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Vale of Aylesbury Athletic Club |
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| Wednesday 8th Feb 2012 |
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Club History
Hon. Walter Rothschild
The Vale of Aylesbury Athletic Club began life on the 28th March 1893 when the Vale of Aylesbury Bicycle Club (formed in 1880) altered its name to The Vale of Aylesbury Cycling and Amateur Athletic Club. Lord Rothschild (of the world famous banking family) was an active president of the club for 35 years until his death in 1915. The Hon. Walter Rothschild served as chairman for many years and other members of the family served on the committee.
The club had an excellent start in life but has had mixed fortunes over the intervening years. The South African war years (1900 to 1903) were unaffected by the conflict but 1914-18 and 1939-45 were more disruptive. The depression years also led to decline and a temporary cessation from 1933 to 1939 although there were still a number of athletes active in the town.
The immediate post war years and 1950's saw a strong revival of the club and the late Pat Sage (Mayor of Aylesbury and a prominent official within the AAA's and later Olympic Team Manager) made a major contribution to the Vale's athletics scene. Pat brought the English National Cross Country Championships to Aylesbury in 1950 and organised track meets with international runners and crowds of up to 14,400 people in those halcyon years. Television disrupted the spectator interests but the club has survived the era of open athletics and the jogging boom and flourishes as a full blown athletic club.
The building of the Stoke Mandeville six lane athletics track in the early 1980's was a boon to the club where it is now headquartered meeting on Tuesday and Thursday evenings throughout the year. A full range of track and field equipment is available for people interested in competing or just trying their hand at javelin, shot, discus, high jump, long jump etc. The changing rooms house a weights room for strength based athletes. The track is to be rebuilt to a full eight lane facility this year with improved flood lighting.
A number of quite high class athletes are or have been members including twice times Olympic Pentathlon RAF athlete the late Don Cobley and ex British international Ron Gomez. As a youth Keith Miller came 5th in the English National Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill Fields and Ester Evans represented Wales over 800 metres on the track. The last twenty years has seen the club very prominent in veterans' athletics at local, national and international level. Jean Cillard was 3rd Over 40 lady in the London Marathon in 1988 in 3.00.30.
Gordon Rimmer Representing Great Britain in the 3000m S/C at the 8 Nations Games Tokyo 1980
Bucks Championships at Amersham late 80s Richard Burt centre and Mike Eveliegh far right
Constitution
Click here for the pdf document of the constitution