Horsham Blue Star Harriers 1925 – 2025
100 Years in Athletics
“Athletics can only exist with the untiring help from many people, most of whom were not involved with athletic competition in their younger days"
Reg Hook 20 Oct 2020
This is short history of Horsham Blue Star Harriers complied from a number of sources.
60 Years of Running – compiled for the 60th anniversary of the club in 1985.
HBSH Club Journal – Complied by Keith May (1975 – 1980)
HBSH Club Journal Oct 1979 – Bob Grosse club magazine ‘Forward’
John Luxford’s Scrapbook and numerous press cuttings and other scrapbooks
Complied by Ron Shannon April 2025
1894 -1914
There is no record of how the name Blue Star came about other than a reference by Laurie Ratley (Club President in 1976) on how he became aware of where the name originated. In the early 1900’s two young men used to go out for a social run and on soon being joined by others, they decided to form a club. They met and changed into their running kit at one of the members’ homes in Pirie’s Place, which is a little alley just off the Carfax going onto Park Street in Horsham. One evening when going out for a run it happened to be a clear starlit night with a blue sky and on the suggestion of one member, the name Horsham Blue Star was adopted.
Subsequent records of Horsham Blue Star Harriers state that it was actually first formed in 1894, but little is known of the club or its performances at that time other than the outstanding running of Alfred Shrubb. With such outstanding talent, Alf joined and competed for Horsham Blue Star Harriers winning many races countrywide before joining the bigger South London Harriers club. He went on to coach at Oxford University, wrote a book on running and then went to America, but always remained ‘second claim’ for Horsham Blue Star Harriers. Alf’s story is told in “The Little Wonder’ written by Rob Hadgraft in 2004. The book provides detail of not only Alf Shrubb’s life at that time but also his journey to be county, national and international champion setting records which remained unbeaten for half a century.
There were however other good runners in the club at the time, namely the Spence Brothers, and J Aldridge. One recorded competition, hosted by the Blue Stars who were sometimes referred to as Horsham A.C. was a meeting on the August Bank Holiday Monday in 1871. This era of the Harriers ended when the club closed down at the start of the First World War.
1924
In 1924 Mr Ernie Gough who owned an Art Shop in West Street for many years and was a member of the Brighton and County Harriers tried to form a section of that club in Horsham. Apart from this being contrary to AAA rules this did not have any appeal to Horsham athletes and the idea was withdrawn.
1925 -1939
In 1925 Ernie Gough decided to reform the Horsham Blur Star Harriers and a meeting was held on February 4th at the home of Mr Sid Abbott at which 5 men attended. They were Ernie Gough, George Ethridge, Sid Abbott, Henry Abbott and Bert Charman. It was on this evening a ‘new’ star was born and Horsham Blue Star Harriers was reformed which of course is the club of today. Mr Gough was elected Secretary, a post he held for 43 years, George Etheridge was the captain and the Rev. Father Cassidy was made President. For many years Father Cassidy generously gave as the President’s prize, a week’s holiday abroad. This was awarded to the club member who in the committee’s opinion had served the club the greatest during the year. Members at that time came from all walks of life; doctors, lawyers, the clergy etc. Blue Star members included Rev Harvey, Superintendent Beacher, Dr Hutchence, Dr Dew and Dr Bradford leading to one humorous young man to remark that the club was well provided for both spiritually and medically, and also with police protection.
In 1926 the club had notable some performances with Thomas Merchant coming 2nd in the Sussex Cross Country Championships and first in the Sussex 4-mile Track Championship. In the same year Vic Wheeler won the Sussex Youth’s Cross Country and Bert Amey was 7th in the South of the Thames Cross Country Championships. The club went from strength to strength with a usual sight of over 40 runners lining for club races both on the road and over the countryside on Saturday afternoons. As the membership swelled so did the club’s performances not only in Track and Field athletics but also in Cross Country and on the road, with many fine individual performances as well as team victories. This brought the club to the attention of the Southern Countries AAA who duly invited them to take part in the prestigious London to Brighton Road Relay which was one of the major highlights of the athletic year.
Interclub matches were very much the order of the day, including paper chases and Cross-Country events. The Drill Hall in Horsham was used for changing, giving easy access to the countryside at Denne Park and there was just enough room to mark out a six-lap track at the back of the Drill Hall. Although a rather bumpy surface Olympic Gold medalist Lord Burghley competed on the Drill Hall track and the Harriers enjoyed many fixtures there but not without effort. Before these events took place a club member had to collect a horse and a 12” Ransome push mower from the Grammar School (Collyer’s) to mow the track and flatten the surface, with special attention given to the 100 yard straight so the sprinters could do their training. The horse was returned before the meeting got under way.
Reg Charman and Bob Blake were instrumental laying exciting paper trails over the beautiful Vale of Sussex and farmers and landowners welcomed the runners over their land. Dick Tidey, Jimmy Edwards and Herby Martin were great ‘thrusters’ and could take any reasonable fence in their stride; the five barrelled gates at the bottom of the Barrack Fields (next to Horsham Cricket Ground) were never climbed but just jumped straight over.
Changing facilities were at the Drill Hall, where the caretaker did much to support their endeavors. After returning from a wonderful chase, Mr Wakefield would provide a sumptuous spread for tea and many a time a visitor would lament “can we have another one next week?” In Christmas week the club would run a Christmas handicap Cross Country race, each member bringing a small prize which would not exceed one shilling in value.
Horsham Cricket field was used for training for a short period, but with cricket being played at the same time this was unsustainable due to the potential of being hit by a cricket ball!
The club did eventually manage to hire a few rooms over the top of Agate’s the Corn Merchants (The old Grain Store which are now offices) in Denne Road. Much work was done by the club to make the rooms habitable for changing and as a social center with a small canteen.
During this period a lady’s club was formed which was entirely separate from the men with its own identity. Although some notable performances were achieved, membership dwindled until this part of the club eventually petered out.
The men’s club continued to succeed as one of the foremost clubs in Sussex. However, due to a lack of finances the club was forced to relinquish the club rooms and was homeless once more.
As in 1914 the club ceased to operate during the 2nd World War. Many of its members joined the Armed Forces, unfortunately some never to return. Some felt the strain of 6 years of war, with some experiencing prisoner of war camps. However, in 1945 Laurie Ratley and Bob Grosse reformed the club in the autumn of that year with an opening run at Horsham Cricket ground.
1946 -1980
The Sussex Cross Country Championships were held in Horsham in early 1946 and with a team of only 6, all of whom had to score, the club won the coveted trophy of the silver winged Mercury Trophy. The club then won the coveted trophy from 1947 until 1954, for 9 years running.
The festival 10-mile road race was a club promotion which began in 1955 and ran for 32 years with very large field’s taking part. This race was sponsored by many Horsham organisations including the West Sussex Country Times and by Sussex County Building Society and was organised by Ken Elliott.
Map of the 1984 Horsham 10 Mile Road Race
The years that followed from 1950 until the late 1960s saw six senior Cross Country Champions and three winners of the South of Thames Cross Country Championships. In the Southern Cross-Country Championships, the club finished 8th team and were awarded the Joe Turner Memorial Trophy, and in the same year were 15th in the English National Cross-Country Championships both of which were very high honours for a small country club.
Blue Stars’ next victory was in the bad winter of 1963 where the course at Stanmer Park Brighton had to be cleared of snow by officials. John Luxford who led from the start, running in knee deep snow but holding off team mate Maurice Baker won the race for Horsham. He recalled later that he used a cunning tactic, as the course was trodden down, but to the sides the snow was very high. He got to the front at the start of the race, knowing that if anyone had to pass him, they would run in the deeper snow and therefore slow up.
John Luxford joined HBS in 1950 and ran for the club winning many events over the years. Even when John was doing his two years national service in the RAF he managed to get back to Horsham for the Championships. John served the club and Sussex AAA for 60 years as an athlete, Club and County Team Manager, club coach and official and served a stint as President of Sussex AAA.
1970s
During the 1970s Graham Jackson was the club’s first international representative, running for Great Britian juniors at 3000m, followed by Ian Beauchamp representing GB in the marathon.
The 330-yard track in Horsham Park, which had become a regular training venue became unsuitable for use, and so the offer to train on the cinder track at Christ’s Hospital was gratefully received.
In an extraordinary AGM in November 11th 1977 a Ladies section was formed with the first two female athletes being Sue May and Melanie Marlow. Since then, Blue Stars has been a mixed club. The first recorded female results came in the following year in inter club events, and females were included in the annual club ranking list from then on.
The Parkland races was another club promotion. Starting in 1977 they ran until 1995 and were held in September in Horsham Park. Organised by Fred Jordan (who was also a graded starter and much in demand throughout the Southern Counties) there were races for all age groups from U13 to Seniors and attracted large entries in all age groups.
Two notable individual achievements of this period were that of Graham Jackson who competed for Great Britain in the 3000m in 1976 and of Ian Beauchamp who represented Great Britain in the marathon, in Sneek (Holland) 10th June 1978.
1980s
In March 1980 Blue Stars introduced Sportshall Athletics to the South of England. A year later saw the Sussex Sportshall Indoor league being formed led by John Linfield. The competition was held at Tanbridge School until post COVID when the venue changed to Worthing. The club still competes in this indoor league with both boys and girls winning the competition several times. The most notable success was the girls team winning the league in 1998 and then retaining the title in 1999.
The club had three representatives at the inaugural London Marathon in 1981, Keith and Sue May and Melanie Marlow ran the now iconic race in its first year. Blue Stars have had many representatives in the race over the years either by achieving ‘good for age’ entries or via the club place which is allocated to the club every year. This is given to a person who has contributed to the club and of course can run 26.2 miles! A recent notable achievement in this race has been Elspeth Turner who achieved 1st woman in the 50-54 age category in 2017.
In April 1987 the 400m all-weather athletics track with adjacent ‘Tube’ was opened by former 5000m world record holder Dave Moorcroft at the Broadbridge Heath Sports Centre. The Tube originally had a 50m indoor track along with pole vault, long jump, sprinting and hurdling facilities. This became the base from which Horsham Blue Stars operated and is where the
1990's
Another innovative development started by Horsham Blue Stars, led by Keith May was the U13 league which was formed in 1992. Still a successful popular league it continues to run today and provided the template for its equivalent subsequently formed U15 League. Blue Stars have on occasion been winners of the U13 League, which is usually held on a Friday night in the summer for young athletes.
During this period Blue Stars also competed in the McDonald's League (Young Athletes League) which was run as a separate Boys and Girls league. Our girls’ team did well to reach the Final one year and the auxiliary final the next as it was open to clubs from all over the country.
Zoe McKinnon achieved notable success in 1997/1998 when she competed for GB in two indoor international at U20 Hurdles.
2000s
Blue Star athletes started competing in the Sussex Under 15 League (Track and Field) when it was formed in 2008 and this league still provides excellent competition for the club today.
There were several outstanding HBS athletes during this period. In 1999 Clare Harman (known then by her maiden surname of Milborrow) had broken the Sussex 100 m Hurdles record and in 2002 went on to claim a county record which still stands today in the 60 m Hurdles Indoors. She went on to represent England in the hurdles event.
In 2009 Joe Kent leapt to a Sussex record of 2.11 m (senior and U20) in the High Jump competing for GB in the European Youth Olympic Festival at Tampere in Finland and Helen Morton competed for Scotland at the Combined Events Home Countries Internationals in the Heptathlon in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
2010 - 2024
The club joined the newly formed Southern Athletics League in 2011 which replaced the Southern Men’s league and Southern Women’s league of which Blue Stars originally competed. Participation in this league continues today and is a popular event for the senior athletes of the club and covering all track and field events.
The COVID epidemic in 2020 to 2021 saw the club closed as part of the lock down. Some restrictions remained for some time with the club applying all the required COVID precautions to ensure that athletes got a chance to train in the open air and get fit again. As a result of this period several coaches retired and some athletes moved on so there was a significant fall off in numbers. However, the club has bounced back due to the efforts of the volunteer coaches, team managers and helpers and is back to it’s pre COVID levels in participation and is still growing!
The most significant achievement by the club post COVID has been the Sussex County Championship senior men’s title at Bexhill in January 2023. This follows in the footsteps of many previous Blue Star victories at this event. One of the six-man team Jacob Cann, winner of the 2023 championship race Bexhill race has gone on to represent England in Cross Country events in Holland and Spain in 2024.
2025
Horsham Blue Stars is still based at Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre Track. Membership today is around 300 athletes, 15 qualified athletic coaches and an array of team managers, officials and helpers. The club competes in track and field, sports hall and Cross County at all levels. It also has athletes who through their achievements compete at county and national level.