Surrey Athletic Club

Surrey Athletic Club

Founded	1903
Ground	Norbiton Recreation Ground
Location	London, England

Surrey Athletic Club or Surrey AC for short, was a British athletics club based in London. The club was based at Norbiton Recreation Ground (the Kingsmeadow Athletics Stadium today).^[1]

History

Cecil Griffiths gold medal winner at the 1920 Olympic Games

Percy Hodge secured another gold at the Olympics for Surrey AC

In 1903 the club was formed under the name Malden Harriers and the club's formation was largely attributed to Ted Vowles, a former Blackheath Harrier and Malden footballer. Mr F. B. Montague was elected president.^[2]

In 1907 the club changed its name to the Surrey Athletic Club^[1][3] and members of the club met at the Royal Oak in New Malden on a regular basis.^[1]

At the 1920 Summer Olympics two Surrey AC athletes, Cecil Griffiths and Percy Hodge won gold medals.^[4][5]

In 1969 the club joined the British Athletics League as a founder member.^[1]

In 1982, the Surrey Athletic Club disbanded and the male athletes from the club joined Belgrave Harriers, while the women decided to join Royal Borough of Kingston Athletic Club instead.^[1]

Notable athletes

Olympic athletes

Athlete	Event/s	Games	Medals/Ref
Richard Yorke	3,200m steeplechase, 800m, 1500m	1908, 1912	[6]
George Hutson	5,000m, 3,000m team	1912	, [7]
Clive Taylor	high jump (ns)	1912	[8]
Charles Clibbon	5,000/10,000 metres	1920, 1924	[9]
Edgar Mountain	800 metres	1920, 1924	[10]
Cecil Griffiths	4 × 400 m	1920	[11]
James Hatton	10,000m, 3,000m team	1920	[12]
William Hill	100, 200, 4 × 100 m	1920	[13]
Percy Hodge	3,000m steeplechase	1920	[14]
Alfred Nichols	5,000m, cross country	1920	[15]
Edward Wheller	400 metres hurdles	1920	[16]
John Benham	cross country	1924	[17]
Fred Blackett	400 metres hurdles	1924	[18]
Bill Cotterell	10,000 metres (ns)	1924	[19]
Eric Harrison	110 metres hurdles	1924	[20]
Lancelot Royle	100 metres, 4 × 100 m	1924	[21]
George Constable	10,000 metres	1928	[22]
John Heap	100 metres	1928	[23]
Don Finlay	110m hurdles, 4 × 100 m	1932, 1936, 1948	, [24]
Frank Close	5,000 metres	1936	[25]
Jim Morris	10 km walk	1948	[26]
Maureen Barton-Chitty	long jump	1968. 1972	[27]

References

1. "Remembering Surrey AC". Kingston AC and Polytechnic Harriers. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
2. "Athletics and Cycling". The Sportsman. 2 September 1903. Retrieved 5 September 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
3. "Cross Country". Surrey Comet. 8 February 1908. Retrieved 5 September 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
4. "Surrey AC, Kingston-upon-Thames (GBR)". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
5. Wallechinsky, David (2000). The Complete Book of Olympics. Aurum press Ltd. pp. 1–253. ISBN 1-85410-692-9.
6. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
7. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
8. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
9. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
10. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
11. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
12. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
13. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
14. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
15. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
16. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
17. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
18. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
19. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
20. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
21. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
22. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
23. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
24. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
25. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
26. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
27. "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 September 2025.