History of LWAC

Lincoln Wellington Athletic Club was formed on Wednesday 20th September 1911, at a meeting held in the upper room at the Duke of Wellington Inn in Broadgate, Lincoln. That is how the name “Wellington” came about. This makes it possibly the only athletic club in the UK named after a pub! The club is considered one of the oldest in the country. It’s name was a unique and memorable detail that helped it gain popularity and attention.

The Club had only just got started when the First World War started. After the War, the Club had many local successes, but its first Northern Counties Champion was A. Freeman who won the 220yds.

During the 1920s the Club grew and so did the successes. This era was called the “Golden Era” as the first prize in the larger events was a gold watch and gold medals in championships.

G. Vinters won The Lincolnshire 1-Mile Championships in 1922, 1923, 1926, as well as the 2 miles in 1923.

Other club members who won in the 1920s were:

– J. Hebden 1 Mile, 2 Miles & Lincs Cross Country 3 times.
– A. Wheatley 880yds & 440yds
– C. Smyth 880yds (x2)
– D. Oswin 220yds 440yds
– C. Roberts 100yds & 220yds
– A. Wells 100yds & 220yds.

In the 1930s, the AAA began to have more control over the clubs, and the meetings, we saw betting at the meetings disappear & so the sport improves from it.

The club got stronger & we became one of the leading clubs in the north, both in track & field & cross country. The Eastern Counties came into being in 1934, we won it 3 times before the War, as well as the Lincs CCC 4 times.

On the Track we had too many successes to record here! A fine Relay Team was hardly beaten in 6 years. In the Championships we had our successes:

– In 1932, N.A. Hewson came 3rd in the Senior Northern High Jump and S. Lockwood was 3rd in the Youth Northern 440yds.
– E. Murry won Lincs 100yds in 1938-39 & Lincs 220yds in 1938-39.
– W. Moorcroft won The Northern Counties Junior 880yds & the Mile in 1935, AAA Champion 1 Mile in 1935.
– S. Gunn Represented England 1 Mile in 1938. Won NCAAA England 1 Mile in 1938.
– E. W. Harrison won Eastern Counties Cross Country in 1934-36-38. Lincs CCC 1932, 1935, and 1936. Represented RAF many times. Represented Great Britain in 1937 over 5000m and represented AAA 1936, 1937, and 1938 in the 3 Miles.
– J. Konacevik represented Yugoslavia at the 1936 Olympics.

During the Second World War, the Club was kept going by Mr. J. Littleover (pictured in the 1926 Team photo in the second row, 5th from the left), who joined on 19th September 1912, became the main stay of the Club in the 1930s & 1940s.

He was Secretary, then Chairman. At the end of the War, the club came to life again, runners returned (and some, unfortunately, did not). Other people joined and soon we had a club again! It was not long before the club was flourishing again. The next 10 years were the club’s best years – it was on ‘the crest of the wave’. We got larger and so better, but so did most clubs in England…

The club had a very good cross-country Team, as well as track and field. Soon invitations began to come in for the main Trophy’s Meeting, where we could always hold our own. Also for the London to Brighton Relay (6yrs) and later the Manchester to Blackpool Relay. In this Era the Club must have won more than a hundred events.

We also had very good field event athletes. Jānis Stendzeniek won the AAA Javelin in 1947 and held the club Javelin record until 2012 when another Olympic trialist, J. Dunderdale, bettered it. Janis hoped he might be able to participate in the 1948 Olympics taking place in London. But this was not to be, as his status was a lowly “displaced person”.

In this period the Club won The Eastern CCC 6 times, Lincs CCC 4 times.

In 1948, the senior team were runners up in the Waddilove Trophy. T. White won the 440yds, J. Stendzeniek won the Javelin, and A. Jankovskis won the discus. The team also won the 1st mile medley relay.

In 1949, the Youth team of A. Aldred (9th), P. Wray (10th), R. Armstrong and R. Williams won the National Cross Country championships.

In 1953, the team of L. Bohn, J. Murray, J. Murphy and P. Sutton won the Northern 4 x 110yds Relay. Individual winners were:

– EECCC B. Hebb (2) F. Bauckham, K. Barnsdale, N Clark (4) E.W. Harrison (3)
– LCCC F. Bauckham, C. Thurlby, K. Barnsdale, Girdham, N. Clark (3)

On the Track:

– E. Murry 100 & 220yds.
– T. White AAA Champion 880yds (2). Represented Great Britain in 1946-47 over 880yds and again in 1950-1952. Represented AAA 1946-1947 880yds. Represented: NCAA 880yds 1946-47-48-50-51, 1-mile in 1952, P/Games 880yds 1948-52, Lincs 880yds, and 1-mile.
– J. Murray Northern champion 220yds hurdles in 1952. His best times were 9.92s (100yds), 21.8s (220yds), 49.5s (440yds).
– E. Murry in Lincolnshire County 100 & 220yds.
– A Murry in Lincolnshire County 440yds (x4).
– B. Hebb in Lincolnshire County 1-mile (x2).
– C. Thurlby in Lincolnshire County 2-mile.
– F. Bauckham in Lincolnshire County 2-miles, and 3-miles.
– E. Harrison in Lincolnshire County 2-miles (x3), 3-miles, NCAA 3-miles.

One of the Clubs outstanding success in this period was in the 2 miles team races, must have won over 40 races (examples 8 in one year & 11 in another). Teams came from the following runners W. Close, W. Hebb, C. Thurlby, F. Bauckham, K. Barnsdale. E.W. Harrison, Girdham, E. Wilson.Later in middle of the 1950s the Club ran in Road Races from 10 Miles to Marathons. Once again the Club became a force in these races & won many prizes. E. Wilson & E. W. Harrison represented Lincolnshire in the 20 Mile Inter-Counties in 1958. Harrison won the RAF Marathon in 1958. N. Clark was outstanding over 10 Miles. T. Wray became one of England’s best runners over 20 Mile in 1959, broke the Kent 20 Mile Record. Janet Gaunt competed in the Highland Games in 1957 and was a guest at the High Jump in East Berlin in 1960. She was chosen for the Olympic Games in 1960 but was unable to compete through illness.End of ERA 1960.LWAC athletes who have received international recognition in recent years include:- Ruth Elder (GB & England) 200/400; Sally Robinson (England) X Country; Myfanwy O’Brien (Wales) X Country; Sharron Davenport (England) 800.
Also Ernie Harrison won 10,000m Olympic trial at Bolton on 22/5/48. C. T. (Tommy) White came 5th in European Champs 800m final in 1.51.5 in 1946. In 1947 he won the British Games 800m and the AAA’s 880 yards. Ran in the 1948 Olympics 800m and placed 3rd in heat 2 (1.56.6).