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 recording 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 and 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.

From District records, Group records and press cuttings it is known that the annual race continued to be held until 1939, but did not take place in 1940, 1941 and 1942, due to the war. From these sources the winner of the Shield for each year apart from 1936 is known. It is apparent though that some changes to the elements of the event were made. Our findings briefly follow.

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 Leader of the 10^th Finchley. We are fortunate to have found the list of entries 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.

More to follow.

Gallery

To view associated photographs and press cuttings click here