Ayrshire Championships, 1938, in Benwhat

The Ayrshire Harrier Clubs Association was founded in 1924 and has been a force for good in athletics for almost 100 years.   It is not just another County Association.   It was established early in the 20th century and is still going strong in the 21st.   There were five clubs in the Association in the beginning and in 1990 there were 11 clubs in membership of the SAAA, and the AHCA was also affiliated.   In Dunbartonshire, Dunbartonshire AAA was only established after the second world war, the Glasgow Association did not last long and its members are scattered all around the city – Shettleston and Springburn are in Lanarkshire, Maryhill, Victoria Park and Glasgow University are in Dunbartonshire and Belllahouston is in Renfrewshire.     

Among the clubs which are or have been in the AHCA are –

Afton Water AC, Ailsa Harriers, Ardeer AC, Ayr AAC, Ayr Seaforth AC,  Beith Harriers, Cumnock AC, Dalry Thistle, Doon Harriers, Eglinton Harriers, Girvan AAC, Irvine YMCA, Kilmarnock Harriers, Loudon Runners, Muirkirk Harriers,  Stewarton, Troon Tortoises AC, West Cumnock Harriers and West Kilbride AAC.    Strangely, the short-lived Ayrshire AAC never joined the AHCA.

 It has organised the County Championships and Relays, the South Western District Relays and Championships, the Ayrshire  v  Renfrewshire match, County track championships and assisted at lots of local events.   Ayrshire of course is famous for cross-country with races which are noted for being tough courses.   If you want flat grassland, don’t come to Ayrshire.   Burns spoke of ”the lang Scots miles, the mosses, waters, slaps and stiles’  and that pretty well described the local country side.   We all have memories of the trails there.   

How did the Ayrshire Clubs Association come about and how did it develop ?   A major factor  in the development of the sport in the county was the Ayrshire Harrier Clubs Association.   There had been a thriving cross-country and athletics scene in  Ayrshire before 1924 of course with several well known and successful clubs.   Alex F Neilson of Beith Harriers was a close friend of George Dallas, and was a founder of the Ayrshire Harrier Clubs Association in 1924. He was president of the National Cross Country Union of Scotland 24 years later in 1948-49.   (32 years later he was still involved in the sport, and on 20^th April 1956  Beith Harriers held a Presentation of Prizes where Alex was presented with a wrist watch in appreciation of his long years of service as President of the Club)

 Ayrshire Harrier Clubs Association was founded in 1924 and its first championship (for season 1924/25) was on 17th January 1925.   More than 60 runners took part on a 7 mile circular course starting and finishing in Rugby Park.   The race was won by Saltcoats Harriers.   The following preview is from the Kilmarnock Herald & North Ayrshire Gazette of Friday 16th January, 1925.   

AYRSHIRE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP

For the cross-country championship of Ayrshire, to be decided to-morrow (Saturday), there will be five clubs aspiring for the honour.   These are Beith, Kilmarnock, Mauchline, Saltcoats YMCA and West Kilbride.   The individual championship will bring out Calderwood of Maryhill (in West Kilbride colours), Quinn of Garscube (Saltcoats) and McIntyre of West Kilbride.   These three alone should provide a good race, and after Miller of Mauchline’s splendid show at the Western District Trial on Saturday, he cannot be overlooked as a ‘probable’.   The race is to commence from Rugby Park, which will also witness the final sprint.   Messrs Geo. Dallas and J.C.A. Bogie are expected to assist the County Committee in carrying out the arrangements.”

Unfortunately the next issue did not contain the result of the race in detail but the preview does show the ease with which runners could at this time turn out for clubs other than their own regular first-claim teams when it mentions the presence of Calderwood and Quinn.  

The Beith Harriers minute book gives us some useful information about the county athletics scene in the 1920’s.   On 1st February, 1925. the club  held an Emergency Committee meeting. There was a Financial Statement which had an Abstract of the Accounts of the AHCA showing a deficit of 8/9d, this entailing an additional 1/9d from each club as per their guarantee.  Payment of this levy was approved and the Secretary instructed to forward the required amount.  At 1/9d per club, there must have been 5 clubs in membership (5 x 1/9d = 8/9d    The early date in 1925 implies that they were probably in existence in 1924 and founder members.   

As an example, the year for Beith Harriers was typical of all the county clubs and indicates, as below, that cross country in Ayrshire was very active at the time – 

• 14/03/1925: Beith Harriers had an inter-club run at Dalry
• 17/03/1925 Letter from Saltcoats YMCA inviting club to a rally of all Ayrshire Clubs at Saltcoats. This invitation was accepted, and the club agreed to encourage as many members as possible to travel to it.   .
• At the AGM on 14/09/1925 fixtures with Maryhill, Saltcoats YMCA, Paisley Juniors, Mauchline Harriers were announced.   Inter-club runs were popular all over the country at this time with no problems for Glasgow or other central belt clubs It is interesting to see how far clubs such as Beit were prepared to travel.
• 27/09/1925 Committee  Accepted invitations to Maryhill, Saltcoats YMCA and Irvine Harriers.
• 12/01/26  Team selected for Ayrshire Championship at Mauchline.
• 14/ 01/1926  Beith Team 2^nd in Ayrshire Championship which was won by James Mitchell of Kilmarnock Harriers.   
• 23/08/1926  At the Beith Harriers AGM  T McGill was appointed representative to Ayrshire Association.
• 26/08/1926  Committee Meeting:  Interclub runs proposed with Maryhill, Plebian, Irvine YMCA and Garscube.   It should be noted that these were probably the strongest clubs in the West of Scotland and indicates that the county was not just a rural backwater but a real part of the Scottish athletics scene.

The Beith Committee Meeting held on 26th October, 1926, was an important one.   The proposed constitution for the Ayrshire Association had been received and was read by R Black. Ii was the unanimous finding of all present that rule No 11 should have an additional phrase as follows. “7 days before the meeting” and rule No 7 of the championship races rules be altered to, “The venue of the championship be the headquarters of an affiliated club and such club to secure the honour in order of seniority.  When every club in the County has been visited thereafter the venue to be obtained by ballot, visiting a Northern section and a stipulated Southern area alternately.”  The only other change was rule No 9 – rules governing championship races.  Instead of a mile road to start and a mile of road to finish it was suggested that half a mile would be ample to meet any congestion at the first obstacle.

The club’s opinions were forwarded to the 27th October, 1926 Committee meeting of the Ayrshire Association

The documentation associated with the above indicates that the five early clubs were Beith Harriers, Dalry Harriers, Saltcoats YMCA, Mauchline Harriers and Irvine YMCA Harriers, unless some of them joined after 01/02/1925.   One might have expected Kilmarnock Harriers to be there.

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The Saltcoats YMCA team that won the Scottish YMCA title at Thornliebank almost exactly one month before the County race in 1925.   Then their runners were D Lambie (1), T Maxwell (2), T Linney (6), J Conn (9), W McMillan (10), A Little (12), A Allan, jnr (13), W Lindsay (21)

*

The Glasgow Herald of 17th January, 1927 (season 1926/27) we see that the Ayrshire championships have been held two days earlier and their report reads:

THE AYRSHIRE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Catrine was the scene of the third annual seven miles Ayrshire cross-country championship on Saturday.   Nine teams, a record for the competition, started.   The course, which was of seven miles, was rendered extremely heavy by recent rains.   During the race the competitors had to contend with extremely unfavourable conditions.   R Miller, Mauchline, who was generally fancied to have it all his own way, set the pace.   He increased his lead mile after mile until ge ran out a winner by 400 yards from P Nicol, Kilmarnock Harriers.   J Roxbugh, Catrine, was third[ M Stobbs, Catrine fourth; CP Wilson, Irvine YMCA, fifth; J Quinn, Garscube Harriers, sixth; J Calder, Beith seventh; and H Todd, Kilmarnock eighth.   The winner’s time was  47 min 48 sec.   Team placings:- 1.   Beith – J Calder (6), A Fitzsimmons (9), G McKechnie (11), DF McKechnie (13), D Jamieson (23) and DG Gray (38) – Total 100 points.   2. Kilmarnock Harriers – P Nicol (1), H Todd (7), E Thursby (12), C Richardson (24), P Highgate (31) and E Loudon (39) – 114 points;   3. Catrine AC – J Roxburgh (2), M Stobbs (4), J Robertson (16), G Clark (26), J Nicol (35) and E McAdam (37 – 120 points;  4. Eglinton Harriers (123); 5.  Irvine YMCA (135); 6.  Mauchline (141); 7.  Barleith (241); 8.  New Cumnock (401); 9. West Kilbride AC (454).   P Nicol, Kilmarnock Harriers, was declared the winner of the junior championship.”

Nine clubs  had taken part and a runner from Garscube Harriers had also been allowed to run.   Interesting too that a Junior championship was being held as part of the race.   That the Association was now very much a part of the scene on a year round basis was indicated by an entry in the Beith Harriers Minute Book for 15th September, 1927, referring to the fact that the club would donate as a prize to the AHCA Free Gift Scheme a Whist Table to be valued at £2.   

The next big event over the country for the Association was at the start of the next cross-country season, 1927/28, and was the relay championships.   The extract below is also from the Glasgow Herald report.   note that from five clubs at the start in season 1924/25, there were nine in January 1927, and now there were eleven clubs contesting the events in December 1927.

“The Ayrshire Harrier Clubs Association decided their ten miles cross-country relay championship at New Cumnock on Saturday under favourable weather conditions.   Eleven teams of four runners took part, each runner following a circular trail of about 2 1/2 miles.   In the first lap, James Mitchell, Barleith Harriers, the ex-Scottish 10 miles champion completed the circuit in 12 min 2 sec, being followed by J Calder, Beith.   In the second lap, DM Jamison brought Beith into first place with T Meikle, Barleith, lying second, and in the third lap Fitzsimmons still held the lead for Beith  with G Dick (Doon Harriers) close up.   In the final round, Adam M Hattie (Doon Harriers) finished strongly in front of DF McKechnie, Beith Harriers man.   Results – 1.  Doon Harriers (Alex McHattie, W Dick, G Dick, Adam McHattie).   2.   Beith Harriers (J Calder, DM Jamison, A Fitzsimmons, DF McKechnie)   At the end of the race the prizes were presented by Mr W Macfarlane, the president of the Association.”

The progress continued: on 14th January 1928 the championships were held at West Kilbride..   There were eight teams out this time including Walter Calderwood and Tom Blakely, both Maryhill.   Calderwood was a Scottish champion and record holder, Tom Blakely had set a Scottish record for the three miles and Calderwood would win the Ayrshire Mile title in summer 1928.   

There were of course sports held in Ayrshire over the summer and while they were of course run by the local clubs, with the involvement of AHCA in county championships – this is from the Ben’what Sports of 16th July, 1928.

Maxie Stobbs had a good, if strenuous day, winning the two longest distance races on the programme – he would go on to join Plebeian Harriers.   There were other sports meetings held in the county over the summer but the big one that year turned out to be at Beith at the end of July (20th) where there were no fewer than six county championship events as well as three Ayrshire Schools Championships, a Boys Brigade Championship and invitation events.   The ‘Glasgow Herald report read: There was only one outstanding amateur athletic sports meeting in Scotland on Saturday, and it took place at Beith where the local athletic club re-entered the list of sports promoting clubs.   It was a most successful gathering from a sporting point of view, and a large crowd watched the proceedings under ideal weather conditions.   The promoters set out to make matters pleasant for spectators and competitors alike, and in this they succeeded, everything being managed with a smartness that might be copied with profit by other  more experienced promoters.”   

It continued with a description of the meeting pointing out that English and British internationalist Cyril Ellis was competing  in his last events before travelling to Amsterdam for the Olympics.   The country championship results: 

AYRSHIRE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS

100 yards:  1. TJ McAllister, Beith H;  2.  W Wright, GUAC;  3. N Harrison, Beith H.   Time 10 4-5th sec

220 yards:  1.  TJ McAllister, Beith H;  2. J Calder, Beith H;  3.  AW McCulloch, Glasgow H.  Time 23 4-5th sec

440 yards:  1.  J Calder, Beith H;  2.  TJ McAllister, Beith H;    Time   5  1-5th sec *

Four Miles:  1.   T Blakely, Maryhil;l H;  22:23 3-5th sec.   Others did not finish.

Relay Race:  1.   Beith H (J Calder, N Harrison, NT Finlay, TJ McAllister); 2.  Eglinton H.   Time: 4 min 14 1-5th sec

High Jump:  1.  D Law, Beith H;  2.  A McHattie, Doon H.   Height: 5  ft 6 in.  

Two points emerge from these championship results: First, The names of TJ McAllister, J Calder will be familiar to followers of the cross-country results as good runners throughout the winter season and yet they were running comparatively good time on a grass track.   Second, it would be interesting to know what the qualifications for the championships were since Donald McLean of Maryhill was also present and competed in the Open Two Miles Race and dropped out, and was ‘handicapped out of it’ in the open Mile.   He did not take part in any championship event.   However, the AHCA championships were a big part of a very successful meeting.   

The winter season came round and in December, the AHCA organised 10 mile relay was run at Beith on Saturday, 8th December.   The report from the Kilmarnock  Herald described that afternoon for us.

AYRSHIRE TEN MILE RELAY CHAMPIONSHIP

The second annual cross-country cross-country Relay Championship held under the auspices of the Ayrshire Harrier Clubs Association was decided at Beith on Saturday.   By courtesy of Mr BJC Govan of Geilsland House, the competitors were given stripping accommodation in the garage behind the mansion house, while the race started and finished at the entrance on the Lugton Road.   Eight teams of four started on the course which measured about 2 1/2 miles.   The trail was laid over country to the north of the Lugton Road, starting in the direction of the town, then circling to the right and coming back on to the road about half a mile from the change-over.   Keen frost made the going very hard, but otherwise conditions were excellent.   At the end of the first round, Barleith Harriers (T Meikle) led Beith Harriers (DF McKechnie) by a couple of second with Eglinton Harriers (G Evans third and Doon Harriers (Alex McHattie) fourth.   On coming round a second time (half distance) the local club’s second man (A Fitzsimmons) was now leader, Eglinton (A Little) were second and Barleith (J Clowes) third, while Kilmarnock (E Thursby) had moved up to fourth place.   From this point on till the end, Beith Harriers had the issue well in hand.   G Ferguson and J Calder both increasing their advantage, the latter finishing a minute ahead of the Barleith representative.   Results:-   1 – Beith Harriers (DF McKechnie, 13 min 4 sec, A Fitzsimmons 14 min 17 sec, G Ferguson 14 min 5 sec, J Calder 13 min 57 sec)  Time, 54 min 5 sec;   2 – Barleith Harriers (T Meikle 13 min 4 sec, J Clowes 14 min 36 sec, J Scobie 15 min 40 sec, J Mitchell 14 min 51 sec) Time 56 min 53 sec;   3 – Doon Harriers, holders (Alex. McHattie 14 min 11 sec, W Dick 14 min 33 sec, G Dick, 14 min 43 sec, Adam McHattie, 13 min 45 sec) Time, 57 min 30 sec.   The other placings were:- 4.  Kilmarnock Harriers, 5. Eglinton Harriers; 6. Eglinton Harriers B;  7. Doon Harriers B;  8  Barleith Harriers B.   The fastest lap times were  13 min 40 sec  T Meikle (Barleith);  13 min 42 sec DF McKechnie (Beith), 13 min 43 sec   Adam McHattie (Doon) .

   *

The January 12th, 1929, version of the championships was a bit different from the previous ones. The report in the Glasgow Herald read as follows.     “The Ayrshire Harrier Clubs Association held their fifth annual team and individual championships  from the Railway Institute, Barleith, by Hurlford.   Excellent weather conditions favoured the fixture and there was a fine attendance.   The entry of eight clubs (twelve to run, six to count) included all the leading runners belonging to county clubs with the exception of ex-Scottish champion James Mitchell, Barleith Harriers (Ayrshire champion in 1925) who was indisposed.

Owing to the introduction of a new rule, two past winners, R Miller (1924 and 1926), and WC Calderwood (holder), both of Maryhill Harriers, were debarred from competition through not being first-claim members of an affiliated club.   A new individual champion had therefore to be found but, with Beith Harriers having five of last year’s winning sextette, the team honour was not expected to change hands.   

An excellent trail of some seven miles was laid by the local club, the course being to the south of the village , starting and finishing with half a mile on the Mauchline Road.   The going was slippery in places and although there was not a great deal of ploughed land to be traversed, yet the course was a stiff test of stamina and pace.   The field of over 80 competitors was started by the Asociation president , Mr G Laurie, Eglinton Harriers.   Owing to a haze the progress of the runners could not be followed, and it was only when they came into view in the last half mile of road work that it could be seen that the leader was Maxwell Stobbs, Catrine AAC.   Not far behind came T Meikle, Barleith H., and as they neared the tape, the local lad made a splendid effort to get in front.   He probably would have succeeded had not the crowd closed in so as to leave a narrow ‘lane’ that there we no room to pass.   It was a rayher unfortunate happening, particularly as Meikle seemed to have the stronger finish, but Stobbs was a very plucky run indeed.    So far as the team race was concerned, Beith Harriers confirmed popular opinion by scoring their third successive victory, although their winning margin was slightly less than that at West Kilbride last year.”

Result:  1.   Maxwell Stoibbs, Catrine AC,  43 min 12 sec;   2.   T Meikle, Barleith H,  43 min 12 1/5th sec;   3.  AM Hattie, Doon H, 43:37.

Team Championship:   1.   Beith H, 73 pts;   2.  Eglinton H   92 pts;   3.  Kilmarnock H  133  pts.

There were trophies for each race – first individual won the Lieut-Col  JT Moore, CBE, MP  challenge cup and the winning team received the William H Campbell, Esq, Challenge Cup.   

The next fixture where the Association was heavily involved was on 9th March at Saltcoats where the second annual Ayrshire  v  Renfrewshire Inter-County match took place.   The Ayrshire team consisted of CF Wilson (Itvine YMCA 2), E Thursby (Kilmarnock 4), J Park (Doon 6), R Maxwell (Eglinton 10), G Evans (Eglinton 11), DF McKechnie (Beith 13), H Tod (Kilmarnock 14), P Highgate(Kilmarnock 16), D Kerr (Irvine 18), D Fitzsimmons (Beith 19).   Renfrewshire won with 99 points to the home team’s 112.   

Tom Maxwell: Read about his son Harry Maxwell on the ‘Notables’ page.

The Association was now five years old and was already a substantial body organising championships – cross-country relay, cross-country championships, track and field championships, helping the various clubs with their own meetings, selecting the County team for the Inter-County competitions  and once the South Western District was set up from the old West District, no doubt organised those championships held in Ayrshire with the clubs concerned.    

The relays, organised ‘under the auspices of the Ayrshire Harrier Clubs Association’, were run on 7th December, 1929, at Mauchline.  Irvine YMCA won from Barleith followed by Kilmarnock, Beith and then Irvine B team, then Eglinton, Doon, Catrine, Barleith B and Mauchline. 

*

On 11th January 1930 the championships were held at Saltcoats again and the report in the Glasgow Herald on the following Monday read 

IRVINE YMCA HARRIERS’ SUCCESSES

Irvine YMCA had a successful afternoon at Saltcoats on Saturday.   The occasion was the sixth annual team and individual championships open to all clubs affiliated to the Ayrshire Harrier Clubs Association and the Irvine club eas successful in gaining both titles.   Each win was accomplished with something to spare.   This year’s team conditions differed from those in the past in that, instead of being confined to runners of junior status they were open to seniors also.   The immediate effect of this new rule was was that ex-champion Jas. Mitchell ran in the Barleith team, while Irvine YMCA had the services of CP Wilson who, like Mitchell, is an internationalist.   It had, however, no bearing on the result such was the margin of points – 49 – in the winners’ favour.   While the entry of only five clubs was disappointig, , the only notable absentee was WH Calderwood, who was County champion two years ago.   Calderwood i8s now debarred by reason of his being a first-claim member of an outside club – Maryhill Harriers.   There were twelve runners in each team, and the aggregate number of the first six determined the order of the teams.   There were also two individual entrants, M Stobbs Catrine AC (holder), and WH Dunlop, Glasgow University Hares and Hounds, so that the field totalled 62 runners.   The course measured 6 miles 918 yards and consisted of one circuit , the start taking place in Argyle Road and finish on the promenade.”

The first three individuals were R Wilson, Irvine YMCA;  2.  CP Wilson Irvine YMCA; 3.   M Stobbs, Catrine AAC.    and the first three teams were

1.   Irvine YMCA (R Wilson 1st; CP Wilson 2nd; D Aldie 9th, D Kerr 10; D Fry  13; J Watson 15th)  60 pts
2.  Barleith Harriers (J Mitchell 3rd; T Meikle 5th; J Rennie 16th; E Malcolm 19th; J McDade 26; J Cowan 31st)  99 pts
3.  Eglinton Harriers (H Davidson 4th; R Maxwell 7th; G Evans 11th ;  J Hamilton 18th; R Reid 21st; W Kelly 30th)  101 pts.

PJ Allwell

More work came the way of AHCA in February 1930 when the South West District was created from the old West District.   It would consist largely of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire with some clubs from Galloway also involved.   The association would inevitably be involved with the various host clubs organising the trail on a fairly frequent basis.   The first championships of the new association were held in that same month of February 1930.at Eglinton Castle.   The first three individuals were M Stobbs, Catrine AC, R Wilson, Irvine YMCA and T Tod of Kilmarnock.   The first three teams were Irvine YMCA, Eglinton Harriers and Paisley Harriers.   There were 12 teams taking part in the event.

The work of the Association progressed through the 1930’s and the results, where available, for the County Championships and Relays plus those of the District Championships are noted below.   They show the range of clubs involved as well as the number of individuals who recorded victories or fastest times in the various events.   They are not all, or anything like all, that AHCA did – eg the track championships are not here, nor are the District Relays which ran from 1929/30 through to 1938/39.    There is a lot more information on the latter part of this period in Peter Allwell’s profile by Alex Wilson  at http://www.anentscottishrunning.com/peter-j-allwell-the-Ayrshire-meteor/

* The championship at Beith in January 1932 was headlined as ‘a fiasco’.  Read the Glasgow Herald comments:   “The stormy weather on Saturday completely spoiled the Ayrshire Championships.   The high-lying Beith countryside got the full force of the gale and it was impossible to lay a paper trail.   A course was hurriedly set with the aid of flags, but this did not prove entirely satisfactory, with the leaders having difficulty in following the latter part of the trail.   In consequence of this, Irvine YMCA lodged a protest, which was upheld and the race was ordered to be re-run next Saturday at Beith.   Saturday’s race, such as it was, proved most interesting and it was unfortunate that, through no fault of their own, Maxwell Stobbs (Catrine AC) and Kilmarnock Harriers were denied the success which their efforts merited.”

** The most satisfactory feature of the re-run Ayrshire Championships at Beith was the confirmation of the successes achieved the previous Saturday by Maxwell Stobbs (Catrine) and the Kilmarnock club.” 

**  Meeting cancelled because of fog.  “PJ Allwell was another prominent runner deprived of a race when the Ardeer event was called off.”

Several of the runners from Ayrshire mentioned ran cross-country for Scotland, either in this period or subsequently.   Names like James Mitchell  (1925, ’26), R Miller (1926, ’27), CP Wilson (1929, ’31), M Stobbs (1930, ’31, ’32), D Fry (1931), T Tod (1934), PJ Allwell (1938, ’39),   R Reid (1939, ’46, ’47, ’48, ’49, ’50, ’51, ’52).

There was a thriving athletics scene in Ayrshire before 1924 but the Ayrshire Harriers Association added a structure and greatly helped the development of the sport there.   Meanwhile we show below the report on Beith Harriers’ third consecutive victory in the South West District Relay in 1934.

1962 was the last ever Rangers Sports – it had been a wonderful meeting that had outlasted all of its rivals.   Largely because of the driving spirit of William Struth, a former professional athlete.   The Celtic Meeting might have lasted too had the original date been earlier in the year and it was organised by Willie Maley, with the two – Maley and Struth – being great friends as well as rivals.   

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You will note from the large print in the middle of the cover that this was the 50th annual sports held by the club and it was a big occasion.   One of the features was the large numbers of competitors – eg 145 entries in the Mile handicap!   A lot for the back markers to wend their way thrpugh if they were going to do anything!

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Celtic Sports ended in the late 1930’s simply because the football season started earlier than had been the practice and the earlier dates in the season were pretty well blocked in by established Sports such as Greenock Glenpark, Queen’s Park FC, the Rangers FC and so on.   This programme was sent by John Mackay and it shows how well the sports were doing when they were brought to an unfortunate end.

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ANDREW DICK 

PART ONE

Andrew Dick, born in St Andrews in 1861,was probably the best Secretary the club ever had.   Both comments above are from ‘Fifty Years of Athletics’ published by the SAAA in 1933: the first from Willie Maley’s chapter of reminiscences of a sports promoter and the second from George Dallas’s potted history of cross country running in Scotland.   There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that he had a great influence on the club and on the sport.   Unlike many of his contemporaries he had no ambitions at SAAA or SCCA level and worked solely within the club.   His career also illustrates many facets of sporting life and life generally at the turn of the century.

The article by George Dallas referred to above started by saying that “cross country running in Scotland as we know it started with Clydesdale Harriers” and went on: “Not till season 1888/89 did the real missionary work begin.   With the advent of Andrew Dick as Joint Secretary things began to hum.   When James Erskine took office in 1888 the CH membership had risen to about 200 and in 1900 it went up to 1000 paying members who had the benefit of a private club room in Dundas Street, Glasgow where runners could get all the athletic and other papers as well as a manuscript magazine run by the club’s own members.”   There was in addition a gymnastic and boxing section with premises at Garnethill and club members won world titles at cycling and boxing as well as British skating championships.  The club had as well as Headquarters section sections in Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, Falkirk, South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire each with its own fixture list and accepting members from adjacent areas.   Active recruitment was a keynote of the club at the time in its zeal to spread the gospel of athletics.   In one year a gold badge was offered to the member who recruited most members in the year.  

One of the real founding fathers, when Alex Macnab, the first secretary, became treasurer after the first year, Dick became secretary from the 1886/87 season.   Dick was an accountant who had come from St Andrews to work with Smith & Williamson in St Vincent Street, Glasgow.   He was appointed chief accountant in the British East African Company and went to Mombasa in October 1889.  

In the club handbook, his address was given as 149 George Street which is right in the heart of Glasgow and he is not recorded as having raced or won any prizes in the first season.   His forte was clearly in organisation.   At the meeting in the Bath Hotel in December 1888 at which the Scottish Harriers Union was set up in opposition to the SCCA, it was Andrew Dick  who proposed that “the Scottish Harriers Union be founded with the objectives of, first, formulating a union whereby individual interests were to be subordinated to the general interests of harriers clubs and the sport in general throughout Scotland; second,  to carry out competitions on more modern and improved lines; third to endeavour to foster and encourage cross country running with as few restrictions as possible.”   The scheme was carried and John Mellish elected President of the SHU.   The Annual Report, almost certainly written by him said   “Your committee could not see its way to supporting a body whose policy as aimed at its – the CH – dismemberment.”   Clydesdale Harriers showed its intentions with a range of innovations over the next two years.   Team races were decided on the top five runners and not the top six as demanded by the SCCA, the decision was taken on aggregate times rather than on the total of finishing positions, a Junior Section was set up, the London Clydesdale was set up and a football team was also set up.   As secretary Andrew Dick was almost certainly involved in all these.   The split was healed but as long as he was secretary club membership grew rapidly and innovation was a constant.   

His real work however was done in relation to the development of sections.   In an article in the Glasgow ‘Evening Times of Tuesday, October 29^th, the writer under the pseudonym of ‘Pistol’ said: “Andrew Dick the first Secretary was dubbed one of the finest organisers.   Directed by him sections were quickly formed in many towns and villages throughout the east and west of Scotland.”   The article continues “Let it be understood that this was not a move purely and simply to further the game for the good of Clydesdale only: rather was it a step to encourage new clubs.   This missionary work succeeded so well that within four years there were numerous clubs in Scotland.”   A diagram of the sections that he worked so hard to set up is attached at the end.     (It should be noted that there were also ambitions to set up sections for different sports after he left – the football section will be discussed in another chapter but there were even suggestions for a cycling section, a skating section and one Annual Report said that ‘A natatorial section had been mooted.’   

But Andrew Dick had ambitions beyond Glasgow and was appointed to a post in Africa.   He left for Mombassa in October 1889 to take up a post there with the British East Africa Company about which more will be said below.

The Handbook reported:   ‘A Handsome Silver Cup has been presented by Mr Andrew Dick of Mombassa East Africa, who has so long taken a deep and kindly interest in the welfare of the Club.   The Cup is named “The Dick Cup” and is to be held by the first man home in the club’s team in the Senior Cross Country Championship each year.   This year it has been fitly won by Mr A Hannah, who has so consistently and honourably upheld the reputation of the club.’    Andrew Hannah went on to win it the following year and after William Robertson won it in its third year, Hannah won it again and was allowed to retain it having won it three times.

Although taking no further part in the club’s organisation he retained his membership for some time thereafter.   He was the club member par excellence.   This is from the ‘Scottish Referee’ article of 20th December 1895.   “He was for some years the energetic secretary of Clydesdale Harriers.   He also organised – in opposition to the Scottish Cross-Country Association – the Scottish Harriers Union and, in connection with which, the greatest number of Harriers championships took place.   all being started at the Old Celtic Park.   Mr Dick was strong in organising power, and he took a prominent part in nearly every branch of athletics.   His advice was valuable and at the disposal of of anyone who approached him.   He proved himself capable of any office, whether president or secretary, handicapper or starter, or judge of a race.   He spared himself in no respect, and no matter how rough the day or dirty the ground, heavy the running, Andrew Dick would at once run out with the paper and lay the trail.   If a pace or whip was wanted, Dick was ready, and if in the slow pack there were some weak kneed runners, Andrew plodded at their side and urged them to “keep at it” when they themselves thought it was impossible.” 

The main contribution he made to the club was in the development of the various sections throughout Glasgow and indeed throughout Scotland.   The extent of this work can be seen from the tabular presentation of the Sections and the areas they covered:  for those interested the topic is gone into in some detail below, otherwise just jump to Part Two of the profile..     

The Glasgow Headquarters area had five sections.   Some sections were responsible for parts of Scotland without their own Section – eg Section 2 was also responsible for Falkirk and Section 5 for Paisley.    In addition individual members outwith the main catchment were attached to one or other of the HQ Sections.   The benefit of this was that there was someone responsible and accountable to the Committee for every member.    The Committee had a representative whose duty was to liaise with a particular section and each section outwith Glasgow had its own area captain responsible to Committee.    The network of communications both upward and downward within the club was strictly ordered.

This map shows the Glasgow Sections superimposed on a map of the present day local government electoral wards.

Sections across Scotland 

The club expanded outwith the bounds of Glasgow since there was no one initially catering for the amateur athletes, and since there were many who wanted to join the new club and get involved.

Ayrshire and the whole county was covered.

Dumbartonshire which went as far as Helensburgh and Rhu

Renfrewshire which was originally just Greenock

 Lanarkshire which was at one point divided into North and South.

Stirlingshire where there were pockets of members but no proper section.

 Members living outwith the area were allocated to a headquarters section and groups in areas such as Falkirk and Stirling attached to a headquarters section en bloc.    Each section had its own committee and they were entitled to two members attending the General Committee and the General Commttee in turn had two representatives on the section committees.  

Members Resident Abroad 

(These were also kept in touch with the club’s activities and the spread of countries is listed)

Australia     Ceylon     Demerara     East Africa     New Zealand     Orange Free State     South Africa     United States of America    West Africa

With two exceptions there were several members in each of these areas and not all members in South Africa were in Johannesburg for instance.   The four areas of Africa listed above were separately identified in the club’s records.   

When Andrew Dick left the club in October 1889 the manner of his departure tells us a lot about the times.  I quote “he left for a highly lucrative and responsible post” in Mombassa in Africa. He was to be Accountant General (chief accountant) in charge of affairs for the British S.E. Company.  Before he left there was a presentation to him at the inevitable smoking concert in the club rooms by Mr A McA Kennedy of a “valuable watch, a fowling piece and two six chambered revolvers.”   Of the watch and fowling piece there is no doubt but as for the revolvers – the Scots Umpire gave him two, but others gave him eight, or a case of revolvers or, and this sorts things out, a case of eight revolvers.   Even after he left he had his name recorded in the club handbook in the ‘Members Resident Abroad’ section for many years and in season 1893/94 he presented a trophy to the club.  

PART TWO

He was personally a well-liked and popular man, of that there is no doubt.   When he left from St Enoch Station for South Africa we are told that “there was a crowd of fully six hundred to wish him God Speed.”   When he died in 1895, one article saying that his loss would be deplored in Zanzibar was echoed in several other reports.

After a short time in Africa in the post for which he left Glasgow, he was promoted in 1891 to assistant administrator to the company, but he resigned after only nine months to set up on his own as an independent trader.  He is indeed referred in many documents as Trader Dick.   He made frequent journeys into the interior for the purchase of ivory and general produce.   He was well acquainted with the country and the various tribes who inhabited it.   We are told by the Glasgow Herald that he was an enterprising and successful trader and in private life he was highly esteemed.   In 1893 he invited his brother David L Dick, who also served as Clydesdale Harriers secretary, and “to whom he was very much attached” to South Africa.   David, was also an enterprising young man and had a successful chemist’s business in Glasgow which made some of its own remedies – note the advertisement below from the club handbook for 1892 – and was endorsed by many well known personalities such as actress Ellen Terry and the sportsmen mentioned.

David unfortunately caught fever after only six months and died and then, six months later, his mother died six months later.   That left Andrew in Africa and his father who lived in Glasgow.   Andrew succeeded as a trader in his own firm, travelling all over the area getting to know his suppliers and customers and known for driving hard bargains.

All seemed to be going well for him until on 17^th December, 1895 the following Reuter’s Telegram was printed in the Glasgow papers.

(Reuter’s Telegram)

MASAI WARRIORS KILL 1000 MEN NEAR ELDOMA

 Zanzibar, Monday

According to intelligence received here, a great disaster has overtaken a caravan of 1200 men while returning through the Eldoma ravine.   The caravan reached the ravine on the night of November 26^th and on its way passed some Masai kraals.   The Masai, believing they were about to be attacked, fell upon the caravan and killed a thousand of the men belonging to it.   The survivors, accompanied by two Frenchmen , were met by a trader named Dick, who was on his way to Lake Rudolph.   Marching through the Kardong Valley, the united party saw the Masai retreating with a number of cattle.   They thereupon attacked the Masai and succeeded in capturing the cattle.   The Masai subsequently attempted to retake the cattle, and in the fighting My Dick was killed.   The two Frenchmen returned to Kikuyu.

On inquiry, a representative of Reuters agency was informed that the trader Dick, who is reported to have been killed in fighting with the Masai on the Uganda Road, is supposed to be Mr Andrew Dick, a Scotchman who had been in East Africa since 1890.   Formerly he was with the British East Africa Coy’s service, but latterly  had been trading on his own account.   It is thought that from its size the caravan attacked in the Eldoma ravine must have been a Government caravan returning from the coast and that the Frenchmen may have been two priests from Uganda.”

That was on the Tuesday, on the Wednesday there were articles in all the papers – Herald, Evening Post, Daily Record, Greenock Telegraph with details of his career in the sport and more information about the massacre.   The best article was from the ‘Scottish Referee’ and can be read  at this link.   The Glasgow Evening Post said of his time with Clydesdale:

“Athletes throughout the country will be pained at the news conveyed by cablegram from Africa this morning of the death of Mr Andrew Dick, so long associated with athletics generally and The Clydesdale Harriers principally.      Mr Dick was one of the originators of the CH, and also promoted sections to the club thereby increasing the membership until it reached nearly a thousand strong.   Mr Dick was the leading spirit in the formation of the Scottish Harriers’ Union in connection with which the greatest number of championships ever run in Scotland took place, these consisting of national, team, county and individual premier events and which were run from Celtic Park.   Mr Dick travelled to England on several occasions with teams representing Scotland and was one of the principal legislators in the sport.”

The Daily Record said: “In another column reference is made to the death of Andrew Dick, of whom it can be said that no more ardent lover of cross-country running was ever identified with a Scotch club.   The Clydesdale Harriers will feel the blow, as te deceased retained his personality in the club to the end.   For several years back Mr Dick contributed to the prize-list of the club and in other ways demonstrated the keen interest he evinced in all its operations.”

If we go back to the massacre then we see comments such as –  

In an article by Enid Dawson – Andrew Dick came to BEA in 1888 to be Chief Accountant at Mombasa for the IBEA Co. with whom he worked for 2 years. He was a tough, courageous and adventurous man and in 1890 he started off on his own as a trader using the old caravan routes into the hinterland. His bravery became legendary and the Smith Mackenzie records state that he was ‘regarded as one of the most fearless men who ever marched between the Indian Ocean and Lake Victoria’.

Ansorge – “They told me that Dick fought most fearlessly and bravely and, being an excellent shot, dropped one Masai after another. He went to pick up the shield and spear of a Masai he had just slain, when the enemy made a desperate rush, and at a critical moment Dick’s rifle jammed. He turned round to his men to get another, when a Masai rushed forward and speared him through the back, killing him on the spot. The Frenchmen killed Dick’s assailant, but fighting against overwhelming odds, they were compelled to retreat to the Fort. In a couple of days they returned to the scene of the fight in order to bury Dick. They found the body stripped naked, and buried it on the Kedong escarpment. They erected a wooden cross over the grave, which I saw still standing when I last journeyed that way. The inscription simply states, that the cross was erected by his comrades in arms to the memory of the deceased, slain by the Masai.”

Finally there is this account of the massacre and some of its consequences.   The spelling is true to the original.

When it became possible to reproduce photographs in the paper, many appeared that were straight substitutes for previous illustrations: eg the Portrait Gallery returned but the numbering was a straight continuation from where the hand drawn ones stopped.   There were some good groups too, as well as action shots of race winners, scenes from football matches and other sports.   The range of sports covered is illustrated by the first picture below.

We know it’s not a photo but it is the preview illustration for the 25 miles Olympic trial race to be held at Parkhead in the West of Scotland Harriers Sports.

… and we have here the winner of the race.

The photograph of the race winner with his trophy.

In its last few years the paper carried some news items but this was the only one that made front page prominence.

The last issue of the Referee appeared on Monday 16th November 1914.   Note from the titles at the top of the front page that they were now taking adverts.   More importantly all through the paper there were references to the War which had started in Europe. 

The editorial was by now appearing under this banner and the content for the final issue was unsurprisingly rather sad but showed an attitude typical of the times.

The rest of the Page?   The big article had a headline that read

ALL ABOUT OUR CLUBS: A Football Who’s Who – and Why

Which was a collection of comments and facts about the previous weekend’s games and about football in general.   It was directly above this topical cartoon –

and beside columns about the up-coming Scottish League  v  Irish League football match and a boxing match between Alan Lafferty of Scotland a Berry of England.   The rest of the page had snippets about football and boxing including this.

The only other item on the front page was another one with a War connotation

When we turn to page 2 we see this banner across the whole width of the page which was given over entirely to football, mainlky Scottish but including English with forecasts, results and reports.

Page three was almost half and half football and rugby.   On the seven column page, four were football related and three were rugby.   Rugby was largely inter-school contests – Glasgow High were playing Glasgow Academy with matches in five age groups with reports on each of them: for the record,  the High School won four of them.    Kelvinside Academy defeated Ayr Academy 50 – 0.   But the War was in all parts of the paper: 

and

The football on Page three was of Junior football and there were some interesting reports such as the one on Rutherglen Glencairn and Shettleston under the headline  ‘Football and Fisticuffs.’

Page four was the most varied with the first two columns on Minor Football – Churches League, Secondary Schools Leagues, etc – plus two columns on ‘Field and Fen’ by Pace and the reports were largely of club runs:

Garscube Harriers had their 5 miles novice championship at Temple, Olympic had a muster of 21 runners at Springburn, Maryhill and West of Scotland had a joint fixture at Maryhill Baths, Edinburgh Northern had had a run at Saughton, Motherwell TMCA had a run at home, Clydesdale Harriers had a 5 miles championship.   But the War was never far away.   The extract below is rather pale but is readable and should be read in that the writer is speaking of runners from other lands who have been killed or wounded.   An interesting perspective.

The last column – with the continuation of this article  – is unfortunately incomplete with a strip having been torn from the edge of the page.   If it is possible to get access to another copy – eg in the Mitchell Library in Glasgow – we will put it up here.

That is how this excellent sporting periodical came to its end.   It had served a very useful purpose for 25+ years.   There were others at the time such as the Scottish Umpire which unfortunately are not online as yet which would have been equally interesting.   Would that we had one today.

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8th September 1890

29 December 1890

Another very good all rounder: good class sprinter

20th April 1891

Not a Scottish athlete but one who was talented and of interest to the readers.

6th July 1891

The oldest of five brothers, all members of Clydesdale Harriers, Farquhar was a virtual ever-present at SAAA meetings as a senior official – Rangers Sports, Celtic Sports, SAAA Championships, etc, he was there.

August 1891

Not a runner but a trainer of many ion the Clydesdale Greenock Section including the wonderful Walter Malcolm.

17th June, 1892

20th June 1892

27th June 1892

1st July, 1892

XXX Page 20 next XXX

The lack of easily obtained and produced photographs did not prevent the staff of the ‘Referee’ from pictorial representations of teams and groups of sportsmen when required.   Each is labelled here but there are two groups for the Celtic  v  Third LRV Cup Final – one with both teams from before the event and one, printed the following week, of likenesses of all the players after the match.   Just look at them closely and see how much work went into them.

SAAA Champions, June 1891

The touring Canadian Football Team: Mr Ellis was the Team Manager

The Football Close Season: all the other sports thrive while they spend two months ‘in the stocks’

Third LRV   v   Celtic Cup Final: 1890

Published a week later

The Scottish and English teams for the international in April, 1892, as part of a ‘Special Edition’ for the fixture

Although the number of drawings was seriously reduced, maybe especially once photographs became possible, they continued to appear right up to the 1914 War.

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Just about every sport played in Scotland was covered by a columnist using a pseudonym.  Nowadays the column would be headed by the photograph of the writer accompanied by his byeline.   There was a ‘sort of a byeline’ at the time in the form of a block which indicated the content of that particular article – it had the advantage that the writer was anonymous and could not be easily recognised in the street!       These are just a few of them, beginning with one of a kind of editorial column.

‘Among the Professionals’ dealt with pedestrianism and boxing among other professional sports.

The Special Commissioner wrote on whatever topic was in the news or causing discussion at that time.   He was always on the front page.