Profile

Born 1933 and was educated at Shrewsbury School which takes Cross Country Running very seriously. I was not much use at conventional games but did enjoy running with only modest success [ I was in the school’s second team]. My academic skill was in Mathematics.

After two years’ National Service I came to Lincoln College, matriculating in 1953, reading for a degree in Mathematics; In the three years no one in college read Maths, so I never indulged in talking shop. However, at that time Lincoln was strong in Athletics and Running – we won the Cross Country Cuppers in ’53 and ’54.

A contemporary of mine was Derek Johnson. On the evening that Roger Bannister broke the 4-minute mile, Derek won both 220yds and 440yds. Later that year he took Gold at the Empire Games in Vancouver, in a record time in the Half Mile; at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics it was Silver in the 800m. Heady times indeed. I was part of a group at the Iffley Road that evening.

Position

• Alumnus, 1953