1903 Cross-Country International Field

Photo from Alex Wilson

Following on from the account of the ten mile track championships from their inaugural run in 1886 to their unfortunate death 90 years later in 1976, short profiles of the runners who won medals of whatever colour in the races are presented here for information.   Those athletes who already have individual profiles are linked to these profiles where their name appears on the text on the race reports [recognisable because they are in blue.]   We will do it in chronological order.

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W Henderson, 1887. was a member of the Clydesdale Harriers national cross-country winning team in 1888 when he was fifth.   In the breakaway SHU version of the national cross-country championship in 1890 he was in the winning Glasgow team where he was tenth.   

P Addison, 1888, Edinburgh Harriers: In addition to winning the 10 miles track championship in 1892 and being third in 1888 and 1896, Addison ran in and was a member of the winning Edinburgh team in the first ever National Cross-Country Championship in 1886 and continued to represent the club in a series of national championships where he continued to win team medals in 1891 and 1895 when the team won for the first time in several years..    

Charles Pennycook, 1889, of Arthurlie FC and Clydesdale Harriers, had an illustrious athletics career winning the National Cross-Country title in 1892. He had previously won the breakaway SHU Cross-Country Championship of Scotland in 1890 under the Scottish Harriers Union rules.   On the track he won the SAAA Mile in 1889 and was second in the Ten Miles in the same year.   There were also second and third place championship medals plus team medals.   He went on to be President of the SAAA in 1907/08.

TIS Hunter, 1890, Edinburgh Harriers,  was second in the ten miles track twice (1890 and 1892), and third in the four miles in 1890.   This was his first year running in the championships but his talents stretched to cross-country where he was a solid club cross-country runner who ran in several national medal winning teams, starting with second team medals in the SCCA championships in 1890, winning team medal in 1891 (he was sixth), and a personal best finish in 1894 when he was fourth.   He ran often on the track and won prizes in events as disparate as the mile flat, the novelty race (one lap race walking, one lap running backwards, one lap running) and the three and four miles events.

WM Carment, 1891, Edinburgh Harriers, medallist in both 10 miles and one mile, as well as being a regular member of medal winning cross-country teams for his club, he won individual silver in the 1892 national championship and bronze in 1893.     Carment went on to become Secretary/Treasurer of the SCCU between 1892 and 1897.

P McMorrow, 1892, West of Scotland Harriers and Celtic Harriers, ran in his first national cross-country championship in 1892 where he finished tenth for the team that finished third.   He never won team or individual medals on the country but won prizes at distances from 880 yards to 4 miles in track handicaps.

SJ Cornish, 1893, Edinburgh Harriers, was twice runner-up to Andrew Hannah in the 10 miles track championship.  His first run in the national was in 1893 (team third), then after another third in 1894, he was in the winning team in 1895 

A McCallum, 1895

RA Hay, 1896, Edinburgh Harriers, was Scottish Cross-Country Champion in 1896, also over a ten miles course, leading his club to first team honours.   His first cross-country national was in 1894 when he was 11th for the team that finished third for the second year in succession.

David White Mill 1901 Clydesdale Harriers. One International Cross-Country vest. His first National run for Clydesdale was in 1896 when he was part of the gold medal winning team.  He won the National Cross-Country (plus team gold) in both 1901 and 1902. Individual silver (and team silver) in 1900. Four Miles Track champion in 1901, after bronze in 1899 and silver in 1990. Four Track International vests: at 4 Miles versus Ireland – winning in 1901.   Mill started out with Greenock Glenpark Harriers,and switched allegiance to Clydesdale Harriers for several years during which he won National titles on the track and over the country before returning to run again for Glenpark.

Tom Jack 1904 Edinburgh Southern Harriers, had a remarkable record:

•  on the track where he won the 10 miles track six times (1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909 and 1910) and was second once (1905) as well as winning the Four Miles in ’08, being second in ’05, ’06, third in ’07, second in ’09 and second in ’10.   
• over the country where he won the national championship in 1907, ’08. 09 and 1912.

Thomas Mulrine 1904  West of Scotland H. 5th in 1905 National XC (plus team gold). Team silver in 1907

Sam Stevenson, 1905 ’08 Clydesdale Harriers. 3 International Cross-Country vests. Four Miles Track champion in 1905 and 1906.   Olympic Games 1908.   Four Track International vests versus Ireland, winning twice.

 

Peter Russell 1905 Bellahouston H. 2 International XC vests.

W Bowman 1907 West of Scotland H. 4 International XC vests (including 11th and first Scot in 1909). 5th in 1907 National XC (plus team silver).

William Robertson 1908 Clydesdale H. 2 International XC vests. National XC team gold 1906. Track One Mile silver medallist in 1897. Two Track International vests versus Ireland, competing in 880 yards, One Mile and Four Miles. Eventually suspended for professionalism.

Alex McPhee 1909 Clydesdale H.   3 International XC vests, including 8th and first Scot in 1910. National XC champion in 1909 and 1910. Team 1st equal in 1910. Four Miles Track champion in 1909 and 1910. His father was a good professional runner; and his younger brother Duncan a fine Scottish International 880/Mile athlete.

Alec Mann 1909 Clydesdale H.   3 International XC vests. National XC team gold in 1907; team silver in 1909 (individual bronze); team gold in 1910 (individual 5th); team silver in 1911 (individual 4th); team silver in 1912; team bronze in 1913.   He was also known as a road runner well before it was fashionable for amateurs to do so.

Angus Kerr 1911 Motherwell YMCA H and Bellahouston H. 4 International XC vests: 1911, 1912, 1913, 1920. He finished a fine 11th in 1913. National XC individual silver in 1912, one second behind Tom Jack. Team silver in 1920, when he finished 9th. One Track International vest versus Ireland, running the Four Miles.

A Smith 1913   Clydesdale Harrier. One International Cross-Country vest which was won in 1920 .

George Cummings 1914  Greenock Glenpark H / Bellahouston H? One International Cross-Country vest. In the 1914 National Cross-Country he finished 6th (plus team gold).

John Cuthbert 1921 Garscube H. One International Cross-Country vest. In the 1921 National Cross-Country, he finished 9th (plus team silver); and added another team silver in 1923.

P Martin 1923 Maryhill H. In the 1926 National Cross-Country, he contributed to team silver.

James Mitchell 1925 Kilmarnock H/Mauchline.  2 International Cross-Country vests, including 1926 when he finished 5th and was first Scot. In the National Cross-Country he was second in 1925; and became champion in 1926.

Daniel Quinn 1926 Garscube H. One International Cross-Country vest. In the National Cross-Country he won team bronze in 1923; finished 8th and secured team gold in 1925; and in 1926 was fifth and led his club to team gold.

William Sutherland 1935 Shettleston H. 4 International Cross-Country vests. In the National Cross-Country he was 6th in 1935; secured team silver in 1938; and finished 8th (plus team bronze) in 1939. He ran regularly in the Edinburgh to Glasgow Road Relay and contributed to team silver in 1936 and bronze in 1939.

David Brooke 1936  Garscube H. In the National XC, he helped his team to bronze in 1928 and 1935. In the E to G, he added bronze in 1931 and silver in 1935. Secured a bronze medal in the 1936 Six Miles track championship. Later he was active as a time keeper respected by all and worked at the 1970 Commonwealth Games before becoming President of the Scottish Marathon Club.   There is more about him   here   and    here

   William Kennedy 1937 Kilbarchan H. 2 International Cross Country vests. He finished 10th in the National Cross-Country in 1937.

Gordon Anderson 1947 Bellahouston H. One International Cross-Country vest. In the National Cross-Country, he was 4th in 1947 (plus team gold); 8th in 1948 (team silver); and 12th in 1949 (team silver).

Archibald Gibson 1948 Hamilton H. 4 International Cross-Country vests: he was one of Scotland’s scoring six on each occasion. In the National Cross Country he was 6th in 1948; and ran fast in the Edinburgh to Glasgow.   You can read mor about him at this link