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The Official History of the IXth British Commonwealth Games was compiled and edited by Willie Carmichael  and M McIntyre Hood and was a very detailed account of the Games from conception to conclusion.   We have here extracts from the history and begin with Sir Herbert Brechin’s intrduction.   He was Lord Provost of Edinburgh at the time and had played a major part in the acquisition of the Games for Scotland.   He says:

“The Games in Scotland, within the ancient capital city of Edinburgh, have taken place and the 15 years of overall preparation have concluded in a spectacle of which the British Commonwealth of nations can be justly proud.   In a previous message I said ‘In all those arrangements we look forwrad to the 9th in the series of the Games being reckoned as being one of the most memorable in the series.

Many tens of thousands are now able to judge for themselves whether our hopes were fulfilled.   From the record number of counmtries participating, from the record number of competitors and officials taking part and from the wave of enthusiasm which pressed over the country, I am convinced that the IXth Games will long be remembered as one of themost successful of the series.  

The facilities provided, including the new modern Sports Centre at Meadowbank, and the advanced design of the new Commonwealth pool, allowed the competitors the fullest opportunity to participate and give of their best in their many skills.   A great measure of the success of the Games lay in the pleasure all had in seeing HRH the Queen, HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, HRH the Prince of Wales and HRH the Princess Anne so happy in their midst.   The Games were honoured in addition to the presence of the Royal Family by the way in which each participated.   It was the first occasion in which HRH the Queen was present in person and the first occasion when the Queen presented medals in several of the Victory Ceremonies.     Their obvious plesure and enjoyment during their visits quickly created that incomparable atmosphere which goes to create ‘The Friendly Games’, so aptly named by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh.

It would be impossible to detail completely all that was done to make the Games so memorable.   The meticulous care and precision which went into the organisation and ceremonial of the Games, and which characterised these Games, was the result of perfect team-work by possibly the largest-ever team which operated over the four years of detailed organisation prior to the event.   The British Government, the Local Authoprities of Scotland, the business houses in the commercial and industrial fields, the business people and individuals all combined in the accomplishment of this ideal.

The coming to Edinburgh and Scotland of so many thousands of people from so many countries of the world made the consummation of the final project possible by their presence.   They rejoiced with us, they inspired us, and they left behind a fragrance of memory and happy association which will always stand high in the traditions of Scotland.

Sir Herbert Brechin

KBE, OL, JP, D Litt, FRICS, FRSE

 As an example of the tasks that had to be addressed right at the start, extracts from pages 18 to 27 are copied below:

And so on with detailed instructions on the dates, venues and times of Royal visits to the many venues and events.

The Queen’s Park Football Club Sports had been one of the best meetings in Scottish athletics as well as one of the first, they would also be one of the best athletic spectacles of the 20’s and 30’s,  but there was a wee hiatus at the start of the twentieth century, for reasons to do with professionalism and corruption which are worthy of a separate page in their own right before the sports made their comeback in 1907.   On this page we take a look at the sports after they started up again using only the Glasgow Herald coverage.    Amateur athletics had been formally organised since 1883 with the founding of the SAAA and the first open athletics clubs appeared in 1885.   There was continual friction between the two codes – amateurism and professionalism.   There was no doubt about the corruption in professional athletics – and at times there was an overlap with prominent amateur athletes colluding with the pedestrians or even just emulating some of the worst practices.

The Glasgow Herald preview of the QPFC games in 1907 observed “Great changes have taken place in the Cathcart District since Queen’s Park last held sports.   The residential population must be triple what it was in 1900, and with the amateur sentiment pre-eminent there is no reason why the Queen’s gathering on Saturday should not be as well patronised as any ordinary football match.   It is no secret that there was a section of the mangement against holding sports, but on the other hand another section, perhaps the more progressive elements in committee, pointed out that the club, apart from fostering school football, did comparatively litle in promoting amateur sport, and in the long run it was agreed to revive what at one time was the most interesting function in the Scottish athletic season.   The Queen’s are hopeful of having among their entrants several distinguished athletes, and JW Morton who is having a short holiday in Scotland, may take part in the two sprints.”  

The sports took place on June 15th, 1907, and the report on them read as follows:

“QP SPORTS

If the revival of the Queen’s Park FC Sports failed to produce a renewal of public interest in amateur athletics the faultisnot theirs, for nothing finer in the way of competition has been seen at any city meeting this season.   As a matter of fact the racing all round was exceptionally interesting, and at the same time was characterised by a keenness which must have recalled to many the earlier athletic festivals of our leading club.   Amateur running has been largely cleansed of the excrescences which sullied it in the eyes of so many, and there is in the near future a beneficent career for this cult of athletics.   The Hampden track was sodden, yet for all that the “times” in some instances were fast, and with careful handling and a little judicious expenditure there is no reason why the Queen’s ground should not be the home of athletic records.    

  Local support would be pleased when PR Grant, an old Queen’s Park back, won the 100 yards in 10 3/5th off 8 yards, the handicap mile was won by AB Hepburn with John McGough a yard behind,  the schools relay was won by Allan Glen’s, the relay by Bellahouston Harriers.   Judges reckoned that on a dry track with a clear run, McGough’s time would have been worth 4:20.  The sports had returned and were a sporting success if not a financial one.

The QPFC Sports were held on 20th June 1908 and built upon those of the previous year,   The Glasgow Herald report read as follows:

“Hampden is a fast track.   This was made abundantly clear at the Queen’s Park Sports on Saturday.   And were the same care and expense lavished on it that are lavished with no stinted hand on other parts of this great enclosure, it might be the fastest path in Scotland.   Lieutenant Halswell placed an athletic record to the credit of Hampden on Saturday; in other words he invested new Hampden with the glory that circled old Hampden, as it was there that AR Downer rean 300 yards in 31 2/5th sec.   Halswell reduced this by a fifth of a second.   This looks rather mean in cold type, but its value is best measured by  the fact that Downer’s time has held the field since 1895.   That Halswell is a commanding personality in the athletic realm is now well known; he has given amateur pedestrianism a romanticism that it has not possessed since Downer was on the scene and it is the firm conviction of those who are versed in these matters that he will ere long gild his name with world’s record over the 300 and 440 yards distances.   Last Thursday at Parkhead he won the quarter invitation handicap in the West of Scotland Harriers in 49 4/5th sec, this coupled with his all-comers record on Saturday constitutes great work.”

“Another fine performance was J Fairbairn-Crawford’s half-mile in 1 min 58 1/5th sec which is a second worse than his record in the Irish International at Ibrox two seasons ago.   But in that race there was no one to interrupt his progress, whereas at Hampden he had to plough through a field of fifty.   The fact is that Crawford would have run the race of his life on Saturdy had he been permitted to move freely.   The race was won by Adam Turnbull (Clydesdale Harriers), 29 yards in 1 min 56 3/5th sec which is the finest display of running he has ever given  

“Then the mile was the fastest – 4 min 21 4/5th sec – that has been run in Scotland this season.  D Rutherford was the winner and , like Turnbull, he exhibited resources that few had credited him with.   John McGough was not seen at his best; as a matter of fact it was obvious to all that he was running under physical disabilities.   ….  There was some very fine sprinting in the 100 yards and 220 yards.   RC Duncan, a member of Queen’s Park, won the former from scratch in 10 2/5th sec, and the latter was captured by M Neilson, West of Scotland Harriers, 12 yards, in 22 4/5th secs.  

 The report was a bit longer and is worth reading,  but these were the main results from a well organised meeting which also contained cycle racing and finished by saying

“The Queen’s Park may not have made a princely sum off their meeting on Saturday but they have the satisfaction of knowing that they have given the cause of athletics a much-needed lift in public favour.”   The lack of a princely sum was maybe more significant than the report knew.

John McGough

Whatever the success of the 1908 meeting, 1909 turned out to be a disappointment – maybe for good reason.   The Glasgow Herald of 7th June 1909 carried the following note:   “Desirous that nothing should interfere with the success of the Australians visit to Partick Queen’s Park have abandoned their sports on June 19th.   A proposal to this effect was submitted by the sub-committee entrusted with the arrangements and needless to say the General Committee cordially assented.   Sports Meetings are everyday fare but cricket such as the Australians provide is a luxury.”    In the cricket match on the 19th, the Australians of course won easily but the event was a great success.   It is however a sign of the times that a football club would forego its athletic sports in favour of a cricket match.

Tom Jack

In contrast to the verdict in 1908, the report on the meeting of 18th June 1910 began:   “Hampden Park will not be complete until the cinder path is in better order than it was on Saturday.   Far too little attention has been given to this necessary and vital equipment but now that the Queen’s Park have come to recognise that it is part of their mission to foster amateur athletics it is just possible they will overhaul the track before another season comes round.”

As far as the performances were concerned: “While there was an absence of what one might term sensational performances at Hampden Park on Saturday, there was from the point of view of the student of athletics, what is perhaps more satisfactory, a pretty general excellence , exhibiting alike a highly creditable standard of efficiency and keen competitive emulation.    Those features kept the spectators engrossed all the time and viewed therefore from whatever standpoint, the sports of the Queen’s Park Football Club were quite a success.”

The sports themselves had 100, 220, 880 yards races, one mile, two miles team race, schools relay race, obstacle race, highjump and several cycle races.   The standard was high despite no records being broken –

eg Tom Jack, seven times Scottish 10 miles champion and cross country internationalist, won the half-mile and Mile,

Alex McPhee, SAAA four miles and cross-country champion in 1909, ran in the two miles,

RT Duncan, SAAA 100y and 220y champion and internationalist was off scratch in the sprints.

And an interesting competitor was Ralph Erskine of Allan Glen’s who was second in the high jump – he would go on to win the SAAA half mile title, become world lightweight boxing champion after winning the itle bout in New York before tragically being kille in action in January 1918.

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1911 was the year of the Great Exhibition, a mammoth event encompassing all aspects of a civilised society.    The Festival of Empire, or Great Exhibition, was held at the Crystal Palace in London from 12th May to celebrate the coronation of King George V.    Wikipedia tells us thata pageant, organised by ‘Master of the Pageants’ Frank Lascelles, dramatising the history of London, England and the Empire was held.  The first performance of the pageant was on 8 June 1911; in four parts, performed on separate days, it celebrated the ‘magnificence, glory and honour of the Empire and the Mother Country’. Music was provided for The Pageant of London by 20 composers including Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gustav Holst, Frank Bridge, Cecil Forsyth, Henry Balfour Gardiner, Edward German and Haydn Wood. This was performed by a military band of 50 players and a chorus of 500 voices.     As part of the festival, an Inter-Empire sports championship was held in which teams from Australasia (a combined team from Australia and New Zealand), Canada, South Africa, and the United Kingdom competed in five athletics events (100 yards, 220 yards, 880 yards, 1 mile and 120 yards hurdles), two swimming events (100 yards and 1 mile), heavyweight boxing and middleweight wrestling.   This is regarded as a forerunner of the British Empire Games (now Commonwealth Games), held from 1930.

In the Glasgow Herald of 15th May, 1911, the following appeared in the ‘Sports Miscellany’ column.   “Queen’s Park FC have resolved not to hold sports this season. ”    The date would be given to Paisley Harriers Juniors who were trying to raise the profile of the sport in their area but a week later, in the Herald of 22nd May, the Sports Miscellany reported that “It is just possible that the Queen’s Park Sports may come off after all.   A proposal has been made by the West of Scotland Harriers which has found favour in influential circles, and the matter will be considered one of these days by the committee of the Queen’s Park.   There has been considerable comment of an adverse kind at the decision of the Queen’s Park to abandon their meeting because of the opposition of the Exhibition, and it is now being felt that, all things considered, there was no justification, or at all events very little for cancelling the meeting.   Should the proposal being made to the Queen’s Park result in the sports taking place, there will be general satisfaction in athletic circles as, after all, the amateur traditions of the old club carry with them a significance of which few, if any, other city functions can boast.”

The Paisley Junior Harriers meeting on the third Saturday in July was successful and the forecasts by the club and the Press were that they would continue to use this date which had hitherto been the property of the Queen’s Park.    From reports, it would seem that unfortunately the QP sports did not in fact take place that year.

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 1912 did not look too promising either when the following appeared in the Herald: “The Queen’s Park FC have intimated to the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association that the new committee have decided not to hold sports on June 22nd – a date exclusively reserved for them by the Association.   This means that the recommendation, if not the reasoned decision, of the old committeee has been rejected, and it also means a regrettable departure for the time being, if not for all time, from the line of policy in regard to amateur athletics which has won for Queen’s Park the admiration of all broad-minded sportsmen.”

The following week it was announced that on 22nd June, later than usual, Allan Glen’s School would hold their school championships at Hampden.   This seemed to put the kybosh on any amateur sports s for 1912 sponsored by the football club at Hampden.   By July the stuation had altered slightly and it was announced that the Queen’s Park FC confined sports would be held at Hampden in August.   It is an interestingconcept – would it translate to present day football???   However, the Glasgow Herald of 15th July, 1912, had the following

“Queen’s Park FC are making an interesting departure early in August in connection with their own confined sports; they will include either two or three handicaps open to all-comers.   It is just possible that the meeting will be sandwiched between the Rangers and Celtic functions, with the hope, no doubt, of getting one or two of the big guns who are coming to Glasgow for these meetings to show their paces.   The Queen’s Park, to the great regret of many of their warmest supporters dropped their meeting in June, and it is by way of compensation for that disappointment that they are including a few open races at their club games next month.    If the American and other Olympic competitors are in Glasgow during the first ten days of Augustit will be interesting to see if they are allured by the Hampden bait.” 

On July 29th – “The Queen’s Park will run two open handicaps – 100 yards and 880 yards – in connection ith their club sports on Thursday first.”

It was at least a gesture, a move that the club did not have to make, but one that was welcomed by the sports loving public.   The actual event wasn’t reported in the Herald which is hardly surprising give that it was at a very busy time of the year – ir Rangers Sports on the first Saturday and Monday of August and Celtic Sports on the second Saturday and Monday, as well as several well established meetings (eg Strathallan)
 The club’s interest in athletics was still in evidence in 1913 when it was anounced that the Glasgow High School spots were to be held at Hampden.   “This is a step in the right direction as Scotstoun is not very well adapted for school games.   Besides there are interesting associations springing up between the High School and some of the older officials of the Queens Park club, and the closer the relations the greater the benefit both to the school and to QP.”   (Herald, April 28th, 1913)

The sports were previewed on June 2nd, and after looking at some of the events, particularly the relays, it ended with a comment that “Mr Charles Stewart, who does a lot more for athletics in a general sense at the High School than most people are aware of, is again responsible for the arrangements and these, with the help hewill receive from members of Queen’s Park FC, should add to the enjoyment of the proceedings.”

The meeting was held the following Saturday with several, nor many, running events, some field events and several such as the drop kick, sack race (one each for former pupils and ‘open to school’),  and 300 yards in football costume (confined to Glasgow High School FP FC).

Very interesting and the note on 28th April about relations with the High School is encouraging – but there is no note in the Herald of any sports meeting – open or confined – organised by Queen’s Park that year.

1914 saw the outbreak of War but a whole season was carried through before hostilities commenced.   It was however another season without a Queen’s Park FC Sports meeting.   They were involved in amateur sport throughout the season – The Queen’s Park School Sports were held at Hampden free of charge on 6th June, Allan Glen’s School sports were held on 20th June and then on 29th June it was reported that as hosts to the upcoming International between Scotland, England and Ireland,  – QP are lavishing a deal of care on their cinder path at Hampden in view of the triangular athletics match there on July 11th.   It already has one record – Halswell’s 300 yards- and there is no reason why it should not have more.”

With war looming, the August 224th Glasgow Herald announced that Queen’s Park had donated £250 to the Glasgow War Fund with a promise that more would be contributed if required.   There had been no promoted meeting, but there had been a continuing presence of Queen’s Park in amateur athletics from schools sports to international fixtures.

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We know that there were sports held by the club throughout the 1920’s but the on-again/off-again nature of the event in the period from 1900 to 1914 was  strange in view of the other events reported at the time.   The Queen’s Park was famous for its staunch adherence to the amateur code – a fact remarked upon in 1907 and 1908 when they were started up again.   But the situation in Glasgow was not quite as clear cut as the SAAA might have us believe.   For instance, the Glasgow Police Sports were accused of  “Profesionalising Schoolboys”  by having schools relays and sprint in their meeting on July 11th, Clyde FC were said to be “whole hoggers” when it came to professional athletics, indeed pre– and post-amateur athletics, there were weekly professional meetings at Shawfield with big crowds, biggish money prizes and quality professional athletes competing and there was a prominent note on “pedestrian development at Shawfield.”    Even Celtic FC put on some mid-week professional athletic meetings.   In such an atmosphere it might have been thought that Queen’s Park FC would have made a point of flying the amateur flag.   There were hints of disagreements within the club committee on the merits of holding athletic sports and at the time of the start o the war, there had been none for two years.

The thread will be picked up in another post.

There are always particular officials that athletes know well and know well for a variety of reasons.   For instance athletes competing in handicap events in the 50’s and 60’s were familiar with handicappers McNeillie and Nangle for very obvious reasons.   Fred Evans however was known to several generations of athlete as a master starter, easily recognised and much respected.   Barry Craighead speaks very highly of him and his influence on his own development as he followed in Fred’s footsteps.   First the facts.

Born in 1885, the year that the first open athletic clubs in Scotland were established, he did not retire as a starter until 1975 in his 90th year.  Fred was a kenspeckle figure, easily recognised  and beginning in 1929, was official starter at the SAAA Championships for over 40 years    In addition to his officiating at meetings, Fred trained up new starters including other well-known figures such as Charlie Meldrum and Barry Craighead.   When Barry  started out as a starter, Fred was ‘the man’ – no one argued with him and what he said was law.   There was no written component in the training of starters.   It was all intensely practical; beginning starters were told where to stand to get the best view of the runners, to make sure that they could be seen by the timekeepers and how to get everything right.   He carried on through the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh by which time he was 85 years old and was one of the team of starters from all over the British Isles operating.   Longevity?   The Gourock Highland Games website tells us that he was for instance the starter at Gourock Highland Games from 1956 to 1975, in which year the programme announced his retirement “in his ninetieth year.”

Very highly thought of, he was awarded an MBE “for services to athletics”, the only Scottish starter ever to gain such an honour.

 The competition situation was very different when he was in action at tracks all over the country.   With no all-weather tracks and surfaces of grass or cinders, the scene was different scene from today if only because the starter was in complete control of events.   He, or whoever the official starter on the day was, decided if there had been a false start and took the responsibility for the decision whereas in the current situation the guns are wired to computers which tell us if there has been a false start.   And Fred was always ready to stand by his decision.   It has been said that the younger athletes were a bit frightened of him, but he was, by universal opinion, a very nice man, a man with a nice sense of humour.   Neil Donachie remembers a story about taking his guns through security at the airport on the way to an Empire Games causing some problems, even then before the whole terrorism scare.

Despite a reputation for a strict, no nonsense approach to the job, and an air of authority that no one questioned, he was scrupulously fair.   Barry Craighead, who took up starting under Fred’s guidance in 1959, reports that if the starter or official did not do everything they could for the benefit of the athletes under their control, he told them about it in no uncertain manner.   A testament to how highly thought of he was, is the fact that he appeared at the same meetings, many in the west of Scotland, year in and year out.   Although in great demand by championship organisers as we have noted, he officiated at highland gatherings, local sports and open meetings all over the country, including at the New Year Sprint where he officiated for many years.

Starters are not like most other officials – they need to pay from their own pocket for the firearms license, for the safe in which to store the gun and ammunition and for the ammunition.   Here again Fred led the way in demanding, and getting, £2 per meeting towards these expenses as well as travelling expenses to the meeting with the rest of the officials.   The special treatment for starters continues to this day.

 The illustration below is from the programme of the 1961 SAAA Championships and he is there among many legendary names such as Willie Carmichael, DM Duncan, Dunky Wright, Ian Ross, Gordon Cain, Tom Drever, David Keddie and Fred Graham.

SAAA Championships, 1961, Officials

Fred often worked with Dick Littlejohn – and here he is again as Chief Mark Steward

September, 1883, started with reports of matches held on the opening day of the month with Shawfield Grounds topping the reports.   The meeting there featured a 10 mile race for a £30 purse between William Smith of Paisley, and D Livingstone of Tranent.   Smith had a 25 yards start.   By the end of the seventh mile, Smith had almost lapped Livingstone, starting the ninth mile they were running side by side with Smith exactly one mile ahead.   He won in 53 min 11.75 secs.   There was also the second round of a 120 yards handicap.   Barrowfield Park was the scene of another track meeting, ‘got up by Mr James McLeavy of Alexandria’ and the main race here was a One Mile Handicap.   There were other races and although there were no comments on prize money, the report concluded that ‘Amateur contests were also advertised to take place but as it was contrary to the rules of the association,  to compete with professionals, the events did not fill. ‘

The remaining fixture on 1st September was the Beith Annual Sports which had sprints, middle distance events, quoiting and ‘penny pitching’.    It was not said what ‘penny pitching’ was – but surely not pitch and toss???

 There were three fixtures on 8th September – the Shawfield started with a 200 yards dog handicap.   For two-legged competitors there was a half-mile handicap with prizes of £10, £1:10:0, £1, 10/- and 5/-.     The Dunfermline  Cricket and Football Club’s annual amateur athletic sports took place before a crowd on 5000 spectators and included most running events, including hurdles, selected field events, shying at wickets and lawn tennis.  Competitors came from Queen’s Park FC, Royal High School, Glasgow University and similar University and School FP clubs.  Finally there was a small meeting in Hawick with running and cycling handicap events.

September was a slow month for the sport – athletics tended to finish at the end of August but, nevertheless, came 22nd September and the Shawfield Grounds fixture had a 120 yards sprint and a One Mile Handicap with prizes of £14, £2, £1 and 15s.   The odds for the betting were also listed in the Glasgow Herald and if you were interested in running, it was a good meeting, but if you were a committed amateur, forget it.   Both meetings that day were professional.   At Powderhall the match was a head to head between Clark of Portobello and Albert of Edinburgh for £10 a side.   Run over 880 yards with runners starting from scratch, they were evenly matched and running side by side into the final straight, Clark stumbled and fell yards from the tape and Albert won.

The summer was pretty well over and what do we know from it?   Having looked at the programme for every Saturday, we see that there were many meetings for amateurs, organised by works, by individuals, by local authorities, by football clubs, by cycling clubs, by cricket clubs most weeks so that there was no shortage of access to the sport for those interested.

There were also many professional games – the weekly one at Shawfield grounds being the standout example.   It was a time when the most luxurious method of travel to New York by Cunard steamer could cost only 18 guineas and the cheapest 21 guineas, Ballantyne’s whisky was 10 shillings a gallon and walnut bedroom suites were £23:10:0 so the money on offer at the professional games was really worth winning.

In addition every meeting had its own speciality – note that in this month alone there was quoiting, lawn tennis,shying at wickets and ‘penny pitching.’

The first Scottish amateur athletic clubs to hit the scene appeared in 1885.   Before that there was only an SAAA which had appeared in 1883 and catered for University clubs and private school old boys clubs.   The other sports clubs – football, cycling, boxing, etc – provided athletes too but the scene before that is vague as far as most are concerned.

This page covers the events that took place in 1883 – it is a simple list of events Saturday by Saturday to indicate what the athletics public had to satisfy their interest.   That there was such a public is shown by the number of spectators at many of the significant meetings and the regular professional meetings at Shawfield Ground in Glasgow.

Just click on the link to go to that month.

[ April 1883 ] [ May 1883 ] [ June 1883 ] [ July 1883 ] [ August 1883 ]

On 4th August, 1883, the Strathallan Games took pride of place, being the biggest, best attended and most longstanding of the meetings that day.   The report began: “After the lapse of one year, these annual Games and athletic sports were held at Stanley House Cricket Ground , Bridge of Allan, on Saturday.   The weather was favourable, only one slight shower falling during the afternoon and the concourse of spectators numbered about two thousand.   Three grand stands were created, one for the accommodation of the general public, another set apart for lovers of “the fragrant weed”, while the third was reserved for private ticket-holders. ”     There followed thirty lines of honoured guests who came from all over central Scotland.   The Chieftain was Colonel Williamson of Lawers, his henchman was Mr J Mackison, and his champion Mr A Menzies.   The meeting began at one o’clock with the confined events and went on until six o’clock.   Running (including races for boys under 14 years old), jumping (including pole vaulting), piping, dancing, tug o’war, a ‘pitcher and water’ race and wrestling without shoes.   The hurdles were over obstacles of 2′ 6″ and there was even a sack race over low hurdles.   The band and pipes of the 51st Highlanders performed and all in all it was a very successful meeting.

On the same day, were the Inverkeithing Games where there were only seven events on the programme (including vaulting with the pole) and the other meeting that day was at Dumbarton, ‘held under the auspices of the Dumbarton Corporation’, and there was a large attendance.   The band of the Dumbarton Volunteer Reserve was in attendance and played throughout the afternoon.   The events were mainly running events – the report on the main events of the afternoon did not mention any field events at all.

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On 11th August the principal event was the Garnock and Gowkhall Sports and took place ‘in a field near the village’ with competitors from all over Dumfries but also from Edinburgh, Dunfermline and Alloa.   The Depot of the King’s Own Borderers at Berwick held their annual athletic sports in the Pier Field, Berwick.   A full programme of athletic events were held while the depot band played a selection from their repertoire.   This was the nearest to a modern sports day as we know it in August so far.   Finally there was a sports meeting at Hamilton by the Academical Football Club which was the first of a two days sports meeting and as might be expected the 1st LRV performed well up to expectations with several prizes going their way.

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Shawfield Ground had not hosted a Saturday event for over a month but they were back on 18th August with ‘a more than usually interesting programme’ .   Although the runners turned out in great numbers the crowd was disappointing.   Events included a quarter mile handicap (prizes a silver cup and 30/-, 15/- and 5/-), a half mile handicap (prizes as for the quarter), Boys one mile handicap (prizes 10/-, 5/- and 2/6d), two miles handicap, 220 yards consolation handicap, three quarters mile consolation handicap (prizes for consolation races 20/-, 10/- and 5/-) plus a competition for ‘the neatest running costume’ – all the competitors were very neatly dressed and the judges had a difficult job to decide!

There was a half-mile handicap at the Edinburgh Royal Gymnasium grounds where several hundred spectators turned bu but the biggest crowd of the day was at the second day of the Hamilton Academicals FC sports.   Winners included men from HAFC, QPFC and DFC as well as members of several bicycle clubs,  in addition there were a few athletes not attached to any club.

Finally on that afternoon there was the Corstorphine Gymnastic Games confined to the inhabitants of Colinton, Currie, Ratho and Corstorphine.    It was an annual meeting and consisted of both running and field events.   It would be interesting though to find out what the qualifications were for entry to the ‘Old Men’s Race.’

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In the last week of August, 1883, there was the Shawfield Grounds meeting which had the first heats of a 130 yards  sprint and a half mile handicap.   One of the interesting features of the Maybole FC Annual Sports was the running of AP Findlay in the half mile from the scratch mark.   Findlay would go on to be the first winner of the amateur cross-country championship of Scotland but one who was noted for his strength – on one occasion the etire field went completely off the trail on a snowy afternoon led by AP Findlay (who it is alleged) knew what he was doing!    It would seem that he had the speed of the half miler – at Maybole he finished third conceding 80 and 60 yards respectively to the first and second finishers.   The other meeting that day was ‘the popular sports’ at Crieff.   Captain Henry Grant of Grant was Chieftain for the day although there was no report of him having a henchman or champion.   In addition to the programme of athletic events, the Crieff Company of PE Volunteers went through their programme in a ‘very creditable manner’, and the Brothers Anderson, celebrated Scotch gymnasts, performed a series of daring feats on the English, Scotch and flying trapezes.   There was also a horse jumping event (possibly show jumping?) and a trotting competition where several horses ‘broke the trot.’    It was reported to be a great success.

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An interesting month with many ‘novelty’ events – wrestling without shoes, competition for ‘the neatest costume’, gymnastics – and bands with everything.   Above all however was the athletics – many meetings had pole vaults, meetings were organised by local authorities (Dumbarton Corporation), football clubs (Maybole FC), military regiments (KOSB’s in Edinburgh) and private groups and individuals.

There were only two meetings noted for 7th July – one at Shawfield and one in Edinburgh.   Shawfield Grounds hosted the Glasgow Fair One Mile handicap for a prize of £20 and the final of a 120 yard sprint from the previous week for which a large crowd gathered.   In the capital, it was the Edinburgh University Athletic Club Sports that drew in the crowds.   This was the eighteenth consecutive sports run by the University at Corstorphine and a full programme of athletic events was held with the addition of some cycly races.

The following was packed with meetings for the athletics fan.   The first was the West Kilbride Annual Games held ‘in a field at Seamill.’   There were 20 events in all with none of the placed men being members of an athletic club which seems to indicate that these were professional sports.   The same could be said of the annual Stirling Games held at Laurelhill where the competitors were from Causewayhead, West Plean, Stirling, Menstrie and Bridge of Allan.   There were also Games at Denny with a limited athletic programme and several other events such as quoiting on the list.   The West of Scotland Athletic Games at Johnstone were also professional, prize values were listed in reports of the meeting and runners such as W Hindle of Paisley were there.  Finally there was the St Bernard’s FC Sports at Powderhall where prize winners were recognisable amateurs and the clubs represented included Queen’s Park FC and EUAC.

The big meeting on 21st July was that to celebrate the opening of the new St Mirren ground at Paisley.   All the top amateur clubs were represented and a full athletics programme was carried through plus a very full five-a-side tournament.   In Edinburgh there was a ‘Free Gardeners Sports’.   Held in conjunction with a demonstration of the British Association of Free Gardeners, a sports meting was held at the Royal Gymnasium grounds under the auspices of the Fuchsia Lodge.   The events were interesting and included a 250 yards race for amateur (pedestrian) gardeners.   That was it – apart from a Sports for Junior Football Clubs which seemed to consist solely of football matches.

The last week in the month featured the Ayur Sports with four events (100 yards, quarter mile, half mile and mile) with many heats in each of them.  The second day of the St Mirren FC Sports to celebrate the opening of the new ground took place with a four-a-side football tournament as well as the usual athletic rpogramme and finally there was the Kelso Gymnastic Games.   There were some odd events here too – the Roxburghe handicap over 350 yards, the Glasgow handicap of 245 yards and a three-quarter mile race for instance.

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In the absence of a governing body for amateur athletics, the events were sponsored by all sorts of groups, and the public for athletic events were being attracted by many professional races.   After all they were none the less atractive for the winners being paid in folding money.   So long as it was honest competition.