“For six years a Northcote councillor and recognised as the leading historian of cycling in Australia, Mr. Carl A. A. Schwaebsch of Mitchell Street, Northcote has had a very interesting career.
“He was born in Northcote in 1865 and received his education at the Helen Street State School and Carlton College. His parents were amongst the pioneers of the city, having settled here in the year 1849. As a young man, Mr Schwaebsch was engaged in the jewellery trade for ten years, but in 1891 he established a cycling business in Collins Street, Melbourne.
“Ïn 1896, he became manager in turn of two of the leading city cycling businesses. Cycling has been a lifetime sport with him and he computes that he has toured more than 300,000 miles on them. With his first wife, he was a member off the first cycling touring party to cross the Alps. He was also prominent in track-trophies, riding both the high and safety types of machines.
“A noted cycling journalist, be compiled the first cycling road-map of Victoria in 1890. He has occupied many leading positions in the cycling world, amongst them being twice President of the Victorian Amateur Cycling Union; President of the Northcote Amateur Club; President of the Victorian Cycle Board of Trade and a past Vice-president of the Northcote Football Club.
“In the years 1911-17, Mr. Schwaebsch served as a member of the Northcote City Council. It was during this period that there was a great deal of controversy over a proposal to lay a tramway in St. George’s Road, and eventually Northcote agreed to co-operate with the adjoining municipalities to form a tramway trust with the object of laying down this tramway. There were some very long debates on the subject and Mr. Schwaebsch recalls that the Council decision to enter into the proposal was reached with a margin of just one vote, and that he moved the resolution. (more follows of a general Council nature, noted Schwaebsch was then living in retirement).
“Prominent Personalities”, commenced in the Leader July 30 1935
Carl Schwaebsch was known to his family as Adolph – the image courtesy of Darebin Heritage shows the Schwaebsch brothers: standing – Otto Atwell and Harry. Seated – Adolph, Edgar and Charles< /p>
