
A couple of nostalgia pictures supplied by Bob Frewin during the Wimbledon
AC days of the late 1950s
The first one shows Bob being tracked by a young Tom Pollak (yes, that is
him) while the team photo is of Wimbledon AC at the 1959 Surrey Road Relay,
probably at Woking. Note the original club vests worn by numbers 44 and 41
prior to the days when the vest was of a blue and yellow hoped design.
Team Members L-R: Back row: Tom Pollak, Ray Lovegrove and Roger Clark.
Front row: Harry Maylin, Robin Thomas and Bob Frewin. (posted July 2010) |

The above is reproduced from a postcard supplied by Bob Frewin, who was a
member of the original Wimbledon AC and he
suggests that it shows the official opening of the Wimbledon Park track in
1953.
Just take a look at the size of
the smartly dressed crowd, probably in larger numbers than that of the
recent UK Championships.
Bob still takes a keen interest
in club matters and was recently seen compiling the results at the Rosenheim
League hosted by HW. (posted July 2010) |

Ernie Earl of Hercules AC winning the Surrey County Cross Country
Championship at Chessington in January 1960 and seen here leading Herne Hill
Harrier International Mike Maynard. Second in the race was Olympic
steeplechase finalist Eric Shirley who was a second claim member of Hercules
Surrey Cross Country Championships, January 3, 1960, Chessington
Senior Men (6.5 miles)
1 Ernie Earl (Hercules) 32:22; 2 Eric Shirley (Hercules)
32:28; 3 Mike Maynard (HHH) 32:29; 4 Tony Towl (HHH) 32:50; 5 Mick Firth (SLH)
33:03; 6 Alec Fruin (Mitcham) 33:16; 7 Tony Lewellyn (Walton) 33:20; 8 Bob
Roath (Walton) 33:23; 9 Colin Wilson (SLH) 33:25; 10 Neville Chanin (SLH)
33:28; 11 Charlie Dabbs (Belgrave) 33:39; 12 Ken Caulder (Surrey) 33:41; 13
Bill Bird (Ranelagh) 33:42; 14 Ted Caiger (Hercules) 33:46; 15 Geoff
Winchester (Walton) 33:50; 16 Brian Davies (Mitcham) 34:06; 17 Bill Anderson
(Mitcham) 34:13; 18 John R Humphreys (SLH) 34:16; 19 Alan Rogers (Mitcham)
34:17; 20 Bill ‘Dink’ Pawsey (Mitcham) 34:27
TEAM: 1 South London H 86; 2 Walton AC 143; 3 Herne
Hill H 152; 4 Hercules AC 155; 5 Mitcham AC 170; 6 Belgrave H 218 |

Southern Cross Country Championship, Stanmer Park, Brighton, February
1965 -
Photo by Alan TurnerLeading is John Roberts of HW, but
then a member of South London Harriers, immediately behind him is (l-r) Mel
Batty (Thurrock), Tim Johnston (Portsmouth) and Tim Briault (Ponders End),
while at the rear is Geoff North (Belgrave), John Baldwin (Blackheath),
Peter Yates (Windsor)
and Gerry North (Belgrave) (Unable to confirm runner
immediately behind Briault)
The race was won by Mel Batty to add to his victories in 1962 and 1965,
with Tim Johnston (1963, 1966) and Gerry North (1967)
also proving winners
of this event.
For the record, Frank Briscoe of Hercules Wimbledon won in 1974, with
John Roberts second and HW won the team race in 1970 |