PEDESTRIANISM • A foot-race was run on Tuesday last
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| Pedestrianism at Little Walton Hall in Walton le Dale, a Seventeenth Century Building |
PEDESTRIANISM.-A foot-race was run on Tuesday last, between George Eastham, alias Clogger, of this town, and Robert Cooper, of Mottram. The race came off at Belle Vue, near Manchester, for £30 a side. At first, the betting was decidedly in favour of the Mottram runner; but when the men stripped, it changed to from five to four on Clogger, who got the lead and was never headed, -winning the race by four or five yards. The distance was 220 yards.
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| PEDESTRIANISM • A foot-race was run on Tuesday last | Preston Chronicle |
Publication: Preston Chronicle
Date: Saturday, Nov. 1, 1845
From Gale Primary Sources, British Library Newspapers:
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/Y3207425394/BNCN?u=lancs&sid=bookmark-BNCN&pg=2&xid=c2991adf
I came across PEDESTRIANISM when looking through old news papers on the British Library Newspapers at Gale Primary Sources. I can access them using my Lancashire library card number. The searches we based around some of the villages south of the River Ribble near Preston, in the borough that is currently known as South Ribble. This included, Bamber Bridge, Higher Walton, Moon's Mill (the former name of Higher Walton), and Walton le Dale.
When scanning through the articles, I notices a section headed as “PEDESTRIANISM”, with a subtitle of, "Matches to Come". It had appeared because one of the competitors was an S. Beatty, of Moons Mill. What on earth is this? I have never heard of it. It seems that the old fashioned name was on a similar basis to how boxing used to be described, as pugilism.
The discovery allowed me to understand the context of the images above. This was an undescribed activity, which featured on an image that is held in the Lancashire County Council’s Red Rose Collections. The original is a black and white pencil drawing that is said to be from circa 1870. Somebody had suggested that it was a race to me, but I wasn't sure. Finding the Pedestrianism item allowed me to make the connection between what was happening at Little Walton Hall and what Mr. Beatty, of Moon's Mill was taking part in.
Looking on the web for more information about the activity took me to what I would say are a little historically misleading descriptions of it. It now seems to have been adopted as a precursor to long distance walking and ultra events. I am sure that they do stem from this, but the original definition seems to connected to races that were generally much shorter. The emphasis was very much on the betting side of things.
The stakes were high, with the competitors wagering there own money (perhaps with some financial backing). There was also a lot of separate betting going on, by the looks of things. This one involved the competitors staking Twenty-five pounds each, which would have been a large sum of money at the time. It featured the Prestonian, George Eastham, the 'Flying Clogger', again.
FOOT RACE. On Monday afternoon last, a match came off at Bellevue, near Manchester, between George Eastham, of this town, and Etchells, of Failsworth, for £25 a-side, distance 220 yards. Etchells, who is a great favourite with his countrymen, who were present on the occasion, in large numbers, was freely backed by them at 2 to 1. He was in fine order, stands five feet eight inches high, and was trained by "Dicky Misfortune." Mr. Holden, of Manchester, officiated as stakeholder and referee. At half-past two o'clock, after a minor match had taken place, Eastham was called out of the adjoining public-house, and, when he had stripped and made himself ready, he found the cords broken, and the preparations incomplete. He returned, and in twenty minutes was called out again, when he waited on the ground upwards of half an hour in his flannels before the ropes were fixed, Etchells in the mean time not having taken off his upper clothing. The course was then measured, but only to 207 yards, by Etchells's friends' measurement, and after it
was swept and sanded the mon were placed. After several false starts they got well away, Etchells leading, and continuing to do so until 120 yards were passed, when he was two yards and a quarter a-head. Eastham then began to gain ground, and at the 200 yards' end, the runners were breast and breast, and both ran in together, Eastham taking the handkerchief with his breast, and Etchells with his hand. Eastham's umpire pronounced him the victor, Etchells's umpire that it was a dead heat, and the referee said " as fair as lie ever saw." Eustham's friends then shouldered their man, upon which Etchells was immediately throned by his. As both were leaving the course, Mr. Holden, the referee, gave, as his opinion, that he thought Etchells had won by six inches, a decision which caused a great discussion. Several bets wore declared off, others unpaid, and the stakes have not been given up. It was a very smartly run contest. Eastham has forwarded a challenge to run him again for double the stakes, or for £100 a-side, half way between "home and home."
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| FOOT RACE. On Monday afternoon last, at Bellevue, Manchester |
What is clear from these competitions is that they were relatively short distance, and would have definitely been run, not walked. This one got to the point of a future challenge for £100.00!
PRESTON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1844.
Publication: Preston Chronicle, Saturday, Feb. 17, 1844
From Gale Primary Sources, British Library Newspapers:
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/Y3207423262/BNCN?u=lancs&sid=bookmark-BNCN&pg=2&xid=e170d00f
Also with reference to the subject of 19th Century 'Pedestrianism', in effect 'Prize-Running', here are a couple of Harkness Ballads from the Gregg Butler collection in praise of George Eastham aka 'The Flying Clogger'. As stated, he was a native of Preston. It is said in a comment that he made enough money from prize money for running that he was able to buy a pub in the town and retire. However, I haven't yet been able to find any information to substantiate that claim.
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THE GREAT FOOT RACE BETWEEN THE
Flying Clogger, AND LONGBOTTOM, AT BELLEVUE.
J. Harkness, Printer, 121, & 122, Church Street; Office,-4, & 5, North Road, Preston.
Come all you sporting lively lads wherever that you be, That take delight in foot Racing come listen unto me, Concerning the two champions who ran lately at Bellevue, Bold George Eastham and William Longbottom I tell it unto you.
CHORUS.
Here's success to the Flying Clogger, for the races he has run, At the halfpenny Bridge and Bellevue many Prizes he's won.
For £25 a side those heroes tried their skill, Like lightening they flew o'er the ground, trying which could win, But the clogger he has won the race and show'd them fine fun, And made them go with empty pockets bach to Bolton Town.
The flower of Lancashire is the Clogger of high renown, Cheer up your spirits lads and let the bets go round, Then up speke Jerry Jim and unto them did say, Bet every penny that you have and let us have fair play:
His speed it was swift and his courage it was good, And for to run his rival at the starting place he stood, Then up spoke young Longbottom and unto him did say; You needn't boast young Eastham your sure to loose the day,
So Longbottom and his backers to Middleton did go, Unto their wives and children with empty pockets I know, Then all Eastham's backers to the Grey Horse come: And drunk the flying Clogger's health of fair Preston town.
We must not forget Whittle and Hollinsback likewise, So there's Hanby, Chisnall and the Sand Lad likewise, They dare not engage the Preston Lad again; Because they're all surprised at the races he has won
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| The Great Foot Race Between The Flying Clogger, and Longbottom, at Bellevue. |
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| The Great Foot Race Between The Flying Clogger And Long Dick |
THE GREAT FOOT RACE
BETWEEN THE Flying Clogger AND LONG DICK
AT FIVE BARRED GATE, MARCH 17, 1845,
Come all you sporting lively lads wherever you may be, That take delight in Foot Racing, come listen unto me, Concerning the two Champions who ran at Five Barred Gate, The sum it was £25, a very handsome stake.
CHORUS
So we will drink success to the Clogger,-That man of courage bold; He won the prize at the Five Barred Gate, And bore away the gold.
The distance these two men run it was 160 yards, And Clogger beat his man that day full seven yards, Now the Clogger he has won the race, & showed Long Dick fine fun And made him go and his Backers too, back by the firt of the thumb,
The flower of Lancashire of high renown, Cheer up your spirits, lads, and let the bets go round, Then up spoke Jerry Jem and unto them did say: Bet every penny that you have and let us have fair play.
His speed it was swift and his courage stout and good, And for to run his rival at the starting place he stood, Then up spoke bold Richard and unto him did say, You need'nt boast young Eastham, you're sure to lose the day.
But George he only laughed at him, and Jerry Jem did say: Come, clear the ground, they're going to start, and let us have fair Then off they flew like lightning, and Dick he got the start, [play But Clogger he did pass him by, just like an archers dart.
So now for to conclude and finish off my song, I hope that I have offended none, and I have not delayed you long. For the Clogger he has won this race, as he has done many more, He has bet any man for one pound or five score.
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| The Great Foot Race Between The Flying Clogger And Long Dick |
I presume that 'LONG DICK' was a notably tall person and wasn't bragging about anything else.
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References and sources of further information.
Pedestrianism – Matches to Come
The Walton le Dale Community Website
https://www.waltonledale.co.uk/articles/pedestrianism-matches-to-come/
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On this day … 19 February 1842
Foot Racing Nuisance - The Preston Chronicle
Preston History - Peter Smith
https://prestonhistory.com/2023/02/19/on-this-day-19-february-1842/
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Tom Cook, The Greenwich Cowboy – a Victorian Running ‘Pedestrian’
Running Past - South East London History on Foot
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The great British walk-off: the crazy world of Victorian pedestrianism
East Anglia Bylines
https://eastangliabylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/the-crazy-world-of-victorian-pedestrianism/
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Little Walton Hall, Walton-le-Dale circa 1870
Lancashire County Council’s Red Rose Collections
https://redrosecollections.lancashire.gov.uk/view-item?i=213907
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