United Hospitals Athletics Club
The United Hospitals Athletics Club organizes the annual United Hospitals athletics competition. Currently each of the six United Hospitals enter a team competing for the UH shield. The club has been holding an annual competition since 1867.
History
The club was formed on May 31, 1867 at the West Brompton running grounds.[1] The club was set up by Mr. S. Edwin Jolly who held the position of treasurer during the early years of the club.[2] The events held on June 11 and 12 1869 at Beaufort House included; Flat Race 100 yards, Flat Race 250 yards, Flat Race 880 yards, Flat Race One Mile, Flat Race 2 miles, Hurdle Race 120 yards, Hurdle Race 440 yards, High Jump, Long Jump, Throwing the Hammer, Throwing the Cricket Ball, Putting the Stone, Three Legged Race and Consolation Race 250 yards.[3] King's, Guy's, London, St Thomas's, University College, St George's and St Mary's Medical Schools took part.[4] For the fourth annual meeting in 1870 the event had to be moved to cater for a crowd of over 3000 spectators to the A.A.C Grounds, Lillie Bridge with 127 entries across all the different races.[5] The first presidents of the club were highly esteemed physicians and surgeons, Sir William Fergusson 1867, Sir Thomas Watson 1868 and Sir William Jenner 1869.[6] The club required a physician and surgeon from each participating hospital to serve as vice-presidents of the club, this secured funding for the various prizes and ensured its continuation from year to year.[7] By the end of the 19th century the club held events at Stamford Bridge [8]
United Hospitals Athletics Shield
The shield is given to the medical school with the largest number of points at the end of the annual event. The shield has been awarded since 1867. The current holders of the shield are Imperial College Medical School. Medals are also awarded to winning competitors.
Present state
The status and quality of the individual medical schools teams has varied considerably since their individual inception dates. Since the United Hospitals Athletics Club was formed, the institutions that are represented by the member teams have been through considerable change, and hand-in-hand with these changes in the institutions have been changes in the teams that represent them. Thus all of the teams except St Georges are formed of more than one of the historical London medical schools.
After being proposed for membership in 2008,[9] The Royal Veterinary College officially joined the United Hospitals in 2009.
Members
Shield winners
1867 - ?
1868 - St Georges
1869 - ?
1870 - Kings College
1952 - London Hospital Athletic Club
2004 - ICSM
2005 - St Georges
2006 - ICSM
2007 - ICSM
2008 - ICSM
2009 - ICSM
2010 - ICSM
2011 - ICSM
2012 - ICSM
2013 - ICSM
2014 - ICSM
See also
United Hospitals Lawn Tennis Club
References
- ↑ The Lancet, Volume 89, Issue 2284, 8 June 1867, Pages 724–725
- ↑ The British Medical Journal, April 25, 1868, pg 407
- ↑ The Athlete, W Pilkington, 1869, pg 105-6
- ↑ The Athlete, W Pilkington, 1869, pg 107
- ↑ The Medical Times and Gazette, Volume 1, 18 June 1870, Page 763
- ↑ The Lancet, Volume 91, Issue 2331, 2 May 1868, Pages 567–572
- ↑ The Medical Times and Gazette, Volume 1, 18 June 1870, Page 763
- ↑ William Page (Editor) (1911). "Sport, ancient and modern: Athletics". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 2: General; Ashford, East Bedfont with Hatton, Feltham, Hampton with Hampton Wick, Hanworth, Laleham, Littleton. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
- ↑ MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of United Hospitals RFC, May 2008