Post 2^nd World War, the AHCA, collected a small group of enthusiasts to act as Officials at track meetings and to lay the trail at cross country meetings. Even when the Ayrshire Athletic Club was formed and Beith Harriers was the only club affiliated to the AHCA, this small group was encouraged to continue. Some of these are noted below.

Willie Fulton, Irvine YMCA and Irvine Athletic Club, on the left in the picture above, was a pre-war cross country runner and cyclist. Kept on coming up with new ideas for promoting sports meetings. He organised

*the annual dance for the South West cyclists, inviting Willie Ross, a personal friend and Secretary of State for Scotland,

*Annual Harriers Vs Cyclists cross country race,

*Round Arran Relay,

*Round Cumbrae 10 miles,

*Annual Marymas Sports, acted as Starter and Timekeeper buying and maintaining the expensive guns and watches which he later bequeathed to AHCA.

He would also be found raking the long jump sandpit himself, he would appoint others to get experience of being Referee, Clerk of the Course, Starter, Timekeeper, Judge at the different track & field events. This was all in addition with his wife, Annie, to fostering 30 orphans over many years and transporting them and athletes to sports meeting in his old minibus.   He was also officiating at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh and in the 1990 SAAA official handbook, he was on the officials list as a grade 1 starter as well as having qualifications for timekeeping, starter and marks man (now known as a starter’s assistant).   

His favourite annual summer holiday was to the Isle of Man to see the motor cycle races. He once taught Frank McCarvel of Ayr Seaforth a lesson. Frank was a good sprinter but was in the habit of not settling down on the starting line and doing false starts to upset the other runners. Willie thought it was a waste of his expensive cartridges and, after Frank moved, Willie fired his gun once but not twice to bring the runners back. Frank, knowing that he had a false start and expecting the second gun, stopped and was going to protest but changed his mind.

Harry was born in 1925. His father, Tom, and uncles competed in the 1920s and 30s.  Harry accompanied his father to the meetings. After leaving the Navy about 1948, he joined Eglinton Harriers, who were members of AHCA and Kenny Phillips remembers him running in a cross country race at West Kilbride but I don’t think that he actually raced much after that.  When Eglinton Harriers disbanded he and his brothers, Steve and Willie, joined Beith Harriers.   He was very active in the club but there were  three times in particular in the coaching schemes: 

First,  in the 1940s and 50s:   This was organised in Kilmarnock in conjunction with the Ayrshire Youth Organiser Walter Howie, Ayrshire Schools Physical Training Organiser Alistair Aitkenhead, the Jordanhill Teacher Training College’s Physical Education  Lecturer, and the top UK Coaches in specialist subjects.  The Ayrshire Club coaches were taught the rules of the various events, how to record, judge, set out and administer the events and what advice to give to their athletes at the Youth Panel coaching schemes.   The lectures, videos and discussions were a great boost to Ayrshire athletics and helped the confidence of the club coaches when they all received a Certificate.

Second, in 1954, Harry lobbied Councillor David Savage to build the Dirrans Ash track in Kilwinning and sponsor the Annual Dirrans Sports Meeting.

Third, in 1966 Harry Maxwell and Kenny Phillips were appointed Secretary and Treasurer of AHCA.   1967 Harry, who lived in Kilwinning at that time, organised weekly practical training of Coaches and Athletes under John Anderson, National Coach.

In the 1970’s there was a fashion of clubs joining up to form bigger and stronger clubs and Ayrshire was not immune from this movement.   In 1974 Ayrshire Athletic Club formed from several other clubs, the biggest of which was Ayr Seaforth AAC, leaving Beith Harriers the only Athletic Club affiliated to the AHCA.   At this point,  Harry and Kenny were  again appointed Secretary and Treasurer of AHCA.

In 1975 National Coach Frank Dick and Senior Coach Alex Naylor were engaged by AHCA to train the club coaches for their Coaching Certificates.   During the discussions, it was apparent that there was disagreement about some of the training methods.  All the club coaches applied for and gained the Ordinary Coaching Certificate and Harry and Kenny were failed for the Senior Coaching Certificate.

Ken Phillips, second right

Kenny Phillips, Beith Harriers, Twice Treasurer of AHCA.   Kenny was a founder member of Stewarton Sports Association, and organised Stewarton Cross Country Races for 30 Years. He also helped Alex Johnston with the funnels for the famously well organised Women’s 10kOK annual road race, and the Glasgow Colleges cross country races. Alex made and bent some cross country markers out of high tensile steel wire, which was light and easy to carry instead of wooden or iron markers. A piece of yellow ribbon was tied to the top of the 3’ high marker and was easily seen at 10m intervals, except at Pollok Park, where  the trail went through a field with a “Host of Golden Daffodils” and some students got lost.  1,000 such markers were made for the AHCA and loaned out to other clubs and some, not returned, still turn up at sports meetings. At a national event, where the trail was being laid by AHCA, it was discovered that someone at Scottish Athletics had engaged a contractor to erect an expensive balloon above the finish line without considering the danger of it being blown down in the high wind and causing injuries.     SAL invited two UK Officials, a lady and a gentleman, to a meeting in Glasgow to explain the proper way to form the finishing funnels at races. They were not following Alex Johnston’s approved design of 10m slowing down distance and Kenny wondered why Alex had not been invited to the talk. After the meeting, he discovered that the gentleman was one of the athletes he had trained with at Horwich Mechanics Athletic Club in Lancashire in 1960 but had not recognised after so long.

Bob Reid, as a youth, was a member of Kilmarnock Harriers but after getting pneumonia was unable to compete. He formed a youth club at his local village, Ochiltree, and attended with the members at the Youth Panel events. At one cross country event he altered the position of a few marker flags at a corner which had been laid by a tennis club member and who then wanted Bob to be banned from any further connection with the Youth Panel. Kenny Phillips managed to convince the committee to take no action and Bob and Kenny went on to receive a 40 years memento from the Youth Panel for 40 years service. Bob developed his skill at laying cross country trails and soon was pre inspecting, planning, drawing plans, laying flags and bringing them back in after the sports for the County, District and National events.

Jim Young at the World CC at Edinburgh in 2008, Alex Jackson beside him, the races had just finished and they were two relieved guys that the day had gone so well.   It could not have gone otherwise with that two involved!
 

Jim Young was one of the best known men in Scottish Cross-Country for many years and was always identified with Irvine for the national – there were other causes for his popularity but maybe best known for the Irvine connection.   We start here with an extract from his obituary by Ron Morrison, and follow that up with his friend Kenny Phillips’s comments.

Jim Young was born in Tarbolton and remained an Ayrshire man all of his life. After returning from sojourns in New Zealand and Canada, Jim eventually settled down with his wife Betty in Irvine.   Jim’s first Club was Ayr Seaforth, where he was club champion and soon afterwards Irvine AC where he remained a loyal member for the rest of his athletic life.

However, Jim did not restrict his contribution to athletics in Scotland to one club. Locally Jim will be remembered with Betty as the driving force behind the Ayrshire Harrier Clubs Association for over 30 years.

It was there that with his constant pal Bob Reid that Jim set up a team called the Ayrshire Volunteers who specialised in building cross country courses.

Jim was also instrumental in bringing major events to the area such as the thirteen National Championships held at Beach Park and the Celtic Nations Cross Country Championship that was established by him.

Jim’s skill was soon deployed nationally. He served on the General Committee of the Scottish Cross Country Union (S.C.C.U.) in the mid 1970s and continued through the RR and CC Commission until he retired in 2010 due to ill health.

During that time he held the position of Championship Convener usually working in tandem with Betty who was heavily involved in organising the championships.

For those of you who have travelled to compete in a cross–country race wondering what the course will be like and who makes sure that it goes through enough mud, water, plough etc. then the chances are that if you have run in a cross country championship (Scottish Schools, Scottish National, 4K championship, 4/3 stage XC relays, Edinburgh International Cross, District and Inter–District) in the last 30 years – then Jim Young and his team have been involved in inflicting either great joy or otherwise in setting out the course for you.

At so many of these events they laboured – always being first there to set the course and last away home after breaking it down again.

The greatest challenge for Jim’s Ayrshire Volunteers was in setting the courses for the 2003 European Cross Country Championships and the 2008 World Cross Country Championships at Holyrood Park. The courses brought great praise from the I.A.A.F.

Jim served as S.C.C.U. President in 1982-3 and was awarded the Tom Stillie Trophy for services to athletics in 2008. Jim and Bob Reid were presented with long-service awards at the National Cross Country Championships in 2011 for inventing and deploying their world class course building techniques in Scotland over many years.

Kenny has this to say about Jim and Betty: Betty used to bake delicious cakes for the Officials at the Ayrshire Track & Field events. Jim stored heavy iron posts at his home and carried them in his car to all the sports meetings to mark off the starting points and finishing funnels, He traveled to the Irvine Valley factories at his own expense to obtain free rolls of silk to mark off on the ground the cross country trails. The silk was strong enough to withstand the wind and ensured that the athletes knew exactly where to go. The silk usually got wet and was discarded after use but was later replaced with plastic similar to that used by the public utilities.  The problem with Jim was that he could not turn down any request for help. One time at the International in Edinburgh, SAL asked him and the AHCA to mark off the cross country course using 6’ x 4”x 4” fencing stobs and wire. I had to complain to SAL about Health & Safety and them even considering asking a group of old age pensioners in their 70s and 80s to tackle such heavy work.

Others who really should be known – Jim Young led the team that built the courses for the European CC in 2003 and World CC in 2008 both times spending a number days in Edinburgh while they built them.   Bob Reid, Kevin Martin, Matt Ferguson all part of that team.

Nat Taylor, Girvan Athletic Club, who organised Girvan Lowland Games,  the Saughhill Race, the Merrick Hill Race.   Lowland Games are one of several sorts of summer athletics  events held across Scotland – Highland Games and Border Games are perhaps the best known but they are all community events as well as sports events and take a lot of organising; The Merrick is at 2, 766 feet the highest mountain in Scotland and as part of the Range of the Awful Hand is in territory that is wild and pretty remote, it would be a very difficult race to organise without any mishap.   

Kevin Martin, Manager of Magnum Sports Centre, Irvine.   The Magnum is legendary and it is source of great regret that it is now gone for good.   Continued to help with trail laying even after retirement and failing eyesight.   It contributed greatly to the success of the national and other cross country championships held there – the big games halls made available for changing, the theatre for the presentations, the secretarial help and the pinning up of the results for all to see, the patience of the staff in putting up with the many demands made upon them by the hordes of athletes from 11 years old to 70 years old (and older!) made for an exceptional experience for all taking part in national, veterans, schools, county championships.

Matt Ferguson, Kilmarnock Harriers.   Matt Ferguson and his wife were members of a motor cycle club.  His wife did a lot of baking for Kilmarnock events.  Matt and his son Stewart were both counting members in Kilmarnock team events.  He also organised the ‘Roon the Toon Road Race’ very efficiently and  continued to compete and lay cross country trails even after being badly injured in a motor bike accident.  Stewart was liked by the children when he was engaged as one of the four coaches for after school athletics in the primary schools of Beith, Dalry, Kilbirnie and Glengarnock.  Matt’s wife died when they were approaching retirement age.   Despite having 2 degrees, Stewart died two weeks after being offered as job as classroom assistant. There is a memorial seat to Stewart in  the Ayrshire Athletic Arena.  Matt continues to soldier on.  

So far we have been looking at men who worked mainly, but not exclusively, in cross-country events.   Glen Harrower was almost entirely track and field oriented.   What follows is taken from the Obituary by Matt Vallance published in the Scotsman in August 2012.

Glen Harrower was 73 when he died on 4th August 2012 but was youthful and vital with one big passion, football and Kilmarnock FC, and one huge passion: athletics and Ayr Seaforth AAC.   He was even known as “Mr Seaforth” and his huge contribution to the club and Scottish athletics was recognised when the governing body brought Lord Sebastian Coe to Glasgow to present Glen with an honorary life membership in 2009.   That contribution was underlined by the packed congregation at his funeral.   Ayr Crematorium staff said this was the biggest funeral there since that for Ally McLeod, like Glen a Glaswegian who claimed a very special place in the affections of Honest Men and Bonnie Lasses.   Glen’s family first moved from his native Glasgow to Stirling where his interest in sport and athletics was nurtured at Stirling High School where his gym teacher was then Rangers and Scotland goalkeeper Bobby Brown.   Glen always cited Brown as a major influence for the way he encouraged boys in his care at school to strive for excellence on the sports field.   Glen certainly was encouraged; he had trials with Stirling Albion, Falkirk and Dunfermline, but he himself admitted, while he had plenty of pace, he wasn’t good enough for the professional  game.   In any case, his preference was always for the running track.   In his youth he had run for St Modan’s AC, and right up to 2011 he was competing in Masters events around Scotland.   At Primary School he met Maureen, whom he was to marry in 1962.   Theirs was a life long love match, sadly ending with Maureen’s untimely death in 2002.   They had two children, Lauren and Douglas, and it was Lauren who was to be match-maker for the other great love affair in Glen’s life when she decided that she wanted to run and sought to join Ayr Seaforth.   

In the early 1970’s he took Lauren along to Dam Park where Ayr Seaforth consisted of long serving official Ernie Thursby and some ten athletes.   The once flourishing club which had seen the road runners do their own thing and the track athletes become part of Ayrshire AC.   Glen and Maureen got involved.    Glen felt that the club had an independent future, if young talent was nurtured, but to do this he and Maureen had to become team managers for the boys’ and girls’ teams, as well as coaches.   They set to work and built the club back up until in the 1980’s and 1990’s Seaforth began to dominate the Scottish Young Athletes League and international runners such as Brian Whittle began to appear in the white strip with the distinctive red saltire.  

Numbers have dipped slightly since, but today Seaforth is still a thriving club with some 300 members, mostly young athletes, using the excellent facilities at Ayr’s Dam Park.   Along the way Glen and Maureen did every possible job.   Glen had been President, Secretary and Treasurer and publicity officer, but his favourite job, and in his view his most important, was as a coach – something he was still doing right up to his death.   His philosophy was always “the athlete comes first”, and he moved heaven and earth to so his bets for his young charges.   He lived and breathed athletics, only occasionally switching off to go and watch Kilmarnock FC.   Early retirement gave him even more time to devote to his sport, and athletics certainly kept him going following Maureen’s death.”

I knew Glen slightly when we were both team managers in the Young Athletes League in the 80’s and early 90’s but the one incident that stands out was when he disqualified a runner in a meeting at Scotstoun.   It is commonplace now for field events athletes to be given coaching advice during the actual competition between trials but it is not legal for track runners even now to get such assistance.   Glen was track referee in a match when the Under 15 boys’ race was being run and the coach and father of one of the runners was running a diamond shape round the infield giving his runner instructions every 100 metres or so.   After the race Glen disqualified the runner (who won the race) because he received outside assistance.   The coach/father rushed the infield and challenged Glen to change his ruling on the grounds that he was at fault not the runner.   Glen held his ground against the chap whose face had gone from red to pale white with rage and anger.  Challenged to fight like a man, he refused to give in.   The incident was defused and the meeting progressed.  In over 60 years in the sport, it was the only time I’d ever seen such a situation arise and Glen handled it well.   

As a team manager, his team sheets were always in order and seldom changed – some team managers were in and out of the recorders box at all times during the afternoon changing runners, changing relay orders, asking what the rules were for starting heights or distances, asking how to verify a Scottish or League record and so on.  Glen was seldom in that category, never flustered.   A model team manager who also handled his athletes well on the day.

The Ayrshire Harrier Clubs Association

Name

The Association shall be called the Ayrshire Harrier Clubs’ Association and shall have the short title “AHCA”.

Membership

1. *Membership of the Association shall be confined to athletics clubs affiliated to Scottish Athletics Limited based in Ayrshire and Arran, member groups of Jog Scotland based in Ayrshire and Arran, sports promoting bodies, schools, colleges and youth clubs based in Ayrshire and Arran.                                                                                                 
2. All applications for membership must be made in writing to the Secretary and shall be submitted to the Committee at its first meeting after the application is lodged. The membership fee must accompany the application.
3. Any organisation wishing to resign must give notice to the Secretary prior to the Annual General Meeting. If this is not done, liability for a further year’s subscription will be incurred and if this is not paid then the organisation will be liable for this subscription before it can rejoin.

Objects

The objects of the Association shall be:

1. To further the interests of athletics by endeavouring to secure the formation of new clubs eligible for membership.
2. To encourage clubs by promoting individual and team competitions, county championships, inter-county contests and international matches.
3. To assist schools by encouraging the promotion of athletic competitions.
4. To assist youth clubs by offering advice to members and encouraging the promotion of area and inter district youth panel sports meetings.

Government

1. Each year at the Annual General Meeting a roll of patrons shall be drawn up.
2. The office bearers of the Association shall be appointed annually and shall consist of a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be invested in one person. Each member organisation shall be obliged to supply a Secretary if this is necessary and shall do so in alphabetical rotation. All office bearers other than  Secretary and Treasurer must be appointed from Delegates duly authorised by member organisations. In addition the AGM may appoint an Honorary President. The Delegates will be elected by the member organisations with each organisation electing two Delegates.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
3. The management of the Association shall be vested in a general committee consisting of Delegates elected as described above and the office bearers. This committee will meet periodically whenever business demands it with a minimum of four meetings each year over and above an Annual General Meeting. A quorum for all committee meetings shall be fixed annually at the Annual General Meeting. The two Delegates from each member organisation shall have one vote each. Office bearers who are not Delegates shall also have one vote each. The Chairman shall have a casting as well as a deliberative vote. Ex-officio office bearers shall have one vote but only when the proposal comes within their area of responsibility and at no other times. Four Delegates/office bearers shall form a quorum at the AGM.

Meetings

The Chairman and Secretary shall decide the times and places of all meetings. At least fourteen days notice of a normal committee meeting shall be given to secretaries of affiliated organisations.      The  Annual General Meeting  shall be held no later than the end of November each year. This meeting will receive the Secretary’s and Treasurer’s annual reports and office bearers will be elected by a show of hands.  At least twenty eight days notice of the AGM shall be given to the secretaries of each affiliated organisation. This notice shall be accompanied by a provisional agenda. Notice of any business which an affiliated organisation wishes to be placed on the agenda of the AGM must be in the hands of the Secretary fourteen days before the date of the meeting.

Special General Meetings

A Special General Meeting may be convened provided the request is signed by the secretaries of three affiliated organisations and is placed in the hands of the Secretary at least fourteen days before the date of the proposed meeting. The business to be discussed must be specified. The Secretary will then give all affiliated organisations seven days notice of the meeting and specify the business to be transacted. A majority of the Delegates/office bearers present shall decide such business as submitted except that in the case of an alteration to the rules, a majority of two thirds of Delegates/office bearers present shall be required.

Annual Subscription

The annual subscription shall be fixed at the AGM and shall be paid not later than the end of the calendar year.

Discipline

The general committee shall have the power to suspend temporarily or permanently from AHCA organised or supported events, any person or affiliated organisation considered by the general committee to have brought the sport of athletics into disrepute. The decision shall be based on a simple majority of Delegates/office bearers present at the meeting. Misbehaviour might include betting or unfair practices connected with athletics such as failing to observe the rules. A person or organisation so disciplined shall have the right to appeal to a Special General Meeting. A two thirds majority shall be necessary before any decision shall be implemented at such a meeting. The decision of the Association shall be conveyed to the governing body.

Alteration to the Rules

These rules shall not be varied or amended except by the votes of not less than two thirds of those present at an Annual General Meeting or at a properly convened Special General Meeting called for the purpose.

Executive Committee

An executive committee consisting of the Chairman, Secretary and one other Delegate or Office bearer shall be appointed at the AGM to deal with any matter which may arise when there is insufficient time to call a committee meeting. It may also deal with any business which the general committee may remit to it.

Standing Orders

1. A suitable account shall be opened at a branch of a bank approved by the AGM. This account shall be operated by the Treasurer.
2. Sundry receipts of cash shall be banked whenever the amount exceeds £50.
3. A cashbook shall be kept by the Treasurer in which shall be shown all intromissions supported by relative vouchers for either income or expenditure.
4. The financial year shall end on the 30^th September and a statement of income and expenditure prepared for the approval of the AGM.
5. An auditor shall be appointed by the AGM. He will conduct a complete audit for the year and submit a report to the AGM.
6. The four statutory meetings of the general committee shall be held in the months of November, February, May and August with the November meeting coinciding with the AGM.

Rules For Championship Events

1. Eligibility of competitors shall be as defined by Scottish Athletics Limited.
2. The rules for all events shall be as laid down by Scottish Athletics but in addition the following local rules shall apply:

Individual and team Championships promoted by AHCA or authorised sports promoting bodies shall be open only to (a) all members of our affiliated athletics clubs whether first or second claim, (b) people who reside in Ayrshire or Arran (c) all members of schools and youth organisations in Ayrshire and Arran. However anyone whose eligibility stems from (b) or (c) shall not be eligible if they are a member of an athletics club affiliated to Scottish Athletics which is based outwith Ayrshire and Arran.

1. The venue of Championships shall be the headquarters of (or other premises arranged by) the host club. Each club shall have the honour of promoting the competitions in turn with the host club being decided by the AGM.
2. (a)The trail for all championship races shall be chosen by the host club. (b) The office bearers of the Association shall have the power to change the trail if they consider it unsuitable. (c) The promoting club shall give the Secretary a description of the trail including distances so that member organisations can be informed as soon as possible. (d) A plan of the courses shall be prominently displayed on the day of the races.
3. The distances for all competitors shall be in accordance with Scottish Athletics rules for the various age groups.
4. All entries must show the competitors name, date of birth and organisation. Declarations will close 30 minutes before the start of the event. The Chairman and Secretary may scrutinise entries.
5. The entry fee will be decided at the AGM.
6. The Association shall appoint a referee and not less than two judges, two timekeepers, a starter and such stewards as may be thought necessary. These officials will be responsible for the conduct of the races and/or meeting. Each affiliated athletics club will be expected to nominate at least two officials.
7. The general committee shall decide the number of competitors to count in team events and the number and value of awards for different events.

Winding Up

The winding up of Ayrshire Harrier Clubs’ Association shall require a vote to be taken at an AGM or a properly convened Special General Meeting. At this meeting the Delegates from all the affiliated organisations present at the meeting shall have to vote in favour of the proposed dissolution before it can take place.

Disposal of Assets

In the event of Ayrshire Harrier Clubs’ Association being wound up, any surplus funds left over after all our financial obligations have been met shall be dispersed equally amongst our affiliated athletics clubs.

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.

*

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!

..

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.

#

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.

.

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

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