Jarrow & Hebburn Athletic Club 80th Anniversary Celebration
Athletes from the past and present assembled at Monkton Stadium, Jarrow to mark the 80th anniversary of Jarrow & Hebburn Athletic Club. Among the athletes was former World Champion and Club President Steve Cram.
This was a unique event in the history of the club with a newly created ‘Jarvis’ award. Named after Sir John Jarvis, a generous industrialist, who developed new sports facilities in Jarrow during the 1930’s, created Valley View Park and broke the shipbuilding cartels to open up jobs on the River Tyne in an effort to help the people of Jarrow and their families.
Joining athletes and coaches were a number of civic dignitaries. The Mayor of Guildford joined the South Tyneside Mayor and Sir John Jarvis’s granddaughter Tessa Preece to unveil a plaque to Sir John. Jarrow & Hebburn Athletic Club also appointed Tessa Preece as Honorary Vice President as sign of gratitude. The award was presented by Steve Cram.
Tom Tweddell event organiser said:
“Without the generosity and vision of Sir John we would not be having an 80th celebration and the opportunity to award those runners and coaches who achieved international, national and counties standards.”
Ken Stephenson Mayor of South Tyneside said:
“This is a fantastic event showcasing our talented runners from our borough and bringing to light the personal contribution made by Sir John Jarvis to the people of Jarrow.”
Tessa Preece’s first official duty was to unveil a special plaque in commemoration of her grandfather.
Tessa Preece said:
“It’s a fantastic honour to be invited to Jarrow and celebrate the 80th anniversary of the athletic club. My grandfather would have been so proud and a simply taken aback that after so many years he is still fondly remembered.”
Moving tributes were paid to the club’s founder and current members from the Club’s founding in 1937 to the mid 1980”s – the era of the running boom.
There will be a series of special publications outlining the contribution of Sir John Jarvis and his relationship with the town of Jarrow and the history of the athletic club. Author Tom Tweddell said:
“Sir John Jarvis’s involvement in Jarrow has been the subject of controversy for many years, but in researching his motivation for supporting Jarrow my interest directed me to his surviving family. Tessa Preece was able to provide me with valuable personal belongings that provided an insight that I had not seen in existing publications. What is more, it was simple and made sense.
Such was the gratitude from the people of Jarrow that a stone was taken from St Paul’s Church, inscribed, and placed within Guildford cathedral. This stone is known there as the Jarrow Stone.”