Birchfield Harriers

Athletics club

Birchfield Harriers

Birchfield Harriers' badge on Perry Barr Stadium

Founded| 1877
Location| Birmingham, England
Website| www.birchfieldharriers.com

Birchfield Harriers is an athletics club, founded in 1877. Its home is at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium, England.

As well as welcoming recreational runners they cater for all levels of experience up to and including Olympic athletes whether able-bodied or wheelchair-using athletes.

The Club's motto is Fleet and Free.

## History

[edit]

The Alexander Stadium

Founded in 1877, the Harriers were named after the Birchfield district of Birmingham.[1]

In 1908 Archie Robertson was Birchfield's first Olympic gold medallist.[2]

From 1929 to 1977, the Harriers were based[1]), at nearby Perry Barr, was Alexander Sports Ground,[1], which still carries their badge, a running stag, rendered in this case in Art Deco style, carved in 1929 and attributed to William Bloye.[3] Both venues were named for members of the Alexander family, who were prominent members of the club.[1]

Pat Cropper was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her running achievements in the 1974 Birthday Honours.[1] In 1993, Peter Radford served as Chairman of UK Athletics.[4]

In the 2000 New Year Honours, heptathlete Denise Lewis was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).[5] In 2010, coach Norma Blaine was made an MBE in the New Years Honours announced on 31 December 2010, for her services to athletics.[6]

Tom McCook, a former athlete and club chairman, was the club's President from 2001 until standing down at the end of 2013.[7]

## Olympic athletes

[edit]

* Daphne Arden
* Meghan Beesley
* Ainsley Bennett
* Joe Blewitt
* Robbie Brightwell
* Audrey Brown
* Godfrey Brown
* Phil Brown
* Daniel Caines
* Geoff Capes
* Gladys Clarke
* Charles Clibbon
* John Cooper
* Clova Court
* Dave Cropper
* Sidney Cross
* Jock Dalrymple
* Samantha Davies
* Zoe Derham
* Cyril Dugmore
* Cyril Ellis
* Sally Ellis
* Mike Farrell
* Stewart Faulkner
* Joel Fearon
* Walter Freeman
* Helen Frost
* Elliot Giles
* Billy Green
* Jack Hambidge
* John Hanlon
* Lorraine Hanson
* Louise Hazel
* Julie Hollman
* Harry Houghton
* Matt Hudson-Smith
* Fred Hulford
* David Jenkins
* Pat Jones
* Winnie Jordan
* Helen Karagounis
* Karl Keska
* Du'aine Ladejo
* Mark Lewis-Francis
* Denise Lewis
* Fred Light
* Judy Livermore-Simpson
* Vincent Loney
* Pat Lowe-Cropper
* Bertram Macdonald
* Ruth Martin-Jones
* Germaine Mason
* Eric McCalla
* Katharine Merry
* Aston Moore
* Mica Moore
* John Morbey
* Brett Morse
* Adam Nelson
* Sidney Newey
* Tom Parsons
* Howard Payne
* Shara Proctor
* Carole Quinton
* Peter Radford
* Derek Redmond
* Sarah Reilly
* Jean Roberts
* Archie Robertson
* Michael Rosswess
* Sue Scott-Reeve
* John Sherwood
* Donald Slack
* Ray Smedley
* Glen Smith
* Kelly Sotherton
* Ian Stewart
* Mary Stewart
* Stuart Storey
* Danny Talbot
* Bill Tancred
* Eddie Webster
* Bob Weir
* Nick Whitehead
* Malcolm Yardley

## Other notable members

[edit]

* Ashia Hansen
* Diane Leather[8]
* Gladys Lunn
* Doris Nelson Neal OBE
* Beryl Randle
* Mike Rawson
* Scott Rider[9]
* William Snook[10]
* Mark Thomas

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Alexander, William O; Morgan, Wilfred (1988). The History of Birchfield Harriers 1877-1988. Birchfield Harriers. ISBN 0-9514082-0-8.
* Rogers, Gareth; Morgan, Wilfred; McCook, Tom (2005). Fleet and Free — A History of Birchfield Harriers Athletic Club. Tempus. ISBN 0-7524-3523-X.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e Alexander, William O; Morgan, Wilfred (1988). The History of Birchfield Harriers 1877-1988. Birchfield Harriers. ISBN 0-9514082-0-8.
2. ^ Philpotts, Chris (8 October 2010). "Pub runs with hero's reputation for unexpected triumphs". Great Barr Observer. Birmingham: Central Independent News & Media Ltd. pp. 4–5.4-5&rft.date=2010-10-08&rft.aulast=Philpotts&rft.aufirst=Chris&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Birchfield+Harriers" class="Z3988">
3. ^ Public Sculpture of Birmingham, George T. Noszlopy, Liverpool University Press, 1998, ISBN 0-85323-682-8
4. ^ "Peter Radford". Hall of Fame. UK Athletics. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
5. ^ "No. 56070". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 July 2008. pp. 9–12.9-12&rft.date=2008-07-11&rft_id=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/56070/supplement/9&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Birchfield+Harriers" class="Z3988">
6. ^ Savvas, Christina (31 December 2010). "Birchfield Harriers coach Norma Blaine receives an MBE for her services to athletics". Birmingham Mail. MIN. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
7. ^ "Devoted to his sport and club for 45 years". Great Barr Observer. 4 January 2013. p. 4.
8. ^ Stuart, Julia (20 April 2004). "Athletics: 50 years ago, Roger Bannister became a sporting legend with his four-minute mile. Why is his female equivalent just seen as an also-ran?". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 12 April 2011.
9. ^ "Scott Rider". European Athletic Association. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
10. ^ Andrews, Harry (2008). The Follies of a Victorian Athlete (William Snook 1861-1916). Leonie Press (Anne Loader Publications). ISBN 978-1-901253-56-6.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Walter Freeman interview Recorded 1980 with a former Harrier