Cross-Country – Scouts

Having successfully introduced a District Sports / Athletics Competition and a Swimming Gala, another sporting event – the District Cross-Country race – was introduced. Although some notes in the District records suggest that this was in 1925 the first actual record is of the race on the 27^th March 1926.

Unfortunately, for the first few years the exact format of the event is not known. Based on the minutes from the Sports Committee it is thought that each Group entered a team of Scouts and Rovers with their finishing position determining the number of points that their team scored. It is not known how many were in each team or how many of the team scored points.

It is also thought that each team member was put in one of 5 Classes according to their age: A for 11 and 12 year olds; B for 13 and 14 year olds; C for 15 and 16 year olds; D for 17 and 18 year olds; and E for those aged 19 and above. A handicap was then calculated for each Class.

Samuel Pulham, a local butcher and supporter of the Scouts, presented a Shield to the District to be awarded to the best performing team. This was determined by adding together the points scored by each team member with the lowest total being the winners.

Note: Samuel Pulham later served as Mayor of Finchley for two terms (1935-1937) and subsequently became an Alderman and later a Vice-President of the District.

The race is thought to have started at Woodside Park Station with 56 competitors (representing 6 Groups) and to have covered a route of 3 miles, finishing at Gordon Hall, the Headquarters of the 10^th Finchley.

Full details of the result are also not known but the 10^th Finchley won the Pulham Shield with 48 points while the 2^nd Finchley were second with 77 points and the 8^th Finchley third with 82 points.

The 1927 competition, held on the 19^th February, was not very well supported but was again won by the 10^th Finchley.

After some debate about the location of the 1928 race it was decided to hold it over the same course as the previous year. It was held on the 18^th February with an improved turnout – 60 runners from 6 Groups. The 10^th won the Shield for the third year with the 16^th Finchley finishing in second place and the 15^th Finchley finishing third. However, this was not without a little controversy as the 15^th Finchley arrived not having submitted their entry in time and not having paid the entry fee. After being allowed to run the Sports Committee decided to allow the result to stand and they were duly awarded a certificate.

A short report of the event appeared in the local paper which provided the points score for all 6 teams as well as noting that the best individual runner was P G Meredith of the 10^th Finchley, who completed the course in 19 minutes and 22 seconds.

The 1929 Competition was held on the 9^th March, having been postponed from the original date due to frost-bound conditions. As before, the race started at Woodside Park Station and finished at Gordon Hall, and once again the 10^th Finchley won the shield with 48 points. The 2^nd Finchley were second with 101 points and the 15^th Finchley third with 108 points. It was a fairly close race and although won by D Laws from the 10^th eight other runners finished within 2 minutes of him. J Steele from the 15^th was second with Rover Stan Hartley from the 10^th, who actually completed the course in the fastest time, finishing third.

The outcome of the race in 1930, held during February, was similar to that of 1929. The 10^th won the Shield, the 2^nd Finchley were second and the 15^th Finchley were third. The short press report also said that W Higley of the 10^th set a new course record of 17 minutes and 26 seconds.

For 1931 we only know that the race was run over the usual course and that the 10th Finchley won the Shield again.

For 1931 we only know that the race was run over the usual course and that the 10^th Finchley won the Shield again.

In 1932 the 10^th Finchley continued their run of victories and retained the Shield for yet another year.

In 1933, for the very first time, the Shield changed hands when the 2^nd Finchley won the event.

The 1934 race was held on the 3^rd March with the 10^th Finchley regaining possession of the Shield.

From the press report of the 1935 race, it can be seen that some of the changes mentioned above had been made, but it is not evident if this was the first year that they were implemented. The race on the 16^th March was run over a course of about 4 miles from Totteridge Station to Courthouse Gardens, Finchley. Only 6 Groups entered with a maximum of 12 Scouts in each team and with only the first 6 of each team scoring points. The handicap system appears to have been retained but with the positions of those in Class E not counting towards the trophy.

F J Witton from the 2^nd Finchley was the first to finish the race but with the rest of his team finishing 7^th, 11^th, 13^th, 17^th and 20^th their points total only secured 2^nd place. The 10^th Finchley team finished 2^nd, 3^rd, 5^th, 6^th, 9^th and 12^th meaning they had a substantially lower score than the 2^nd Finchley and therefore won the Shield. The 12^th Finchley team finished in 3^rd place.

Although the District AGM report states that the 10^th Finchley won the Shield in 1936, this is not correct. From their history book it is known that there were 103 entrants representing 10 Groups and a note saying ‘despite intensive training was won by another Group’. That other Group is currently not known.

The 1937 competition was held on the 10^th April and was organised by ‘Pop’ Barclay, the Group Scout Master of the 10^th Finchley. We are fortunate to have found the list of entries that he prepared which also shows that the event was clearly split into two races: one for juniors over 2¼ miles and one for seniors over 4½ miles. The first three Scouts from each team scored points and the two points totals were added together to determine the winner of the Pulham Shield. The local press report shows that D J Wingate of the 10^th Finchley won the junior race and Basil Pilgrim from the 5^th Finchley won the senior race, with the 10^th claiming the shield, the 11^th finishing second and the 5^th finishing third.

Although the particulars of the 1938 race are unknown the result of the competition was recorded in the District Executive minutes. The 2^nd Finchley claimed the Pulham Shield with 41 points with the 12^th Finchley finishing second with 43 points and the 10^th Finchley finishing third with 49 points.

According to the press report the 1939 competition comprised only 4 Classes. The junior race (Classes A & B) was run over 3½ miles with A Evans of the 12^th Finchley winning the race and the 10^th Finchley claiming the team win. The senior race (Classes C & D) was run over 5 miles with A Ware of the 2^nd Finchley winning the race and the 5^th Finchley claiming the team win. After the two results were combined the 5^th were declared the winners of the Pulham Shield while the 10^th finished second and the 2^nd third.

There was no District Cross-Country in 1940, 1941 and 1942 but it did take place in 1943. On the 13th March at Brook Farm, 51 Scouts entered the junior and 17 the senior race. The junior race was won by M Johnson of the 4th Finchley but the runners from the 10th were well placed and won their section. The senior race was won by Harry Hicks of the 11th Finchley but it was the 15th that won their section. The results meant that the 10th and the 15th were both able to hold the Pulham Shield for 6 months. The local press provided a full breakdown of the results.

There is no record of the event taking place in 1944 or 1945 although an entry in the District records at a much later date would suggest that the event was held. There is a record though that relates to the competition for the Pulham Shield taking place in 1946.

72 Scouts representing 9 Groups assembled on the 9th March for the usual junior and senior races. Although G Green of the 15th Finchley came home first in the junior race it was the 11th Finchley that won the team race with their runners finishing 7th, 8th and 10th. In the senior race Peter Trollope of the 11th Finchley finished 22 seconds ahead of the rest of the field but as they only had two runners, they were eliminated from the team race. It was the 2nd Finchley that won, meaning that they and the 11th were able to share the Shield.

The largest entry for some years was recorded at the 1947 event, despite very cold conditions. The junior event, with 47 entries, was won by Leslie Richardson of the 3rd Finchley Sea Scouts with his team mate Edward Stevens finishing second. Despite the Group’s third runner finishing 21st it was enough for them to win. In the senior race another member of the 3rd Finchley Sea Scouts (J Smith) won the race, but as far as the team race was concerned, they were joint winners with the 11th Finchley, with both Groups scoring 18 points.

According to the District AGM report there was a ‘very successful’ Cross-County race for juniors and seniors in 1948. Unfortunately we have been unable to find a press report and are unable to ascertain who won the Pulham Shield that year. Despite this we know that there was a race specifically for the Rovers which was won by the 11th Finchley.

Full details of the 1949 race are also unknown, but from the District AGM report it is known that the winning teams were 10th Finchley (Class A Scouts), 15th Finchley (Class B Senior Scouts) and 11th Finchley (Class C Rovers). It is also believed that following the introduction of the Rover race the Pulham Shield was shared by each winning team for 4 months of the year.

The 1950 event was held on the 25th March with the 10th Finchley winning the Scout race with 22 points, well ahead of the 5th Finchley who finished with 42 points. The individual race winner was L M Grant from the 10th. In the Senior Scout race, now over 4 miles, there was a tie for first place between R Owen (11th Finchley) and M Keen (6th Finchley). However, the 20th Finchley team claimed a share of the shield, with the 4th Finchley in second place. Peter Trollope (11th Finchley) won the Rovers’ race, over 5 miles, but with Alan Fensome finishing second, and his two team mates finishing 3rd and 4th, the 15th won the team race.

80 competitors entered the 1951 championship that was held in damp and muddy conditions. The Pulham Shield was shared between the 10th Finchley, 4th Finchley and 15th Finchley who won the Scout, Senior Scout and Rover races respectively. The individual winners from each section were Paul Shrimpton (10th Finchley), B McTeare (4th Finchley) and for the second successive year Peter Trollope (11th Finchley).

The weather conditions in 1952 caused the postponement of the race and resulted in 3 Groups (6th Finchley, 8th Finchley and 18th Finchley) being unable to compete, and a reduced number of entries from the others. In addition Shaftesbury Harriers, who had usually given their valuable time to assist at the event, provided fewer volunteers and no times were recorded. The 20th Finchley won the Scout race with B Stevens from that Group being the individual winner. The 10th Finchley won the Senior Scout race with R Thomson from that Group being the individual winner, and the 2nd Finchley won the Rover race with R Saunders from that Group being the individual winner.

No records can be found that relate to the 1953 championship.

From a brief note in the 1954 District records we know that the 15th Finchley won the races for Scouts and Rovers, and that the 10th Finchley won the Senior Scout one.

For 1955 there was even less information – just a note to say that the event took place.

Full details of the 1956 event are not known although the winners of each class were given and at the same time there was reference to obtaining more trophies so that each class would have their own. This would mean that it would no longer be necessary to share the Pulham Shield.

As expected, two new shields were obtained: the Miall Shield for the Senior Scouts and the Barclay Shield for the Rovers.

These were in appreciation of the service provided by Arthur Miall who had been the District Secretary from 1924 to 1939, and by ‘Pop’ Barclay, the Group Scoutmaster of the 10th Finchley who is credited with starting the Group in 1914.

At the 1957 championship the Pulham Shield, just for Scouts, was won by the 7th Finchley. The 15th Finchley Senior Scouts won their event and became the first Group to hold the Miall Shield while the new Barclay Shield, for those aged 18 and under 24, was shared between the 4th Finchley and 10th Finchley who were joint winners. The individual winners of each section were S Westin (20th Finchley Scouts), J Smith (15th Finchley Senior Scouts) and A Shrimpton (10th Finchley over 18s).

The upper age limit for the Barclay Shield had been imposed as this had become the upper age for a Rover. To compensate for this change, and for one year only, a special non-championship race was held for those over 23 years of age. It was won by R Hungerford (15th Finchley).

More text to follow, which will include details of the changes that were made following the introduction of Venture Scouts. In the meantime though we have produced the table below that shows all of the results of which we are aware.

The Cub Cross-Country will be covered in a separate article.

Gallery

To view associated photographs and press cuttings click here