Page 24 - Jigsaw February 2020

Glance at the past.......................................................................................
Our great running history, Eric Franklin tells of sporting heroes
Between 1907 and 1914, Thrapston Harriers were one of the best-known running clubs in the land, competing on equal terms with the
likes of South London, Small Heath and Birchfield
Harriers. Between the club’s formation in December 1906 and the beginning of the Great War in 1914, members won regional and national titles; represented their country in international matches; and two of them competed in the Olympics and returned home with medals. The club’s reputation was aptly summed up in a newspaper article in 1912:
“For its size the little market town of Thrapston, in Northamptonshire, holds a remarkable position in the world of athletics. The foster-parent of the town’s athletes is the Thrapston and District Athletic Club.
For a great number of years the club has promoted one of the most successful meetings in the Midlands, but it was not until it developed a harriers section that the club became known beyond its native county”.
As well as runners, the club also had
champion cyclists. One member was an international skating champion and Olympian (Walter Dix) and they even had an honorary member, Mr. W. M. Plevins, who held the world record for fly-casting, an honour he achieved in Central Park, New York in 1908.
The two Olympians were William “Buff” Coales – London 1908 – gold medal in the men’s three-mile team race and Fred Hibbins – Stockholm 1912 – bronze medal in the men’s team cross-country race.
During the pre-World War 1 period the Thrapston team included many local runners. Some of the more successful medal winners were; C. Booth; W. Broughton; C.B. Church; W. Coales; A. Cunnington; T. Fellowes; T. Gilbert; J. Glover; J. Headland; W.T. Hudson; J.J. Kimble; H.B. Peasgood; G. Thompson; and C. Waite. In all, 93 men are recorded as having competed in at least one competition, local, regional, national or international.
The Great War had a profound effect on all parts of the country and the Harriers were no exception, at least three members being killed in action; Horace Dingley (Machine Gun Corps); Richard Templeman (Northamptonshire Regiment); and Jack
The above picture was taken in 1912 and produced locally as a postcard. Fred Hibbins is in the front row, third from the left wearing both his Olympic and international badges. (EDF Collection).
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