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A Guide to London 1908 - In Remembrance of the 1908 Olympic Games (Hardcover)
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A Guide to London 1908 - In Remembrance of the 1908 Olympic Games (Hardcover)
Series: Armchair Time Travellers Street Atlas
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List price R643
Loot Price R435
Discovery Miles 4 350
You Save R208 (32%)
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The Atlas and Guide to the London Olympics of 1908, now
re-published with kind permission of Collins Bartholomew, acts as
both an archival accolade of Edwardian London and a tribute to the
visionaries who, unknowingly at the time, ignited a flame that
would continue to burn into the next millennium, uniting nations in
sport. The guide began humbly as a simple, unassuming scrapbook
compiled by William Barnard which eventually came to be stored in
the archives of Birmingham University, having been generously
donated by the British Amateur Athletics Association (AAA).
Barnard, Honorary Secretary for the Polytechnic Harriers who
organised the 1908 Olympic marathon, was appointed as official
timekeeper for the 1908 Olympic Games at very short notice and
subsequently served as the AAA's Honorary Treasurer from 1910 until
1932. Following his experience of the ground-breaking London
Olympics of 1908, Barnard began to assemble what was to become a
treasured collection of personal mementoes and artefacts, the first
of which was a signed portrait picture of fellow official I. B.
Davidson. The title of this book is in fact taken from Davidson's
addition of "In Remembrance of the 1908 Olympics" along with his
signature on the photograph. His official role of Motor and
Attendants' Marshal was also as unique as it was interesting.
During the historic 1908 London Olympic marathon, one famed for its
epic finish, early motor cars donated by companies including
Wolseley and Napier made their major sporting debut, carrying race
officials, following runners along the course and picking up those
unable to continue. The centrepiece to William Barnard's scrapbook,
also reproduced in this book, are the original, illuminating
letters of appeal compiled by Lord Desborough of Taplow, President
of the British Olympic Council, who was canvassing for the
financial support needed for London to successfully host the
Olympics. Despite the substantial obstacles of having just 10
months to find a suitable venue, build a bespoke stadium and secure
the necessary finance, he nonetheless campaigned vigorously. With
Desborough's influence - he was a consummate organiser and
inspirational figurehead - all the finances were secured with just
two weeks to the deadline, further aided when Lord Northcliffe,
proprietor of the Daily Mail, agreed to sponsor the games and
support appeals for funding via his newspaper. With the event
secured, the London games of 1908 would go on to be globally
significant, with the introduction of national teams, a parade at a
dedicated opening ceremony, winners' medals and the construction of
first - class sporting facilities chief among its innovations. The
official programmes for the Olympics, a rich source of illuminating
contemporary information, are also reproduced here. Travel at the
time was, for many people, made possible by the large and well
established railway network, with some totally reliant upon it. In
the capital, the London Underground enabled visitors to explore the
many sights and places of interest in the City of London with
affordability and ease. As the crowds thronged to the Olympics of
1908, a new notion of tourism was fast becoming fashionable and
widespread, with its advent also in step with an increasing number
of people owning a motor car, not just the privileged few. John
Bartholomew, fifth in a family line of famous cartographers, saw
the commercial potential in this growing leisure travel market, and
began producing handy pocket sized atlases for use in navigating
the rapidly expanding road network and locating London's many
attractions. Much of the information from such a typical guide is
republished here, giving real day-to-day insight into the mechanics
of hosting the Olympics and the nature of travel at the time. After
the ground-breaking games of 1908, operating under an ethos of
continuous improvement and fairness, the International Olympics
Committee introduced unified rules that included lanes in running
events, and a requirement that officials originate from more than
one country. As such, the 1908 London Olympics both reinvigorated
and established the blueprint for the modern games, transforming
the Olympics into the global sporting event we recognise today that
is embraced the world over. It is hoped in that reproducing many
contemporary documents from 1908 its legacy can be similarly
refreshed and its rich history brought to life through this book.
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