said...

Home Point

I don't think I would EVER have been as brave, even though our generation is linked to safety via our telephones and computers. A real risk taker, albeit for admirable motives!

It reminds me of Billie Jean King who totally risked her reputation and income in order to break barriers for sportswomen.

Blinds Sunshine Coast said...

Wow, what an inspiring story! It's incredible to learn about the trailblazing women who have paved the way for future generations. Bicycling around the world is no small feat, and it's even more impressive to think about who was the first woman to achieve such a remarkable journey. Kudos to her for breaking barriers and proving that determination knows no gender. 🚴‍♀️

Hels said...

Blinds

very brave and very successful, yes indeed. My only fear is that young women today have never heard of Annie and so the trailblazing impact was not as clear and direct as we all hoped.

Shutters Sunshine Coast said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Priddy Roofing and Exteriors | Roofing Contractors Maryland said...

What an inspiring story! Learning about the first woman to bicycle around is a testament to the power of determination and breaking barriers. Imagine the courage it took to embark on such a journey at a time when societal norms were quite different. Thanks for sharing.



Hels said...

Priddy

Annie's achievements make us all feel a bit ordinary, don't they? Admittedly there was a handsome financial reward if she succeeded, but you could have given most people double the reward and they still wouldn't have left home on a bike. And she risked her reputation by wearing bloomers as well!

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Castoravon said...

I am just blown away by Annie Cohen Kopchovsky's tale; what a pioneer! It's astonishing to think of the difficulties she must have encountered in the late 1800s. The thought of her pedalling across new territory and challenging conventional norms is quite powerful.

Total Secure Technology said...

What a motivating book! Finding out about the first woman to ride a bicycle around serves as a reminder of the amazing pioneers who made it possible for women to participate in sports and adventure. Her bravery and tenacity had to have been extraordinary. Stories like this inspire us to overcome obstacles and take on new tasks. She deserves praise for being a real pioneer!

Hels said...

Total Secure

it must come as a surprise to many people that women were still gravely restricted when it came to sports, leisure activities and adventure. Even as recently as the middle 1890s. Annie Kopchovsky certainly showed the world what women could do!